VIOLET ( A FORBIDDEN ROMANCE)

back, and they were chasing

ll, but she ran anyway, right to

the buildings flew by in a blur.

gh he

nd in a single bound she was at

lew through the air again, thi

, still running, running. She fe

re, and she felt

er eyes the concrete changed

, the sun shining, and she recog

ldh

e that her father stood on the

saw him coming into focus. He s

ad w

he ran for all she was worth.

her

, she wa

and she entered a church. She

her. Before a pulpit, a man stoo

oser, he stoo

er, and his face filled with fe

ched herself as she approached

oss to her

er teeth grow long, too long,

iest's

re. She felt his blood course

the greatest fee

**

reathing hard. She looked all

unlight s

been dreaming. She wiped the c

e edge of

t, Sira and her Mom must have

eed late: 8:15. She'd be late

rf

't woken her up. In all their ye

e her if he was

l be mad abo

he had forgot to charge it. It w

lking t

m the floor and ran her hands

but this morning she felt thirs

llon of red grapefruit juice. In

container. She didn't stop gulp

gal

ner. Had she just drank all of

She watched herself reach up a

y ball. She couldn't understand

h her veins. It was

gry. But not for food. Her vei

ldn't under

ways of her school so empty, t

here wasn't a soul in site. She

d class of the day. She wondered

idn't know where else to go. So

ds th

oom door, and could hear the t

so conspicuous. But she didn't

breath and turne

class stopped and looked up

le

g her name, walked to her desk

ris. The new girl. Yo

an, the teacher gl

have to say f

hesit

or

y be acceptable to be late to

ly not accep

na said, and immed

ilence cover

the teacher a

eptable.' You mean

boy from the back of the room

lau

s face turne

port to the Principa

opened the door beside Anna

d smell her cheap perfum

nked quietly out of the room

th. But something had shifted w

a defiance rising. She didn't fe

she no longe

was, ignoring the teacher, and

m was packed, and she looke

id you not hea

. Then she turned and slow

behind her, and then heard th

, "Quiet do

y hallway, wandering, not re

istance, a security guard app

at her, still a go

she an

ot c

ou're supposed to hold it

t pa

He was an ugly, mean-lookin

ehe

without a signed pass. Y

dn't

said into it, "Hall pass violat

ention

a asked, confuse

y by the arm and yank

ord out of you

is fingers digging into her ar

rising through her body. She fe

e knew. And she knew that, in

angeror her

too late. She used every ounce

rs were on her, it w

ore the full power took over h

and as he stumble

hat a girl her size could throw

arm. He wavered between outra

or back off. He lowered his h

n of pep

young lady," he said in a col

me," she answered defiantly. S

ad changed. It was

his hand from the

he said. "Down the ha

he crowded entrance to the Princ

d off to another location. Be

ou in these hallway

, all ages, sitting, standing, a

e misfits. They were being pro

t lackadaisically, no

half the day, and she certainl

en late to school, that's true,

en

a security guard dragged in

small waiting area, which was

rs, she could see the hallways

e and

door opened again, she ducke

to the

oulder, but didn't see anyone

it to the other side, then aroun

no one

ards noticed her absencewhic

ready too far away to catch. S

tween them, and headed towards

d to know if h

she quickly walked up and do

ime, slowly scanning every tab

o him, not checking on his wou

lly hurt. Maybe he was in the h

ack to

f food and found a table with a

ed every kid who came in, hopin

swung

never

feteria emptied out. Stil

th

day rang, and Anna stood be

printed in the piece of paper i

ked down and tried the combinat

locker. The inside door was lin

. She thought of all her other

memorize the combination, and

way of gaining a little bit of c

t in the school, of ma

a few schools ago, she became

n bothering, since it was only a

e slower and slower t

even bother. She close

nn

jump

, a foot away,

She could see that the ski

nding there. And thrilled. In

us feeling centered in her stom

o ask him: if he got home OK,

mehow, the words couldn't get

ut

all she man

aring. He looked u

" she said, and immediately r

d, "I didn't see you in cla

in late,

oo," s

e. She noticed his flute was not

l just a

OK?" sh

red at hi

and slowly t

en. There were cuts and banda

s

," he said. He se

terrible at the sight. She kn

sparing him more damage. But in

for him. But after...it had happ

er how she'd even gott

how it happe

his bright green eyes, and she f

t her to admit t

have. He was out cold. Or w

Should she admit th

to tell him how she had helpe

here was no way she could expl

liar or some

ternally. You can't

on't really know any

pau

e said. "Walking

. She sounded like an idiot, r

say anything that wou

pissed," he continued

said. "Will he g

"He said no. He can't afford i

reful w

e. "But I thought you said

hrug

you do?"

n't k

she said. She remembered, of

this, it would help prove t

fully, as if trying to

d it." He paused. "Some people

les' stuff

ng her best not to reveal a

at I didn't fight back...

the cops will cat

face. "That's the weird thi

she asked, trying

alley, right after. They were

ened. "Someone got to them

strange,"

an angel," he said, lo

" she a

me, as if waiting for her to v

g. But s

even stranger than all

ed something out of his

und t

n in shock. It

he took it, both delighted to h

she was there. He must know fo

me in it. It is

t. It was all there. Sh

I gathered them all up and p

ll," h

aid softly, touc

s, and the funny thing is....

own at the book, refusi

se your Diary got

eye, doing her best to

ight, and I lost it somewh

udied

he said

d there,

e continued, "is that, before

here, standing over me, yell

Isn't tha

she looked him back,

do a thing like that," she sai

the corner

en broke into

answered,