Locked in Life

Seventh grade

First day back I was putting books in my locker when Dustin came up and tapped me on my shoulder. I turned around and thought 'ah crud nuggets, does he still like me?'. But he already answered my question, he brought a red rose out from behind him and gave it to me saying "will you go out with me?" I was about to say 'no' when the alarm went off to signal the school of a burglar. Even though I wasn't that small I tried to shove myself in a locker. Dustin did the same. Somehow I fit in a locker, but he didn't fit in a locker. I saw the burglar had a gun, and it was pointed at Dustin. I heard two screams and a gunshot, one was male, one was female, mine. I started to silently  cry as I saw Dustin's crumpled body on the floor through the vent of the locker. The burglar went by, took off his mask, and who I saw was unexplainable, it was my dad. I screamed at him "Dad! How could you?" I let myself out of the locker which was a mistake, he turned on me with his gun cocked again. I heard another gunshot and I fell to the ground. My left hand was stinging painfully. I heard my dad whisper " You tell the police it was me, and i'll kill your mother." He took off running  as I screamed for help. I saw a class flooding out running towards me with the teacher and Keaton at the lead, I blacked out.

I woke up in the hospital two days later with Keaton and the principal at my side. As I sat up and looked at my bandaged hand, Keaton asked how I felt. I said, "After breaking our friendship, that's all you can say" I almost went for him but instead said, "I'm okay, I guess" He smiled. The principal left after making sure that Keaton would keep him updated on me and my safety. I was looking at my sheets when I heard a whisper " I'm sorry."

I heard a beep, and grabbed out for my phone, I looked at the message from one of the girls I chatted with, it said 'Oh hey we just got the info that Keaton likes you, by the way where is he, he's not at school.' I looked at Keaton, my phone, and back again, and said, "Is it true?" and showed him the message. He looked at me as I lowered the phone and stared at the message, I had a crush on him too. He answered me by kissing my cheek and saying "Does that answer your question?." I smiled and hugged him since I hadn't since first grade.

A few days later, back in school, at lunch hour I got a text from Keaton asking me to meet him at the wash by our school. I obeyed. when I got there he looked at me with a grave tone and handed me a rose, a black rose. I looked at the stone behind him, and I started crying, it was Dustin's grave. I placed the black rose on the stone and hugged Keaton, who wrapped his arms around me.