Try To Change Me

Chapter 9

Ms Smith rubbed her brow, her book forgotten on the desk. Carissa's wailing was giving her a headache between Finn's insistent questions.

"What do we do Ms Smith?" he implored, glaring at her. He was leaning on a desk, bruising his fingers against the wood as he glared at his teacher.

"we," Carrisa breathed, staring at the roof, "Are going to die."

Ms Smith lost it. "Shut up both of you! I can't hear myself think."

The room went quiet. Finnegan was frowning at her, wanting more than an outburst, but Carissa looked positively peeved. Who dared tell her to be quiet? Through the silence, all three heard the feet thundering down the hallway.

Finnegan licked his lips, casting a wary glance at the door. "That's not the sound of your thinking by any chance, is it Ms Smith?"

Salena teetered around the corner, breathing heavily already, adn narrowed her eyes at the form pulling further ahead. She really hated sports teachers. Tripping on her own laces, Salena bumped her elbow on the corner and stumbled forward. Her knees hit the linoleum and she let out a gasp, toppling onto her stomach as her glasses skidded across the floor. Groaning, she rolled onto her back, studying the ceiling. She thought it was as good a place to stay as any.

A mop of brown hair appeared above her, grinning broadly. Phitz was chuckling as he offered her a hand up.

"Graceful."

Slipping her hand into his, Salena allowed the giant to haul her to her feet and was nearly propelled into the opposite wall by the force. He snickered again, giving her an apologetic shrug and offered her the glasses.

"Want these?"

She nodded, slipping them onto her face. As she pushed them up the bridge of her nose, Ebony darted around the corner, slamming into Phitz and bouncing to the ground. Austin, who had been a few strides to the left, dissolved into a fit of laughter, clutchign his chest.

Phitz turned from one girl to the other, offering Ebony his hand. "You must love this floor."

"Shut up," she grumbled, brushing his hand aside to clamber to her feet. She glared at Austin, "You too."

He wiped his eyes, a final chuckle slipping through as he met her eyes. "Sorry."

"No you're not."

"I'm not," he agreed, "but i probably should be."

"She's bleeding."

Salena tilted her head gently, blinking at the red staining Ebony's shirt hem. "You're right."

The other teenagers looked at her curiously. Raising her hand slowly, she pointed, and their attention shifted. Phits looked surprised, but Austin nodded.

"Yeah, I noticed that before. Did you cut yourself?" 

Tugging up her shirt, Ebony shrugged. Their was a line cut, a thin line spanning several centimetres, that was seeping blood. 

"Old injury," she explained, avoiding their eyes.

Austin took a step forward, fingers questing for her waist, but she stepped away from him. 

"From what?" he asked, smootly raking his hair out of his face. His best friend hid a grin. "Your previous life as a gang member?"

Ebony glared at him, "Perhaps we should catch up to Mr Irving."

"Perhaps," the boy smirked. 

As the steps drew closer, Finnegan raised the chair. Carissa's eyes were wide, her lips drawn into a petite frown, and she cowered in the corner behind Ms Smith. Their teacher was also frowning, but had given up cajoaling her pupil away from the doorway. As the door was flung wide, Finn swung, and was comforted by the groan of pain the figure emitted as he was beaten back out of the classroom. Sticking his head around the door, Finn's jaw dropped.

"Mr Irving?"

Ms Smith lunged to her feet. "Anthony?"

stumbling around Finn, she collapsed by his side, craning her neck to peer into his face. Most of the chair had slammed into Mr Irving's chest, but a leg had caught him in the jaw, splitting his lip. Blood trickled down his face, and Ms Smith's hand wiped it away. 

His eyes focused on her after a second, and she smeared the blood on her skirt. 

"Ella," he drawled, clutching his chest, "I found you."

With that, he let out a groan and collapsed onto his back. Carissa skuttled into the doorway, peering out from behind Finn. "Huh."