Escape From Wicked End Academy

"Char, baby, wake up," someone whispers while gently shaking my shoulder. I open my eyes to see Matt's face only inches away from mine.

"What the fuck do you want," I groan whiningly. He chuckles.

"Get up and pack your stuff," I remember why he's here and get up, almost knocking my head against his. He sits on my bed and watches me rush around to stuff random sweatshirts, tanktops, T-shirts, jeans, and sweats in my book bag. I had taken all my school stuff out.

I zip it up after pulling out baggy jeans and a sweatshirt. He takes it and throws it over his shoulder, holding on to the shoulder strap. I pull the sweatshirt on and put on the jeans.

"Ready to go," he asks. I nod and he climbs out the window. I swing my legs out and he takes my waist to help me. I put my hands on his shoulders and he lifts me out. Setting me on the ground, he smiles. "You're getting away from here, aren't you happy?"

"Yeah," I say quietly. "I'm just... tired." His smile fades.

"You're scared we're gonna get caught." I look down and nod. He wraps his arms around me and squeezed as tight as he could without hurting me. "Everything's gonna be all right, okay? We know what we're doing."

"But if we get in trouble, I'll feel so bad," I murmur against his chest. He idly rubs my back.

"Why? It wouldn't be your fault-" I pull away to look up at him.

"We're leaving so I can be safe. Principal Bale wouldn't care if we were leaving so Rodney couldn't get me again-"

"Stop saying that," he says, sounding slightly annoyed. "By how you say Rodney's gonna 'get' you, you make it sound like he's gonna kill you."

"Cos he is-"

"No. He won't. I'm here, and Brian is somewhere around here with the guys to make sure you are completely safe." I don't say anything else. A light shines toward us as it comes closer. Matt covers my mouth with his hand and wraps his arm tight around my waist and he jumps into the bushes. He lands on his back and I lay on top of him.

"Shads? Char," Brian whisper-yells. I smile down at Matt who is smirking.

"You would," I say and stand up, brushing myself off.

"You're right, I would," he replies. I walk out of the bushes and feel Brian pick me up in a hug.

"I thought you guys already got caught," he murmurs in my ear. I hug tightly back until he lets go and sets me back down on the ground. Matt walks out behind me.

"Where are the other guys," he asks quietly, not showing any care that Brian has his arm around me.

"Waiting out by the gate, but we have to go if we're really gonna do this." Matt nods so we run sneakily out to where Zacky stood smoking with Jimmy and Johnny.

"Ready," Johnny asks. We all nod and they start running across the street and behind Bart's Bike Shop. I look at Matt.

"The woods are behind there," he whispers, running after them. Brian takes my hand and pulls me alongside him until we're standing in the dark woods.

"What direction are we supposed to go," Jimmy whispers. I hear the slightest echo, so I stay silent.

"East, which would be..." Matt closes his eyes and points diagonally to the right. "That way." Brian nods and lets go of my hand to walk with Matt ahead. Zacky stays back with me as the others walk in front of us.

"So you happy to finally be away from Rodney," he asks quietly. I smell a little bit of smoke coming from him.

"Yeah," I whisper, crossing my arms over my chest.

"We're not going back, and he's stuck there for a whole other year till he turns 18." I look at him.

"Why can't he stay at Wicked End past that?"

"He'll be a legal adult, so the government will figure it out from there. He could end up in jail for a few months, maybe probation for a couple years."

"Then he's free and he'll know where I am-"

"No he won't. Didn't I say we're not going back? He'll have no idea where you went-" We all stop in our tracks as we hear an alarm start going off. Our heads snap back to the direction of the academy and see people start running around like crazy.

"Shit," I hear Brian hiss. We all sprint away as fast as we can, but Zacky stays back to make sure I don't trip or something. After five straight minutes of running, we stop in a small clearing a while away from where we were when the alarm sounded. Matt looks at all of us.

"They already know we're gone."