The Dark Side {Chapter Six}

Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
Miss "no way its all good".
It didn't slow me down.
Mistaken,
Always second guessin',
Underestimated.
Look, I'm still around...
Pretty pretty please,
Don't you ever ever feel,
Like you're less than fuckin' perfect.
Pretty pretty please, if you ever ever feel,
Like you're nothing, you're fuckin' perfect
To me.

~Part of the song Fuckin' Perfect by P!nk


Chapter Six
Uh... Yeah, isn't it pretty much what it looks like?

         I rolled my eyes and pulled into a loping jog to catch up with her. I actually smirked when I noticed how annoyed she was at my slow pace. Good. Mission slightly accomplished. Now, how did to get my stupid thoughts to shut up?

         "If you can't keep up, then I'm writing whatever I want for you to read." Ali threatened hopelessly. She'd tried to get me to keep my pace up and quit staring thoughtfully into space, but I couldn't help it. At least she didn't like that.

         I snorted. "You're gonna do that anyway, are you not?" I retorted. She looked at me and narrowed her eyes, spitting venom out of her mouthed words: Drop it. I roll my eyes and walked beside her as she attempted to write on our paper without putting holes in it, seeing as she had nothing but air to write on. Oooh, air, how supportive! I chuckled to myself. "Alright, what'cha got so far?" I asked, purposely blocking her view as I looked. "Yada, yada... Dana nana... Blah, blahber, blahhhh." I muttered, scanning the page. Of course. Comeplete, ushy-gushy eternal love crap for me to read. How lovely.

         She pushed my face out of the way, arching a brow. The corners of her lips quivered as if trying to fight back a wide grin. "Why, does Gabie not like it?" she asked in a babyish voice.

         I cringed at her words. Ali always used to call me Gabie. A shudder added to my movement, and I was happy I'd kept it back until she was in front of me. Why should I let her bother me? "No, Gabie doesn't like it, thank you very much." I growled behind her. "Why are you so intent on doing something about love? I thought I'd be reading something about death. So why is all changed now?" I barked out curiously.

         Ali actually hesitated for a moment. "Well, because both of us are," she swallowed hard, as if trying to get past a lump in her throat, "In love... I decided the whole death thing wouldn't suit. Why do you care anyway? You're just going to act like you did it all if we get a good mark, and if we don't you'll blame it all on me." To this, I grinned playfully and nodded. Ali didn't find it that amusing, but I did.

         I caught up with her again as we stopped by the entrance to the supply closet. But, out of the blue, some kid came bolting past us and knocked Ali off balance. In turn, Ali squealed in surprise and grabbed my arm, causing us both to fall backward. We fell into the supply closet like dominoes. I groaned, pulling a bucket off my head. Ali was leaning against my leg, coughing up white dust; Chalk had fallen on her. "Ugh." I muttered, throwing the bucket aside and standing up. Just as I was about to leave, in the whole rush, another kid ran by, closing the door. I remembered that the key was in it. The door locked from the outside. Ali and I were locked in this tiny, pitch black closet. Together. Until someone found us.

         Immediately I began pounding my fists into the door, even kicking it harshly a few times. It wouldn't break the lock, or break the door, and got no one's attention. In the pitch black, I searched around with my hand high up, trying to find the string to pull for a light. I ended up grabbing onto it, but tripping. And when the light came on, I found myself laying on the floor, looking up at Ali. My hand flew to my head, rubbing it gently. "Ouch." I muttered.

         Ali had squirmed away so I wouldn't fall on her. "Now that you've found the lights Superman, get us out of here!" she leaned against the wall of the tiny room, looking around. "Is there any food or anything in here?" To this, I shook my head, and she groaned. "Well, if they can't hear the noise you make, then no one will hear us. Nice one, Gabriel. Good job getting us stuck in a closet."

         I sat up, raising a brow. "Honestly? Wait, wait, wait. You honestly think this was my fault? You're the one that didn't move away from that kid!"

         "Yeah, well you couldn't of held me up when I fell?"

         "No, because I wasn't expecting it!"

         Our argument went on for quite some time before we both stopped and resorted to actually talking to each other. Currently, I was complaining. "Yeah, Sierra's great and all, but I don't know. I just don't really feel it anymore, you know?"

         Ali nodded. "Yes, Derek seems to be losing his spark, too." she sighed, shifting ever so slightly closer to the spot where I sat beside her.

         One of my arms lifted away from being curled around me legs. I used it to wave in the air for emphasis to what I was saying. I then lowered it, sighing deeply. "I guess that's what happened to me. That's why you broke up with me, isn't it? Because I just didn't act the complete same as before?" I questioned quietly.

         Ali opened her mouth and closed it, then repeated that multiple times as if she wasn't sure what to say. "You didn't act the same as when I first met you. You were so cute, and shy, and you always got nervous around me." she said with a fond smile. "And then that one time you actually managed to ask me out. That date was... Was just perfect." she sighed in content this time. "But after you really didn't seem like that."

         I shook my head. "Only because you were my girlfriend, so I didn't have to worry about trying so hard to get you. Turns out I should of been trying hard to keep you. Whatever I did to you that was so bad, I'm sorry." my eyes wandered to the cold stone floor. Ali, sitting in her purple t-shirt and jean shorts, shivered. It may of been Summer outside, but today was particularily not too too warm, and this closet was cold. So, like a cheesy movie where the guy is crushing on the girl, I slid off my sweater and draped it over her gently, as she tugged it around her. I doubt she enjoyed the fact that it smelled like nothing but me. But she took a deep breath, and seemed as if she were saving the scent for the later, as if she'd miss this.

         Without either of us really even knowing what had happened, we now sat as close as possible to each other. My arm was around Ali's shoulders, pulling her close to me. She didn't shiver anymore, just rested a hand on my chest, sighing gently.

         Someone outside had heard my soothing murmuring, so now a muffled voice called a soft hello outside the door. Ali and I scrambled up at the same time. And as I replied, the voice disappeared, the soft footsteps flowing away. I groaned, banging my forehead against the door once. Ali was come over to comfort me, but she slipped on a little puddle of water that dripped from the ceiling, and grabbed onto my shirt, as I flung my arms around her so she wouldn't fall. Next thing I knew, the footsteps were returning. But I was too lost to really care. Ali and I stared into each other's eyes, blinking slowly as if just realizing something amazing.

         But light poured into the tiny room as the door was unlocked and opened. A shocked gasp was all I heard, as I turned my head. The sight I saw caused Ali to push me away - gently but firmly - and stand on her own, while I stood looking at the one who'd opened the door. "Er, honey, its... Uhm... Not what it looks like!" I declared loudly. But wasn't it exactly what it looked like?

         Sierra shook her head, stepping into this room to push me backwards and against the wall. "Gabriel Fox, you lied to me. You said you were over your ex-girlfriend, you said I had nothing to worry about. Don't call me, don't text me, don't email me, don't even look at me because I never want to speak to you again. You screwed up, Gabriel, and now you've lost your girlfriend. Congratulations, you can set your Facebook status back to single." and with tears in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks, she turned and walked off without even a glance back.

         As I slid down the wall into a sitting position, Ali came over to sit beside me. "Its okay, Gabriel. She doesn't realize what a great guy she just lost. I understand how you feel and--"

         I shook my head. There was no sign of sadness on my face. Only relief. "I... I don't feel like I did when you broke up with me. I feel relief, freedom... I guess I really don't love her anymore." I said quietly. Ali looked surprised, but brought on of her delicate hands up to touch my cheek. I turned my head toward her with a soft smile. "Lets get out of here." I suggested in a murmur, and we both stood up and walked out of that closet.

         It finally seemed like Ali was going to actually do something other than comfort me back there, but now that I knew what I'd done wrong, I wasn't going to rush into it like I had last time. This time I'd be careful, and this time neither of us would get hurt.