HE IS NOT SAFE

She ran past students, stopped by the door, and took some seconds to balance her breathing.

Opening the door leading to the staff room, she didn't look a bit surprise upon seeing the room nearly empty of teachers. She expected it, that was why she ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She took a deep breath, then she approached a female teacher.

"How may I help you?" the woman said as she took notice of a person standing in front of her table.

"Sorry ma'am, but have you seen Mr Moltenore since the last period ended?"

"Mr Moltenore?" the woman looked up to see just who was asking her such, upon seeing a female student, she just smiled as she believed the student to be another fan of the so-called Mr Moltenore.

"Yes ma'am, a science teacher."

"I do know him, but I haven't seen him come to the staff room since two periods ago."

"Oh"

"You should check the labs."

Natasha gritted her teeth, but didn't forget to thank the woman before she dashed out of the staff room. She ran around the school buildings, asking students which way led to the Laboratories. She got a lot of wrong directions, but she finally met herself in the chemistry laboratory. Stepping into the open lab, she took a stop the moment she saw a teacher and students who all gathered round themselves in groups.

"Yes?"

She found herself speechless for a second. The voice sounded familiar even though she was sure she had never seen this face before, but she didn't have the time to try to remember where she heard such a voice.

"You are interrupting my class miss."

She blinked her eyes a few times, and composed herself.

"I'm sorry sir."

"Apology accepted." he said with a dazzling smile on his face.

"Are you a part of this class or is there another reason as to why you are here?"

"I'm actually looking for Mr Moltenore." she said as she walked closer.

"He's definitely not lost."

Hearing this, the students behind him giggled.

"Is there a reason why you are looking for him?"

"Yes sir. Do you, maybe know where I can find him?"

Now the students could not contain their laughter, as they all burst into laughter, more like a mocking laugh. The teacher looked at them, and they all kept quiet. He turned back to look at the girl in front of him with a smile.

" Do you know who you are looking for?"

"Yes." she said, nodding her head in a hurry. She seriously didn't have time for all these questioning, but she could not just walk out on him.

"And do you recognize who you are looking for?" he asked, now with a face void of a smile.

"No."

Hearing her answer, he chuckled.

"I like your straightforwardness girl."

"So sir, do you probably know where I can find him?"

Seeing how serious and nervous she was, he decided to stop wasting her time and his'.

"He is standing right in front of you."

Natasha squinted her face, as she thought of what he said. The only one standing in front of her was the very teacher she was speaking with. Her eyes widen in shock as she bowed her head repeatedly as she apologized.

" I'm really sorry sir. "

" Apology accepted. Now, why are you looking for me?"

She looked at him with a face which looked too serious for a student to have, especially a female, or so he believed.

" Some while ago, you asked a student to call a boy named Riley, Riley still ain't back, so our homeroom teacher asked me to check if Riley is still with you or if you already dismissed him."

Looking at his face, she saw him looking confused.

"I did not ask anyone to call Riley over. And to be more clear, I do not even know who Riley is."

"Huh!" Her heart skipped a beat, and her fears came back.

' I told you, but stupid you didn't listen,HE IS NOT SAFE.'

she ran out of the Laboratory, leaving the teacher and students in shock as to how she had the guts to leave while Mr Moltenore was still speaking.

*****

Running as fast as she could, back to class, praying Riley was back in class. The words HE IS NOT SAFE kept on repeating itself in her mind.

She banged open the back door, which caused her classmates and the teacher in the class to stare at the back. She looked straight at his desk, but it still was empty. She looked at the boy who sat closest to the back door.

"Did Riley returned to the class while I was gone?"

"No."

Getting an answer, she didn't waste any more time before running out of the building, only stopping to ask the students along the way if they are had seen Riley.

She was fed up of not getting any positive answers from asking nicely, and her thoughts were not helping matter. The very next student she came across, she asked as she had done before.

"Excuse me, have you seen Riley?"

The boy looked at her with a smirk

"Even if I have, I would be a fool to tell you."

She gripped him by the collar and sent a heavy blow to his face. Just as she was about to blow him a second time, the boy rubbed his palms together.

"Please, please, please, I swear, I don't know where he is."

She let go of him and just kept on running towards the seniors building.

Just as she was about to go through the door, she saw a boy pass by her, but he was not coming from the building. She walked up to him.

" Excuse me, have you seen Riley? "

The boy looked at her with his cute smiling face.

"Riley."

"Yes. The boy who got bullied a lot by the TST girls back then."

"Is he the one and only Riley in school?"

"Well, as far as I know, he is the only one. So have you seen him?"

Seeing her looking panicked, he smiled at her.

"Relax, he is with Mr Moltenore at the gym."

'I told you, now do you see he definitely is not not safe' her thoughts screamed again.

The boy stood still in shock as he watched the girl run past the seniors building with very fast legs. He shrugged his shoulders and continued walking.

" First of all, the whole school is talking about Riley. Second, Mr Moltenore asked me to call him. And third, is a girl who is running around in search of Riley. Just who is Riley?"

*****

Natasha ran as fast as she could.

"You suck at this, you suck at protecting others." said her inner thought, as it began another argument.

"Relax, there probably are two Mr Moltenore, if not, the female teacher you met wouldn't have felt a bit confused before answering you."

"Confused? She definitely was not confused."

"Didn't the boy just say Riley is with Mr Moltenore, they definitely must be two."

"Trust me Natasha, you suck at protecting friends, you should probably stop trying to protect others, afterall, the one you protected ended up DEAD.

Natasha gasped and fell on her knees. She forced herself to keep on running. Tears rushed down her face as she remained kneeling on the ground filled with dried leaves, images of the dead body of her once best friend came playing in her mind.

"That's exactly why I need to find him, I can't let history repeat itself. I have to find him, I have to."

Saying this repeatedly, she found the strength to get up and run, even faster than she ran before.