Chapter 9 - Rage

Zelena.

“Stay away from Gunner, okay bitch, he’s mine now”.

I nodded my head quickly. The sharpness of Demi's words sliced through me. Of course she and Gunner would get together, they’re both ridiculously beautiful, and beautiful people tend to stick together. She let go of my shoulders and took a small step back. I didn’t dare lift my head to look at her, but I could picture her evil smirk in my mind, I could basically feel her heated glare burning my flesh. 

“What a useless waste of space” she laughed turning to her minions and the crowd that had gathered beside her.

Even after she turned away, I could still feel the burning from her glare. It was like a wave of heat burned through me, engulfing my arms. I clenched my fists, digging my nails into the palms of my hands. Those hot pins, the same from yesterday in the forest, I could feel them running up my legs and into my chest. Without a second thought, I stepped forward and slapped Demi clean across her face. I hit her so hard that her head snapped to the side and the sound echoed through the hallway. Everyone fell silent, surprised to see such an outburst from me. For years I have sat quietly and taken their abuse without a word or any show of retaliation. Demi grasped at her face and turned to look at me. Her upper lips curled up into a snarl and fiery hatred filled her eyes. She lunged at me grabbing my wrist with one hand and the other hand around my throat. She shoved me against the locker, slamming my head into the door. I let out a small squeal of pain.

“Who the fuck do you think you are? You filthy slut!” she screamed at me whilst slamming me against the locker again. I tried to take a breath but her grip around my neck was too tight. I could feel her fingers tightening around my throat and I closed my eyes to prepare myself for more pain. Desperate for air, I pulled at her hand around my neck, to no avail. I could feel my head starting to spin and a fogginess clouded my vision. Demi’s grip suddenly released, and I fell to the floor coughing and struggling to breathe. I stayed crouched on the floor on my hands and knees, frantically trying to catch my breath. My throat burned and the air felt like knives as it began to fill my lungs.

When I was finally able to breathe again, I managed to register the sounds of yelling and screaming in front of me. Hesitantly, I looked up. Cole and Smith were both struggling to hold back a violent looking Gunner, who was desperately trying to lunge at Demi. Demi was clutching onto Brian’s arm trying to shield herself from Gunner. Brian, Demi, her minions, and everyone else in the hall were staring at Gunner with shock and terror on their faces.

“LET ME GO!” Gunner screamed, thrashing his body while trying to get free of Cole and Smith’s grip.

“I’ll fucking kill you if you ever touch her again” he screamed at her, still fighting to get free of Cole and Smith’s hold. Demi was sobbing as she buried her face into Brian’s jacket, Brian was standing back with his hands up in surrender just shaking his head.

“Come on mate. Enough” Cole pleaded with Gunner.

I slowly started to stand up, gripping the locker for support when I felt fresh blood running down my back. Oh no! I have to get out of here before anyone sees it. Getting into a fight at school is one thing, but if anyone found out about my back and the beatings I get at home, my dad would kill me. I coughed and I stumbled on my feet as I tried to take a step. Gunner turned around, locking eyes with me. He pushed past Cole and Smith and grabbed me around my waist. I flinched at his hands holding me.

“She’s a fucking psycho, Gunner” Demi screamed. Gunner looked over at her and growled a deep bellowing growl that echoed through the halls. The crowd went silent, the aura of fear was thick in the air.

Gunner lifted me up with ease and began to carry me away. My toes were touching the ground, but I was barely able to walk with Gunner holding me. We burst through the front doors and out into the parking lot. He was so quick, I don’t know how we got out here so fast. I must be more out of it than I realised. He put me down and stood in front of me, his eyes looking me up and down, running his hands over my face and arms.

“Are you okay?” he demanded urgently,

“Are you hurt?”

Looking into his frantic eyes it dawned on me, what Demi said in the hall. Why would he care, why did he bring me out here and why is he asking if I’m okay? I hit Demi, and they’re together now, so shouldn’t he be with her? She told me that they are together now. But he still threatened her. Didn’t he, that did actually happen, right? I could feel that burning sensation running through my body again. Only this time, it was ten times more intense. I covered my face with my hands to muffle my cry of pain. I felt like my ribs were pulling apart and my spine was twisting under my skin. The hot needles were stabbing me all over my body.

“Zeleeeeena” Gunner said slowly with concern. But I couldn’t listen to him right now, I didn’t want to. The burning feeling was too much, my bones felt like they were breaking inside me. I threw myself to the ground, my body writhing in the dirt, trying desperately to ease the pain. My aching body shook and squirmed. If Gunner was still there, I couldn’t tell. I screamed out, begging for some kind of release from this torture. My body flung up from the ground until I was perched on my hands and knees. It felt like the ground under my hands was shaking, my whole body was on fire and the pain was excruciating. I tossed my head back, and a truly harrowing scream burst from my lungs. The sound pierced my ears and echoed through the forest in front of me until it melted away to silence.

Everything stopped. The pain was gone, the burning was gone, the aching in my bones was gone. I was okay. I turned around to see if Gunner was still there. He was. He was standing with his hands up in front of him, slowly backing away from me. Cole and Smith were behind him. They all looked at me like I had grown a second head. I get it, they should be scared of me. They see me now for the head case that I am. The way I snapped like that and hit Demi, she’s right, I am a psycho.

I turned on my heels and ran off away from school away from Gunner and into the forest.