Fables/Fairytales Fan Fiction / Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Escape ❯ Secrets ( Chapter 1 )

I hate school. I hated the teachers, I hated the students. I even hated the building. I hated the noise, their mindless chatter going through one ear and out the next. But most of all, I hated their stupidity. It amazed me on how people could be so stupid!! It didn't bother me that my brain surpassed all the teachers- everyone has their limits after all and I do not blame them for it. I only wished that they would stop acting superior and trying to trip me up. Trying to prove, I am human as well. What they don't seem to grasp, is that they end up the fools.

 

I sighed, trying to pull myself from my musing and focus on the road. Daniel was beside me as always, his own eyes set on the road. I don't even know why he wants to stick with me. I'm not the most likable person after all. Our steps fell into a steady rhythm. I knew he was getting to close to me. And I don't mean physically. It wasn't normal to walk without him by my side now. It was not a good sign. After all these years of secluding myself, it took only him to break my walls of isolation. Nothing good could come of this.

 

I turned my head lazily, stealing a glance of his lanky figure. The first things that I noticed about him when he first transferred over were his eyes. They were heterochromatic with one blue eye and one green one. Which I guess was why he kept his hair covering the green one. It wasn't that obvious except when the wind sometimes blew the few strands of blonde hair covering his eye. He was my height and rather willowy, a complete opposite from my build. But the thing that was most interesting was that there was always a big smile on his face. It was a plastic smile I know, and it made his face look like a doll mask. But it was his rare genuine smiles that got me interested. He never talked much when he was with me. Not that he talked to anyone else. I liked it that way. Words always seem to render the situation into something more real.

 

When he transferred, there was a buzz among the students but no one dared to approach him. It was a normal practice in my school and me, I didn't care. Unfortunately, the only empty seat was the one in front of me. The last student got so creeped out by my silent ways, he had specially requested to sit in the front.

I wasn't very happy with this change of events at first, if I didn't like one of my classmates, how was I supposed to handle a complete stranger? He accepted things well, and obliged the teacher's request. The only expression he got out of me was a nod as I intended to ignore him for the rest of the year.

 

My plan was obviously foiled.

 

It was after a few weeks that I noticed something strange. He still acted normally, but there was something like fear in his eyes. He covered it with a smile of course, but still I noticed a strange jerkiness and an aborted flinch every time someone touched him. No one noticed, but I did.

 

I found the reason a day later. I didn't mean to follow him, well consciously that is. But some money had floated out of his pocket and I knew that if I did not return it, he would not get to eat. Not that I ever saw him eat that is.

 

Just when I was about to call out to him, three shady characters crowded him. For once since I saw him, there wasn't a smile on his face. But there wasn't any fear either. It was strangely cold.

 

Two of the boys roughly grabbed his hands and pushed him to his knees. The leader bent forward and roughly grabbed his hair. He whispered something in the boy's ear and his face paled considerably. A smirk appeared on his attacker's face and my stomach clenched. This scene was too familiar for me. Way too familiar.

 

The man held his chin and forced the boy to look at his eyes. “I know,” he hissed and delivered a swift punch to his gut. The boy whimpered and muttered something under his breath to the leader and nodding, he delivered another punch to his stomach. He didn't make a sound, just closed his eyes and endured everything silently.

 

I grunted, and stepped out of my hiding place. Their heads turned, but I noticed that the boy didn't even open his eyes. I looked closely and noticed that there though there were bruises and scratches all over his body, his face remained unscarred. I sighed and cracked my knuckles. It was a long time since I fought and I felt the strange excitement gather in a pool at my stomach. I sneered and watched with satisfaction as their faces paled. They obviously had heard the rumors about me and they knew what I could do to people like them. I step forward menacingly, challenging them to pick a fight. They took one look at me, and turned and ran. A wise decision, I thought. But I was disappointed at how cowardly they were.

 

The boy was slumped to the floor, his eyes fluttering weakly. I sighed, and crouched on my haunches.

 

“Michael?” he muttered weakly.

 

I shook my head. “It's Jude,” I whispered.

 

His eyes shot open and his hands started shaking. I outstretched my hand and waited for him to take it. He inspected my hand like someone would inspect a dead animal. Hesitatingly he took my hand and flinched when he stood up. I knew I should be walking away, but I couldn't. Something made me want to make sure he wasn't hurt, and it wasn't just curiosity.

 

“W-what do you want from me?” he muttered wearily. For a fleeting moment, I saw fear cross his pale face before his mask came in place.

 

“I'll walk you home,”

 

He seemed to find the ground very fascinating and half squeaked a “why?” he paused, shutting his eyes, “Don't you want to know what just happened?” he whispered shakily.

 

I shook my head and grunted a no. “It's your business, but I'll walk you home if you want.” I muttered.

 

His eyes widened, and I felt exasperation creeping up my voice. “I'm sure your parents would be worried.” I muttered.

 

“I don't have parents,” he whispered. “I live alone in an apartment.” He said quietly.

 

“Well, just tell me where you live,”

 

Another look of fear passed his face and I had to refrain from groaning.

 

“I won't hurt you.”

 

He nodded and pointed to the row of old apartments. Slowly, he stood up and we fell into a steady rhythm. It didn't take us long to reach his apartment and we halted to the door. He fumbled for his key and slowly unlocked the door. “D-do you want to come in?” he stuttered.

 

I shook my head. “Just answer me one thing, why didn't he hit your face?” I asked, curiosity getting a better hold on me.

 

He stared at the frayed rug on the floor and shrugged. “He always gives me a choice, a longer beating if he avoids my face, or a slightly shorter ones if he can punch me in the eye.” He paused, and cleared his throat. “I figured it would be easier to hide this way,” he muttered. “I guess I was wrong,”

 

“Does this happen often?”

 

“Always,” he muttered melancholy. Then quietly he slipped behind the old doors and shut it in my face. I had stared at the door for awhile before setting for home. And the next morning, he had stuck to me. That was the beginning to our somewhat twisted friendship.

 

And I wasn't so sure I wanted anything to change.

 

I sighed, shaking my head. I really had to stop delving into those memories. Suddenly I stopped, my rapid footsteps halting in the middle of the street. I felt my muscles twitch, the scars on my skin burning like it was on fire. Not again, I thought. I don't want him to see me like this. My bones ached as if someone was rubbing sandpaper on my wounds. I couldn't move for every step sent a burning pain down my body. As if in slow motion, I felt myself lurch forward and braced myself for impact to the concrete floor. To my surprise, I felt someone catch me before I fell. I was almost nose to nose to the ground but it didn't hurt.

 

“Jude,” cried Daniel, his pale face shining with worry.

 

I tried to shake my head but I couldn't move. Thankfully he noticed my hand in my pocket and pulled the phone out from it. I looked at him pleadingly and he somehow understood. Dialing the only number there, we waited. He tried to move me, but he could only succeed in moving me to the side of the road. Far out of danger thankfully. I sighed when I heard her voice on the other line. Daniel was calm about it though; he answered quickly and gave her our position, a feat in itself because my sister could be a very scary person.

 

Soon, her car came. Well it wasn't her car actually. We were both underage and only used it for emergencies such as this one. She practically jumped out of the front seat, her face a careful manicured mask. She drew the pink liquid out of her pocket and motioned Daniel to lift my head. My eyes were closed as I tried to not think about the increasing pain of my back. The vile liquid traveled down my tongue through my throat. I felt the spasms in my muscles relax as the normal weight settled on my chest. I sighed, exhaustion overtaking my limbs. They both helped me into the backseat of the car as my body didn't really cooperate.

 

“Daniel, this is my sister Delilah,” I muttered weakly, not even bothering to lift my head.

 

She nodded, “Call me Lilah,” she whispered.

 

She looked at me, silently asking if I wanted him to come along. I nodded.

 

“Are you coming with us?” she asked him evenly.

 

Daniel paused, his hands trembling slightly. He was never good around strangers. Hesitatingly, he nodded.

 

“It's decided then,” she said, quickly taking off her earphones and reaching out to his forehead. I couldn't make a sound as she delved into his mind, checking that he wasn't bugged. Suddenly she withdrew gasping. “He's one of us,” she muttered, disbelief marring her features.

 

Daniels eyelids fluttered open, his eyes drowsy. “W-what happened?” he drawled.

 

She shook her head, letting her cold façade drop in place. “Get in,” she commanded, and waited for him to gingerly get in the car. He lifted my head and placed it on his lap as I closed my eyes. I always knew this kid was different. I just didn't know how much. I was deathly wrong.

 

k.i.