Shadows and Spotlight
1107 Words
After running away from Owen, I ducked around the nearest corner and leaned my back against the wall, heaving a massive sigh of relief. My heart was drumming a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I peeked back out, just a sliver, but the hallway was empty. Owen was gone.
I touched my cheek, and a sharp, stinging heat shot through my jaw. My eyes filled with a cold, sudden rage as the faces of Samantha and her friends flashed in my mind.
I will definitely make them regret messing with me, I thought, my fingers curling into a tight, trembling fist. I took one long, steadying breath, wiped the anger from my face, and made my way to class.
The teacher didn't go easy on me. I was reprimanded for being late in front of the entire room, which was just the cherry on top of my already miserable day. I just lowered my head, apologized, and slipped into my seat next to Wendy.
Beside me, Wendy was already squinting. She was scanning me like a crime scene, her eyes lingering on my messy hair and the way I was sitting stiffly in my chair. Suddenly, her phone vibrated on the desk. She glanced at it, and her eyebrows shot toward her hairline.
It was a text from Philip.
Phil: Things happened. Look after Aurora. If she feels uncomfortable, tell me!
Wendy’s thumbs became a blur on the screen.
Wendy: What "things"?? Why are you being a cryptic i***t? Answer me!
She looked at me, then back at the screen, her face twisting in a mix of confusion and alarm.
Wendy: Phil, I’m going to kill you. Is she dying? Why does she look like she fought a lawnmower?
No reply. Wendy looked like she was about to vibrate out of her chair. She leaned in, whispering harshly, "What the heck happened to you?"
She reached out to touch my face, and I flinched so hard I nearly hit the floor. "It hurts!" I puckered my lips, trying to keep my voice casual, but it came out strained.
"I'm sorry!" Wendy whispered, her face turning into a mask of fury. "But what happened?"
"Focus on the lecture," I muttered, staring straight ahead at a chalkboard I couldn't even see through the fog in my brain.
"Aurora!" She was fuming. She checked her phone again. Still nothing. I thought she might actually throw her textbook at the teacher's head just to get us out of there.
The moment the bell rang, she pounced. "Spill it! What happened to your face?"
I gave a casual shrug, gathering my things as slowly as possible. "I was apparently beaten up."
Wendy froze mid-sentence. "Apparently? Apparently? What the hell does that mean, Aurora? Like it's a rumor? You're the one wearing the bruise!"
I walked out, and she was right on my heels, her teeth gritted. "Aurora, I’m serious. Talk to me."
"After you left," I said, the noise of the crowded hallway swallowing my voice, "some girls came over and..."
"And? You let them? Are you crazy?"
I rolled my eyes, the frustration finally bubbling up. "It's not like I invited them, Wendy. Are you stupid?"
"Am I stupid?" she gasped, stopping in the middle of the hall. "You're the one who is stupid! How can you just let a group of girls corner you?"
I stopped and turned to face her. The adrenaline that had been keeping me upright all morning finally evaporated, leaving behind a bone-deep, hollow ache. I looked at her, my voice suddenly very small. "Wendy... I’m just tired."
The fire in Wendy’s eyes died instantly. She looked at me with such raw, quiet worry that it made my throat feel tight. "Are you okay? Does it hurt somewhere else?"
"I’m fi—"
"Aurora Wilson!" Mr. Henderson’s voice boomed from down the hall.
I looked at Wendy. "You go ahead. I’ll catch up later."
"But—" She watched me walk away, immediately pulling her phone to her ear. I heard her snap, "Philip, you absolute moron, pick up the phone!" before I turned the corner.
Mr. Henderson handed me a heavy box of equipment. "Take this to the science lab and set them up for the morning period tomorrow, please."
I lugged the box toward the lab, the weight dragging at my shoulders and sending sharp, stabbing jolts through my stomach with every step. I gritted my teeth, refusing to let the pain show on my face. Every movement was a battle against the fire in my ribs, but I forced myself to keep a steady pace.
I reached the lab and noticed the door was already ajar.
The room was dim, the overhead lights turned off, leaving the corners in deep shadow. I pushed the door open and set the box on the table with a heavy thud. A noise creaked behind me. I spun around, letting out a frustrated sigh. "What are you doing here?"
Mark stopped, his gentle, golden-boy smile appearing as if on cue. "Hey," he said, his voice smooth as silk as he walked toward me. "I was just finishing up some work."
I hummed a vague response and started unpacking the glass beakers.
"You’re going to set them all up now?" he asked, standing just a little too close for comfort.
"And you’re here to take them?" I walked to the shelf, keeping my back to him and my hair draped over the side of my face.
"Yes." Mark’s voice was low. I could feel his gaze on me, soft, lingering, and far too heavy.
I walked back to the table. The afternoon sun was streaming through the curtains in thick, golden shafts, bathing the room in a warm glow. I reached for the next apparatus, my mind already drifting to my bed at the dorm.
Suddenly, the air in the lab seemed to go cold.
I had moved into the light, and the sun illuminated the side of my face I had been trying to hide. Mark took an abrupt, heavy step forward. Before I could even blink, his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with a grip like iron. He shoved me back, trapping me between the hard edge of the lab table and his own body.
His face was inches from mine, the gentle boy completely gone. His eyes were dark, searching my face with an intensity that made the air vanish from my lungs. He stared at the bruise on my cheek, his jaw tightening so hard I thought I heard his teeth grind.
"Who did this?" he asked, his voice a low, dangerous growl.
- Writer
