GREEK TRAGEDY
:: xxix. | the lost kids

Everyone was in Peyton's room, discussing the events that unfolded at school earlier that day. The time capsule got leaked and most of everyone's video got played. Especially Ryland's, Ashley's, Chad's, Jake's, and Brooke's. It was embarrassing for most but made others smile a bit because of what was said.

"Any ideas of who could've done it?" Chad asked amongst the group.

"Someone who's out to get us." Ashely plopped on the bed with her arms crossed.

Ryland stood, leaning against the doors to Peyton's closet, "I mean, did any of us actually mean what we said in those videos?"

Brooke chimed in, "I did and in those messages." Her eyes were glued to Ryland.

Ryland looked the other way in Ashely's direction, "Think I'm gonna head home. Wanna come with?"

Ashely shrugged then got up and immediately headed out with Ryland after waving bye to everyone else. As they headed out, Brooke sat in Peyton's spinning chair with a frustrated groan.

"How do i not make her mad at me?"

"Maybe don't sleep with Chris Keller?" Chad joked.

Brooke rolled her eyes and they landed on Peyton, "Peyton?"

"Well at least she knows now. I mean Brooke, your reputation. You like to bounce around and never really stick to anyone."

"Well it's different with her." Brooke sighed, "I know I can't take it back, I just miss her at this point."

Chad had his arm around Peyton's shoulders, "Show her that you are committed and that you're ready to take the next step."

Peyton shrugged, "Tell her how you feel, what's in your heart."

Brooke thought about it a little as the couple began laughing a bit. Honestly, she didn't even know what was in her heart or exactly how she felt yet. She's just pissed about everything that happened and doesn't know what to do to make it right.

Instead, Brooke grabbed the pillow from behind her back and threw it at the couple, "Hello! I'm still here, you know."

However, the night continued and eventually Chad went home while Brooke stayed at Peyton's and continued to talk about Ryland.

• • •

The next day, everyone was up and getting ready to head to school. One by one or in small groups, everyone arrived except the basketball team. The Ravens had an early morning, so they met Whitey at some gym a few hours before school starts.

Brooke and Peyton on the other hand were just now walking into the school building. The two were chatting a bit as they walked. As those two were heading in, Ryland and Ashely were at Ashely's locker before class starts.

The two were lost in conversation a bit, but as soon as Ryland's eyes shifted towards Brooke and Peyton, her expression turned from lighthearted to scared in an instant. She watched those two duck to the floor and then a loud bang was heard.

The glass broke to the double doors where you enter the next hall.

Ashely's head whipped in that direction and everything next happened so fast. Brooke and Peyton lost each other as well as Ashely and Ryland.

The bus finally pulled up in front with the basketball team and the first to step out was Coach Whitey.

He turned to Brooke who just approached him, "What the hell is going on?"

Nathan, Lucas and Chad soon came into the picture as Brooke spoke, "Someone has a gun." She turned to Lucas, "And i lost Peyton."

"Did you say Peyton?" Chad wanted to make sure he heard that correctly.

Brooke nodded in response. Whitey repeatedly hit the side of the bus yelling it to go as soon as Brooke got in.

The boys however, they decided to go in ———— not listening to whitey's pleas to not go in. They didn't want to be heroes but there are people in there who they care about like Haley, Peyton, Ashely, etc. That's morally their whole purpose.

As soon as they got in, the first stop was whitey's office because Nathan knew he had some bats in there. Nathan passed one of each to Chad and Lucas before grabbing one himself.

The three just shared a look, a look that all of them understood because they knew each other all too well. They all nodded, reassuring each other that everything will be ok and to watch your back. They then quietly walked out the office and soon dispersed by themselves.

Lucas looking for Ashely.

Chad looking for Peyton.

And Nathan looking for Haley.

• • •

Ashely was in one of the stalls in one of the many girl's bathrooms. Her feet were balanced on the toilet as she crouched with her mouth practically glued shut and worry in her eyes. As the worry as well as fear grew, her phone began buzzing in her back pocket.

She reached for it and the call id read her brother's name. She quickly pressed the answer button and whispered into the phone.

"Please tell me you aren't an idiot and far away from the school."

"I'm an idiot and I'm in the building."

Ashely groaned, "God. Why?"

"To make sure you're ok. Listen, Lucas is looking for you and I'm gonna find Peyton. Ok? So, you sit tight and tell me where you are."

"I don't need a hero. Call him off."

"Ash . . . "

"Call him off. I'll be fine."

Chad annoyingly sighed, "Just don't do anything stupid."

The call soon ended and Ashely slid her phone back in her back pocket. She wasn't going to play hero or anything but stupid? Maybe. She felt like she had to find Ryland. One, that was her best friend and two, who else was gonna find her?

It was luck that Chad assumed Ashely had her phone. But Ryland, Ashely wasn't gonna take any chances with that because she could be anywhere.

Ashely quietly stepped down from the toilet and stealthily exited the stall. She carefully walked to the door and slowly opened it, making sure it didn't make any noise. She quietly and quickly slid out the door and closed it back just the same.

She needed to find Ryland without setting any alarms and the best way to do that was to act in Ryland's shoes and recall the events before everyone began running off in fear.

She remembered those two by her locker and Ryland being on her left. Then the loud bang and everyone running, she and Ryland crouched down against the locker while holding hands. Midway to the bathroom, that's when she lost Ryland to the crowd.

So, in conclusion, Ashely's best guess was the girl's bathroom on the other side of the school because Ryland's smart like that.

Ashely continued to the next hall and around a corner, she then found the other girl's bathroom and quietly walked in after opening the door. She slowly walked on the tiles, in front of the stalls, trying to pick up a vibe if someone was in one or not.

And someone was.

Ryland was crouched on top of the toilet with her mouth shut but that didn't last very long because as soon as she saw a certain pair of shoes from under the door, she immediately hopped off the toilet.

"Ashely? Is that you? Please tell me im not seeing things."

"Yeah, it's me." Ashely whispered in response.

Ryland opened the stall door and tightly embraced her best friend.

Ashely pulled away, "Let's get the fuck out of here."

"And go where? We don't know anything like where the shooter is or how many."

Ashely nodded, "Well, the bathroom is one of the least safest places."

Ryland didn't want to fight her on it, so she just followed her out instead.

• • •

While everyone was trying to stay safe at the school, Brooke was losing her mind a bit. She was stuck in some gymnasium with a bunch of other people and she couldn't leave until her parents or guardian came for her. However, in her case, that was very unlikely because her parents were out of town as in they moved and she stayed.

Her wanting to leave didn't worry her as much because her mind was filled with worry for her friends and even more so, Ryland. She couldn't stop thinking about Ryland, hoping she's safe.

As so many thoughts ran through her mind, a lady approached her as she was seated on the bleachers.

"Hi, have you seen my daughter? Glenda? She says she knows you." The woman waited for Brooke to respond but soon continued, "She sits behind you in class."

Brooke shook her head, "I'm sorry, I don't know anyone with that name."

The woman nodded and went on her way. Brooke though, she went out to the front of the building and just sobbed. She sobbed because of what was happening, her friends, but mostly because she realized how little she knows anyone at her school. She felt as if she lives in her own little bubble and because of that, it makes it hard to acknowledge others even though she's so outgoing.

As Brooke continued to sob, back at the school Ryland and Ashely had just bumped into Nathan and mouth.

"Where did you two come from?" Nathan held the bat over his shoulder.

"Bathroom. Ashely found me. Where are y'all headed?"

"Haley. You got any ideas?" Nathan looked between Ashely and Ryland.

Ashely shrugged, "Maybe the tutor room."

The four then headed that way and as soon as they reached the room, Nathan knocked on the door and announced himself.

Some of the students who were in there were against opening the door, but Haley insisted and therefore, skills pinned some guy to the wall as Haley opened the door. The married couple hugged as the other three walked in.

The first to catch Ashely's eyes was Rachel. The blonde walked over to her, "Glad to see you're . . safe."

Rachel nodded, "You too." She noticed Ashely's arm, "What happened?"

Ashely glanced to her arm and noticed a deep gash, "I don't know. I didn't even notice."

Ryland approached them, hearing everything and she took her sweater off. She began to tie it tightly around Ashely's wound, so the bleeding would slow.

Then all of a sudden, "Everyone, get back! Get back now!" Jimmy yelled as he waved a handgun around.

Mouth looked into his eyes, "Jimmy . . . "

Jimmy rolled his eyes with a scoff, "Don't Jimmy me." He continued to wave the gun around, "What! Is everyone scared? You should be!" He looked to Nathan with the gun pointed at him, "You scared Scott?"

The basketball player tried to stay calm, "Yeah, I am."

"You better be!" Jimmy exclaimed.

"Dude ———— " Someone from the back commented.

Jimmy ignored him and picked up a basket off the teacher's desk, "Put your phones in here!"

The basket got passed around, everyone's phone going in. After all there phones were away, Jimmy grabbed the basket and ordered Nathan to form a straight line with duck tape that was found. Jimmy wanted to separate him from the rest of the students.

All while doing so, mouth and skills were seated together as Haley sat at another table waiting for Nathan. Ashely, Ryland, and Rachel were all seated together as well with a random guy in the back and some girl who was close by.

Everyone was scared.

Everyone feared the worst.

• • •

While those students were trying to survive in the tutor room, Chad had finally found Peyton. The two were sitting behind a bookshelf with their backs against it far back in the library.

Peyton's head rested on Chad's shoulder, wanting to sleep so badly because even though he tried to stop the bleeding, a lot was still coming out.

He glanced at her, "You got to stay awake, ok? You're gonna be fine."

Her eyes were barely open, but she was pushing through, "I love you, you know." She practically whispered.

Even in this horrible situation, Chad couldn't help but smile at those words as he responded, "I love you too."

It was their first i love you.

Peyton shook her head, "I'm not just saying that cause im practically dying or to keep you. I said it because it's how I feel and I meant it." She looked up to him, "Do you believe me?"

"Of course I do and you're not dying." He began to sit up, "We're gonna get you out of here."

Chad proceeded to help Peyton up and soon picked her up, carrying her bridal style. He didn't care what awaited out there, getting Peyton out alive was top priority for him now.

However, back in the class room, sometime had passed. Jimmy was still waving the gun in front of everyone, making sure they stay scared.

"Jimmy, just put the gun down." Haley looked to him, "You can still get out of this."

The guy all the way in the back snickered, snickered so loud that everyone heard him. He wanted everyone to hear but what he was hearing, he felt it was stupid.

Nathan agreed with Haley, "You didn't hurt anyone. They'll let you down easy."

"He brought a fucking gun to school . . . I hope they fry your ass." The guy in the back chimed in. 

Rachel abruptly turned to the guy, "Would you shut up before you get us all killed." Her voice was stern.

Soon Jimmy yelled for everyone to be quiet and he continued from there. As he spoke, Ryland noticed the girl behind them. She noticed that the girl looked quite ill but that didn't stop het from approaching.

She got up from her chair and crouched down in front of the girl, "Are you ok?" The burnette didn't say anything but Ryland noticed her wrist and knew exactly what kind of band she had on, "Are you diabetic? What's your name?"

The girl nodded with a response of her name, "Abby."

Ryland turned to Jimmy, "Jimmy, she needs help. She's diabetic. She could die."

Jimmy rubbed the barrel of the gun on his head as he began pacing back and forth. He was trying to figure out his next moves and slowly growing irritated because of the dire situation.

After another few steps back and forth of his pacing, he finally decided.

"Get up." He looked to Abby, "Let's go." He motioned for her to hurry up and as soon as he opened that door, she was long gone. As soon as she left, Jimmy had another thought come to mind, "You know there are others out there . . . I'm not alone."

Mouth sighed, "Come on, Jim . . . "

Jimmy scoffed, "And you're not one of them mouth?" He then made his way to the door, "The next person to step in the hall is dead."

"Dude ———— !"

And right after that word, a loud bang was heard somewhere in the halls. It sounded like a door slamming.

Jimmy mumbled, "Guess that's my cue." He opened the door and left to the sound in the hall.

Everyone's fear only grew. They were scared of what Jimmy was gonna do, who else was out there and that loud noise.

Ryland just hoped it wasn't anyone important like Lucas, Chad, Jay or Peyton ————— hell even Brooke, even though the last thing she wants to do right then is give her the time of day but in that moment it didn't matter because that day was different.

It didn't matter what kind of drama someone had going on in their life, right then was more pressing and extreme. It was life or death and Ryland, she wanted everyone who she held dearly to her heart to be safe.

As everyone comforted each other in this time of need, a signal gunshot was heard from somewhere in the empty halls. Haley sobbed into Nathan's shoulder, Ashely was subconsciously squeezing Rachel's hand while holding tears back, Ryland was in shock as well as skills and mouth.

No one thought Jimmy was going to go through with it . . . but he did.

Or so they thought . . .

a/n:
man, this was a wild ride
&& trust me, there will
be more loss and fucked
shit smh.