XXX Chase
My eyelids were drooping as I held Adaline in my good arm with my still stitched up arm by my side. She stayed with me with her face nuzzled in my neck snoring softly waiting for Vanessa to wake us up. Her hair somehow smelled nice even though she hadn't showered in a while. Jack was on the other side of me with his head on my shoulder. And honestly, his drool was ruining the mood. My shirt was starting to get damp! I was tempted to wake him up, but I quickly pushed that away remembering he hasn't had sleep for days.
My eyelids felt like rocks, and I slowly drifted off to sleep.
I was woken up by Adaline shaking me softly. I was so tired I couldn't even register her words. I groaned loudly and I felt her hand clamp on my mouth. Her eyes were wide with fear. I gulped nervously looking around me. Oops. She sighed relieved that no one awoke. I put my hand on hers pulling it down from my mouth. Jack was sitting by me, shooting daggers at me with his eyes, clearly annoyed that I almost awoke someone in the gym.
"Sorry," I mumble. I watch a figure from across the room waddle towards me. I bit the side of my cheek bracing for Nick to come striding towards us. I watched as the figure got closer and closer.
I sigh in relief when I hear Axel's voice.
"You guys ready?" He whispered questioningly.
"Yeah, you and Chase are just going to have to tough it out with the handcuffs. I don't want to test our luck and try to swipe the keys. Jack, your hands are still tied up from last night, so I'll just use my knife." Vanessa replies.
"Sucks to suck gentlemen." I hear Jack whisper as Vanessa cuts him free. I glare at him, hating him with a burning passion from his comment. Ha, very funny.
"I wouldn't be commenting that we had bad luck when you were just kidnapped last tonight." I hear Jack scoff and Vanessa shushing him.
"You almost done, guys? We gotta go before someone wakes up." Adaline whispered. I nod and scramble to my knees. The gym was dimly lit and you could at least see where you were going. I got to my feet, struggling to stay balanced since the godforsaken metal bracelets that kept my hands restrained. Adaline helped me and we quietly tiptoed towards the exit of the gymnasium. Stepping oversleeping body.
My heart was racing with anticipation, what if one of them woke up? Adaline grips my arm guiding me towards the exit, helping me stay balanced. Her small fingernails digging into my arm. Vanessa used a small flashlight, weaving through the sleeping teens.
Closer and closer to the door. Freedom. The shiny floors made squeaking noises slightly, as we all stepped down lightly.
My still wounded arm throbbing dully as my arm swayed back and forth while I walked, silently. Beneath our feet reflecting the light from our flashlights. I shifted my feet in front of each other hoping that my feet wouldn't make too much noise.
Josh, sleeping soundlessly, only shifting slightly when he sagged from his position in his chair. He was the problem, at some point, he would fall sleepy but as soon as his head fell to the side he woke up with a start usually muttering a string of profanities after. Vanessa had been watching him for a couple of nights, and apparently, Nick doesn't care about his beauty sleep and hasn't let him take a break yet, or maybe Josh is just too scared to ask.
"Come on," Axle said grabbing Vanessa and ushering her towards the exit door. I noticed Jack was glaring at Axle as Axle he ushered Vanessa towards the door, his hand on her shoulder, wait.
How the tables of turned, I thought smugly, having these thoughts even though we were escaping from Nick. I remember the feeling of jealousy when Jack would talk with Adaline, making her smile, laugh, and blush, I remember being so mad, jealous is a more appropriate word.
The outside air hit my face, the wind making my hair suddenly blow in my face. Adaline's tiny hand pulled me down the stairs of the school.
Disbelief filled me, we made it out.
I finally felt relief released into my system, dread that I had been holding releasing from my chest. Adaline tugged on my arm her walk increasing while I winced trying to keep my pace with her.
"We are almost a block away keep going," Adaline said after a few minutes of walking. I grunted in response.
"Jack? Do you know where you're going?" Adaline asked her voice hesitant.
"Nope." He said popping his P. Adaline huffed frustrated.
"Where are we going then?" Jack turned opening his mouth to reply when Alex spoke for him.
"I was thinking we should revisit the Police Station, we're weaponless after all."
I licked my dry lips before speaking, "I suppose that is a good idea, but do you think we can take a break soon?"
"Wait, it's been only fifteen minutes of walking! I thought you said you could go for about an hour before you would need a break.
"False information, I say we dump him right here." Jack jeered after Axle.
"I meant an hour before I passed out of exhaustion, my cuts were just reopened and they hurt like hell," I said hotly.
"I don't know I think we should have just left him Axle." Jack jokingly still keeping his pace.
"Your right he is as slow as a grandpa, I feel like I am dragging him right now." Adaline's voice piped up beside me.
"Hey! You're supposed to give me support, not calling me a grandpa." She smiled a mischievous glint in her blue eyes.
"I never agreed to that."
"Yeah, you did!"
"When?"
"When you asked me to be your boyfriend. Remember? I even though you didn't say it I think your lips did for yourself." Adaline blushed.
"I never asked you to be my boyfriend you asked me!"
"Really? I specifically remembered you saying, "Sexy Chase will you be my boyfriend, " quote on quote ladies and gentlemen."
"Guys…" Vanessa said her voice hesitant. "Guys---"
"I did not! You were the one who asked me, and you kissed me first!"
"I don't recall that I just remember you in my hotel room, with me, alone, in my bed," I smirked at her furiousness.
Axle and Jack both stopped and turned at that comment their eyebrows shot up.
"GUYS!!!!" Vanessa growled out making all of us jump. "LOOK!"
We all turned in the direction of her hand was pointing at.
Flashlights were in the distance.
"Crap! Come on!" Axle said starting to sprint while everyone started to follow.
Everyone was creating distance from me very fast, and all I could do was speed walk.
Well shucks, I'm definitely going to get killed, great.
The lights were getting closer, Adaline, Jack, Vanessa, and Axle were out of sight. Dang, it.
I took a sharp turn into an ally, trying to keep my pace as fast as I could.
Dead end.
My luck!
Come on… Come on...My mind repeated over and over again.
I could hear voices now.
Bingo. I stumbled towards the green dumpster against the wall.
Hiding on the other side of the dumpster I waited patiently, the voices getting closer and closer.
XXX Jack
As soon as I saw the flashlights I grabbed Vanessa before sprinting in the opposite direction, tugging Vannessa after me.
Axle was in front of us sprinting like a track god, how could he run so fast?
Vannessa's feet pounded on the ground meeting my every stride, adrenaline pumping through both of our bodies, making us run like we've never before.
When we finally gave enough distance between ourselves and the flashlights we stopped, huffing and puffing for air.
Sweat trickled down my spine.
Axle gestured us into an ally way, the darkness of the ally would probably conceal us.
"Did everyone make it?" Axle asked concern lining his voice.
"Where's Chase?" Adaline looked around her eyes wide. "Oh my god, I should have known he couldn't run." She said her voice breaking. "We left him!"
"I'm sure he is fine," I reassured her walking towards her putting my hands on her shoulders.
"He's probably caught or lost! How could you say he is fine! He is not! He was already in not the best condition when we left him!" Her hair whipped as she ripped my hands off her shoulders, her eyes misty.
"What do you want me to say? Huh!? Do you want me to say he's fine? We all know he might be a goner! So if you won't take my reassurance, don't even think I'd pity you!" I spit out turning away.
You try to help someone look on the bright side and all they do is keep fishing for more pity reassurance! She's not the only one who cares for Chase!
"Guys! Your pity fest isn't going to help! He'll meet us at the Police Station.." Axle hesitated, "Maybe, I told him that's where we would be going, we'll just have to get there and wait for him.
"Axle is right, there isn't anything we can do, he probably went another direction since he couldn't run with us, we have no idea where he is," Vannessa said putting her hands up in exasperation. Vannessa looked exhausted, but still looked beautiful like always, she looked upset and lost and all I wanted to do was comfort her, but I couldn't help but want comfort too, The Phases and this god forbidden city finally taking its toll on me.
"I can't believe you guys! You guys won't even look for him!" Addaline spat turning away from us, chest heaving up and down.
A tiny part of me felt bad for Adaline, but the rest of me didn't, she was overreacting.
"Axle, what's the plan?" I inquired squatting next to him, Axle's back against the stony ally wall.
"I wish you would stop asking me that." He mumbled closing his eyes. "You know you have just as much leadership as me, so you can stop asking me what we're doing, and actually coming up with ideas." He grumbled scratching his short haircut lost in thought.
"I know, are we going to stay here overnight?"
"Probably," he sighed, "Well, at least until the people with the flashlights are gone, assuming it's NIck." Closing his eyes shut yet again, ignoring me.
I sat with a sigh looking across from me.
Vanessa with her hair ruffled sat across from me, a smile on her face.
"What's so funny?" Vannessa would sometimes get into a mood swing where she would smile constantly, and I couldn't help but love that moon swing the most out of all the crazy ones. She was like a surprise every day that I couldn't wait to open.
"Nothing." She let out with a sigh, bringing her knees up to her face. "Do you think Chase is okay?"
I looked over at Adaline who was sniffing far away from us.
"I don't know," I said frustratingly rubbing my eyes, "I wish I could know, it's eating me alive."
"Same."
"You should probably get some sleep." Vannessa nodded yawning.
My muscles restricted as I tried not to yawn with her.
"You should get some too, if the shadows in your eyes get anymore darker you might pass as an emo." She said teasingly while I smile, resting my head back against the wall, the rough wall feeling the groves in it against my scalp.
XXX Chase
I bought my knees to my chest ignoring my aching back, anticipation making me sweaty.
The voices and flashlights were getting closer and a familiar feeling started to skyrocket in my brain, anxiety. Oh, what adventures me and that feeling have gone on the past few weeks.
The voices got closer and closer and I could start to see shadows by the ally.
"Was he sure he saw kids walking this way?" One of them said.
"Yeah, Richard came running back, straight to Maddox, I know Richards a lair but he too of a coward to lie to Maddox."
Maddox? I don't remember anyone at the gymnasium named Maddox.
"What do we do if we find them anyway?"
"Take them to camp."
Where camp? Is this the group that kidnapped Jack? I don't know anyone with these names.
Should I risk it? Should I reveal myself?
Situations began to play in my head, ones of me getting killed by this group, and ones of me getting help by this group.
My mind was raging a war, maybe I shouldn't trust them. But what if they could help me?
My decision was made.
What do I have to lose?
A tiny voice in my head called out Adaline.
Pushed the tiny voice back deep into my brain before stepping out of the ally.
Well here goes nothing.