There's always that one girl. That one girl we hate. That girl that gets on our every nerve. That girl that burns the flame of anger in our guts, just by looking at their face. Their idiot stupid face. Their face that with that nose and those eyes and those ears. That annoying face. That face that my fist deserves to carve in. This fist that needs release from all the torture. She doesn't care. She doesn't know. She doesn't understand. All the torture we live in, she doesn't face them. She escapes it every day. All this hate I breathe for what I am, she thinks it’s all fake. She thinks she can fix me—no, us—but she's wrong. She's always wrong. But the others believe her, she fools them with her innocence, and it comes that I finally don't understand the power she has in those crafty hands of hers. She's deceitful, a lie behind a smile, a sly cat with a dog's disguise.

I keep trying to break her mask, every day, watching her lie after lie, unable to stop herself. She lets me, only staring, that fake sympathetic look on her features. "I'm helping you feel better." She'd say, and it'd frustrate me more, and I come to smash my fist into her cheek again and again, blind with anger.

She only cared about the stupid things; why that kid suddenly became ill with a tumour, why those cars had suddenly whirled into the train near the school, why the teachers were saving their money for a new coffee maker. She didn't understand this reality. Thinking this was a gift, she was the idiot. Always an idiot. Such an idiot. Why couldn't she understand that everyone was running away? The tumour was his own lack of care over his system, the car's driver was suicidal, and the teachers were trying to give themselves something to look forward to, to free them of depressing thoughts. 

"If you'd stop being so pessimistic, I bet you'd feel better." There she went again, pushing my buttons, saying stupid remarks. It made sense though, she was near failing all her classes, and yet somehow still managing to put a smile on her face. That stupid smile that meant nothing, that was empty, hollow. It was horrifying to watch. So horrifying that I could do nothing else but hurt it, hands uncontrollable. She was purposely doing it too, twisting her face in a way she knew would make me seethe. Just like how I hated seeing her like that, she did it just to smite me. She had to be seeking attention. Or maybe she's a masochist, haunting me for pain. I didn't know, and I certainly cared too much to stop.

So when she had her first panic attack, I took initiative.

"You little piece of shit!" My scream echoed down the empty streets, unfiltered. The boy didn't even flinch, an empty look in his eyes, but I knew it wasn't because of me, nor her. It was because he was like us, but he had given up, his spirit devoid of life. "Stop running away and face the only family you have left!" My words hit a nerve, and he twitched, steps halting, but he still didn't turn, didn't go back. "You have no parents and yet you still remain unfazed as your one and only sister is in need of comfort!" It was still only silence that greeted me. An irritated scream was bubbling in my throat. "I can't believe how heartless you're being!" He twitched again and his foot slid back, ready to have his body turn, but he was waiting. He wasn't sure. He needed one last tug. "For all I know, you're the one that did this to her!"

"That coming from her bully's mouth!" His foot slammed in my direction, long dark sparkling blue hair whipping as he snapped, whirling in my direction. He took purposeful steps towards me and my pride held me forward, refusing that I backed down from the fight, since I had picked it. He stopped a few feet from me, matching my pose, arms crossed and feet tapping. "You're the one that caused this!" He wanted to point, I could tell, maybe even jab me in the front. "If you'd stop giving her trouble, she'd not be having an anxiety attack!"

"At least I'm doing something!" I hissed back, eyebrow twitching. "Yes, I have a tendency to get physical when I'm angry, but at least I'm interacting with her!" His facial expression didn't change. I had to bring it up a notch. "And that's way better than ignoring her, like you!" My arms broke free and jabbed him in the chest, both at the same time. He stumbled back at my sudden spurt of strength, but he quickly straightened, threatening to do the same. 

"Bullying her isn't the right way either!" He wasn't as strong as before, faltering at the end of his sentence. His stance radiated with confidence though. He just needed to focus on his sentences and he'd be set.

"Compared to all those fakers that hover around her, I'm the best person in her life!"

"Not when you're violent and keep hurting her!"

"She's the one that provokes me!"

"Liar!"

"I'm more honest than you!"

"As if! I haven't said a lie!"

"Stop hiding behind your computer and tell me the truth then!"

"I have nothing to hide!"

"Then why are you ignoring your sister?"

"Because I'm a horrible brother!"

Not the answer I was hoping, but it'd have to do. I pulled at his words, to get a further explanation, but he stayed adamant, not budging. With a huff, I gave him a shove to free him of his rigidity, and he growled, trying to be threatening. Too bad for him, he was up against the worst person, seeing as I was the queen of temper and anger, so he had no effect. 

"Go see her." I finally said, but his glare returned, defiant, just like I was. 

"I don't deserve to see her." He scoffed, turning around with a huff, crossing his arms. I watched him, wondering what was going haywire in his brain for him to be so stupid, and he started to step away, since I hadn't responded yet. I reached out a foot and kicked him, making sure he was still within distance so that I didn't look like a fool. He grunted in pain and turned back, glare still scrunching his face horribly. No wait, it was always like that, nevermind. "Don't make me hurt you."

He turned his back to me again, another huff in my direction. "You already did." But he was tired, done. He was too bothered and annoyed now. "Are we done with whatever this is?"

"Go see your sister!" A frustrated scream and immature stomp came from me, face red in anger. "She needs you and you're going to ignore her?"

"Yeah, Adam." A head of light blue flashed suddenly over my shoulder, chin landing on it. The voice was light, teasing, and even more annoying than Adam and his sister.  He made disapproving noises at the other male. "Why don't you go see your precious precious sister?"

"Stay out of it, Cameron!" I shrugged him off, sliding away and making sure there was distance between all of us. I slammed my hands on my hips. "This is none of your business!"

"It's so my business if my darling little brother is involved!" Cameron pouted, his short hair flashing in the sun as he scooted closer and wrapped his arms around the peeved male. "Don't you think so too, Adam?" He purposefully shoved his face into his personal space, rubbing their cheeks together.

"Stop touching me." Adam mumbled back, but didn't move away or hit him. Such empty words with empty meaning. I was entirely sure that the idiot secretly loved the attention and wanted to feel important, as if life had meaning.

It didn't. 

And I got an idea.

"Cameron, bring him along." I waved my arm for him to follow and he started pulling Adam towards me just like I thought he would. Cameron was the strongest guy I knew, always training his body to relieve stress and also having been in karate as a kid. He used to be like the current me, a selfish bully that liked hitting everything and everyone, and he even did it for the same reason. Once he made friends with Adam though, he had a complete 360 in personality and went to being the silly goof of today. I can't tell which I like better, because both sides of him are as equally as confusing.

"Where are we going?" He asked as I started back down the street, hurrying to match my pace. 

I gave him a long look instead of answering and his smile slid off his lips. I turned away, trying to keep my face blank, secretly glad that he understood that this wasn't something he could butt into, even if he was helping me. He kept looking and it was starting to unnerved me, but Adam's muffled profanities filled the silence I refused to fill, making me feel better.

"She deserves better." I finally spoke up, and Adam stilled, listening to my eerily strong voice. "I may hate what we are with all my guts, but she doesn't." Cameron's smile returned slyly, and I fought the embarrassing blush of my cheeks. "So I'm fixing it."

I glanced at him. He blinked hard in confusion, wondering what I meant exactly by fixing, I assumed. I liked the idea that I could throw him off his game. It was soothing and power-inducing, not that I really did much. All I did was speak nonsense, and he would get confused. Anyone would, so I was nothing special. There was bitter through within everything—I wasn't important to this ever spinning world. None of us were. Adam wanted to hide from responsibility, but I knew he was looking for the solution. Cameron wanted us to become heroes of justice, to fight our impossible-to-fix problems. Kelley wanted us to adapt and learn to accept our flaws. And I?

I had nothing.

I was nothing. 

Full of empty dreams. 

Yet my lungs still forced me to breathe. My heart still pounded deep in my chest, blood still flowing. My brain still sends messages and had my neural synapses interact. My body moved. My digestive system never altered or changed. But I felt dead and empty. I was the only one who felt alone, who hated this purposeless world. 

No. I'm wrong. I was the only one of our kind that hated this world. Normal humans wanted to escape it, to die, seeing as that's all that they could do. Poisoning, crashing, snapping, stabbing, experimenting. It was a cycle that never ended. They were to die. So many people lost their souls, triple or even quadruple the speed than they were being produced. It didn't help that they went fully blind by the time they reached 45, around half their supposed life span. Too scared for that never ending darkness and hell, they took their own lives, too selfish to think about those whom loved them. No, they'd understand. They were all afraid of the same thing. And as was I.

 "Rairai." Cameron snapped his fingers in front of my eyes, and I flinched back, having not been paying attention. When I looked at him questionably, he waved at the doors of the blue building of which we were in front. "Why are we at the counsellor’s office?" 

"Kelley's here." I finally answered, and his eyes went wide. I nodded again, to show I was serious, and after a few more seconds of thinking, his grip still not slipping from the grumpy and flailing Adam, he shrugged and accepted it. 

"I'm not going in!" Adam became even more restless, now that he knew where we were and how close he was to his sister. He was starting to get desperate, and I was ready to issue another order, but without even having to say anything, Cameron charged into the office like a mad bull and forced the helpless grump into a seat, threatening to sit on him if he dared disobey. Cameron, being twice his size, on the basketball team, and looking like he could break a wall, wasn't a force to be reckoned with.

I moved to the secretary and was greeted with a much-too-peppy-for-the-dull-look-in-her-eye greeting. "How can I help you?" Suppressing a sigh of discomfort, I managed to mumble out a demand to see Adam's sister. She had me wait as she made a call and then told me I would have to wait another half an hour. This was why I hated leaving things to others, especially adults who thought they knew everything and could fix anything. Let it be known that they are the most incompetent of all, by a long shot, since all they care for is profit, not the good of humankind.

But we waited, or else we might never see her again.

I spent my time counting the dull blue polka dots on their lame wallpaper and poking Cameron a few times, since my hands felt the strong urge to be occupied; Cameron returned my pokes and tried to tickle me as he bickered with Adam (luckily for me, I'm tickle-proof); and Adam would complain and try to make a break for it, at which either I would trip him or Cameron would throw him right back in the chair, literally. I really liked Cameron when he used his massive strength to please me. Other than that, he was a pain in the neck that wouldn't shut up. Another factor was that Adam was a frail male that barely ate anything nor liked working out like Cameron. He spent his free time in front of his computer, hiding from society, and occasionally having troubles walking when it was his turn to do chores. So it was no wonder that he was such a weakling compared to us, who are so active and violent.

When I reached dot number 749, Kelley finally showed up, looking as meek and fragile as she usually did when I normally saw her. I felt a wave of relief to see that she was still the same and that the counsellor didn't try to fix something that he had no right to in the first place. 

"W-what are you guys here?" She asked with worry, as soon as her eyes landed on our three figures trying not to kill each other out of boredom. Adam immediately tried to sink in his chair and vanish from the face of the earth, Cameron straightened with a huge goofy smile, and I gave an awkward wave. 

"We came to see you!" Cameron spoke when he realized I wouldn't. "Rairai was really worried so she—" I gave him a sharp jab in his side and he lost his sentence in an exclamation of alarm. "I mean Adam was worried—" The younger male glared but couldn't argue in fear of getting sat on by the larger male. "—so we all came with to see how you were doing!" 

Kelley's eyes went wide at the mention of her brother and she had to move forward to get a good look at him. Though her face looked conflicted and worried, I could easily distinguish the underlying happiness there, brimming with tears. What a weenie.

"T-thank you." She finally whispered, voice hoarse with emotion. She was too easily swayed, being gullible and naive, but it was good feeling watching her, seeing her happy to see us. It made us feel like we finally belonged, as if we were a unified group, as if we actually mattered.

"If that's everything, then I should just—" Adam leapt from his seat and dove for the door. Kelley jerked at the suddenness of his brother, but nearly shrieked as Cameron was even faster, with years of experience. He tackled into the door, since it had to be opened from the inside, so that it held firmly shut with his force, leaving Adam to grunt in frustration as he tried to muster all of the zero muscles he had on him to pull on the doorknob. After ten or so tries, he finally slumped back into his seat. "—nevermind."

"W-what was—" Kelley tried, but Cameron just waved away the question, dropping back into his seat with a plop. He waved for her to join them, but she shook her head. "I need to talk to you guys," she glanced at the secretary, who was glaring at us for making noise and playing with the door, "uh, in private."

After trying to trick us into paying for their services that we didn't need but was forced to have, we reminded her that their systems worked with our school and that their services were supposed to be free, and so the secretary told us to skedaddle with a really unpleasant look on her face. Arguing for approximately ten minutes more, we deemed that going home was a bad idea and that we should head over to a fast food restaurant instead, since it was almost time for supper. Since everything in this town was only a walk away, we took our time treading through the neighbourhood until we reached the somewhat decent MissDimmies, where apparently the food was "off the charts" (and into the garbage). The service sucked even more in comparison though, and if you anger them ever more than they already were, they would spit in your food and destroy your meal. Luckily for us, we had Kelley on our side, and she always finds a way to get on the good side of everyone. I shit you not. I can’t tell if she does it on purpose as a trick or not, but I had to admit that the girl had some mad skills for how well she was able to manipulate them.

We entered, the boys and I diving for an empty table (and fighting over the best seat) as Kelley went to the counter and worked her magic. She came back with our meals, the fries up sized (one of the workers "accidentally" gave her the wrong ones, if you catch my drift) and our drinks ice-less (no ice means more room for more pop, plus ice waters it down, which makes it taste disgusting).

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why I’ve gathered you all here today,” Cameron said, deepening his voice and trying to look mature, straightening his pose and trying to look like the boss of a business team at their meetings.

“Boooo,” I kicked his foot, “that’s Kelley’s line!”

“You never let me have any fun.” He hissed back, hands reaching down to cradle the hit, as if it actually hurt him that much. I knew it didn’t, since he was a tough guy and it felt like I was kicking the great wall of China, but I think he was trying to humour me. He was that kind of person, lessening the tension and brightening the room. He was the only one that bothered though; I was too violent, Adam was cynical, and Kelley was too awkward around us. Cameron was our glue—without him, none of us would even be eating together. No, I take that back. I wasn’t even supposed to be here.

“Oh!” Sir Popular bounced in his seat, blue eyes bright and exciting. “I thought of a cool name for our group!”

“Why do we need a name?” Adam grumbled.

“I’m not even a part of this group.” I added.

“Not true!” Cameron ignored Adam.

That ticked him off. “Earth to idiot, we don’t need a name!”

“It is true!” I returned, ignoring Adam as well, “I just happen to be here today!”

“What about all those times at school?”

“Accidents! I never spoke to you unless I had to!”

“But you chased Adam!”

“She did not!”

“I did not!” I echoed Adam, cheeks flaming red, “I did it for Kelley’s sake!”

“You had better not like me,” Adam glared menacingly.

“As if!” I scoffed in return, kicking him under the table as well, for daring to think of that. I knew he was teasing, albeit being rare, but I couldn’t help it—violence was my only way to react to anything of the sort. It was difficult to hold a conversation with me, even if I was a supposed genius, because I always felt the need for contact, to touch and hit. It became such a bad habit.

Adam shrieked and shrivelled in his seat, pulling up his feet on his seat in the booth, shaking his head at me like I was a cruel person. I shook my head back, smile on my lips, enjoying his pain. I had barely hurt Cameron but this guy was so weak that my kicks could probably break his legs. He really needed to get out more.

“U-ummm...” Kelley tried speaking up, voice too low for us to hear.

“As I was saying—” Cameron easily cut over, not realizing that the awkward member of our group was trying to speak up. “Before Blue cut in—”

“Don’t call me Blue!”

“—I decided on a name for our group!”

“We don’t need one!” Adam tried again, and this time Cameron actually paid attention, whirling at the younger boy with a swish and a ‘Excuse you, smartass, but we do!’, at which Adam replied with a sarcastic ‘Do tell!’ and they started to bicker, as they did every time I caught them being near each other. The topic easily switched from names to school, to eyes, to butter, and at that point they realized that they hadn’t even started eating their food yet.

A unanimous decision was made and we took a break to actually eat, since that was one of our reasons for gathering here today at MissDimmies. We lost our point of discussion, too engrossed in our food, and thoughts escaped us. Cameron forgot all about his need to make us into a group and give us a gang name. I already knew that although we were special, so there was no need to make us a foursome team because no one actually cared. Since they couldn’t relate to how we were feeling and to how we lived, they called us liars and attention seekers. We had no way to prove ourselves either—colour blindness is a too complicated subject for that.

“Umm...” Kelley tried again, pushing away the rest of her nuggets, being full. She tried to keep us on task now that she was done before the rest of us, giving her the advantage. I was surprised that Adam hadn’t finished first though, seeing as he had the smallest stomach of us all and could probably only take two bites of his hamburger before his stomach screamed mercy. But there he was, scarfing down fry after hamburger after bite. I sure hope he doesn’t suddenly start vomiting later, because eating too much than he could handle would ultimately make him sick.

“Yeah?” Cameron encouraged her between mouthfuls of food, not caring if it looked really unpleasant for others to look at. I expertly averted my eyes, watching as Adam started looking at his own food funny.

“Are you okay?” I whispered to him.

“Something...” He was too distracted by his food to really care about the fact that it was me talking to him. Typically he would hiss at me like a snake and avoid me like the plague. “...tastes weird.”

I blanched. “D’you think they spit in your food?”

He shook his head vigorously at my claim. “It tastes more like bad meat than someone’s spit.”

“Ew.”

“Yeah.”

“I wanted to tell you all why that I’ve been brought into the counsellor’s office.” We stopped what we were doing, looking like a video set on pause as we watched her, simultaneously interested in what she had to say, worrying for her health, wondering if we had to beat someone up (most probably the counsellor, I bet).

“Do tell.” Adam said again, only this time there was no sarcasm, full of honest curiosity.

“As Blue knows—” she started lightly, giving me a small smile (“Everyone’s gotta stop calling me Blue!” I hissed in the background, trying not to be loud and diverting the conversation), “—I had a panic attack during final period, during my presentation in front of the class.” I nodded in agreement while the boys shared worried glances. I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes at them.

“Is everything okay?” Cameron asked, and I could tell he was really awkward, not really knowing how to deal with that information. It was the first time he had been indirectly involved with a panic attack, so his reaction was hesitant and lacking. Adam, however, simply looked away and refused to face our situation, assuming that we could take care of it and that there was no need for him here. He was probably wondering why in the world I had been so adamant on bringing him along. He didn’t have to worry so much though, because I hadn’t forgotten my original purpose.

“I’m fine,” Kelley answered, using women’s number 1 most used lie of all time, “I talked to the counsellor and we discussed coping techniques so that it doesn’t happen again.”

“That’s great then.” Another awkward response from the glue of our team. I was surprised that he wasn’t being as talkative anymore, but I guess that’s what happens when he’s set in a new situation. It was odd watching him. He looked like he wanted to help, but also like he wanted to escape to play in the park outside the window or something. “What do you think caused it?”

Kelley’s expression hardened in a way I never expected it to. I did a double take, her face was so serious that it threw me for a loop, and I held back my hands from slapping it right off her face. I really didn’t like the sudden impulses and urges my hands brought every time I hated or liked something, since I was sure it didn’t bring pleasant memories to the receiver. I couldn’t help it though, so I quickly grabbed onto my half eaten sandwich and took a bite, successfully keeping myself (most importantly my hands) occupied.

“I think it had to do with the fact that I can see into the future.” She finally conveyed, and the suddenness of it had me spit take with the food in my mouth. But since I didn’t want to throw out my sustenance, I kept my jaw and lips shut, which resulted in me looking like I was stuck between choking and puking. I waved away the worried glances.

Cameron shook his head, probably at me. “I’m sorry but repeat that?”

She gave him a sassy look, and that in itself almost had me do another choking spit take session, since today was the first time I ever saw her this animated. “I can see the future.”

“Bullshit!” Adam yelled rudely, and I sent another kick at him, only to remember that he had pulled his feet in his booth, so I was left kicking the wood underneath it. He gave me a not-this-time look. I widened my eyes to send a you-better-watch-it one right back. He finished it by sticking out his tongue immaturely.

“I-it’s not—” Kelley squeaked defensively, though it was barely heard, since she was too scared to speak up. “I-I’m not lying—”

“Give her a chance, Adam,” Cameron, who was next to him, leaned his body on his, adding pressure, “she’s your sister!”

“Stop touching me.” He hissed, not responding to the other boy’s comment and looking away.

“You’re so mean,” Cameron sighed dramatically, adding more weight instead, getting a frustrated grunt and shove from Adam, who was stuck against the wall and couldn’t escape.

“Piss off.”

“Make me, honey.”

“I’m not honey.”

“Are you sure? Cuz I sure wanna spread you on bread if you know what I’m sayi—”

“Cameron!” I hissed, cutting in, a horrified glare on my features. My fists were clenched so hard that they destroyed the sandwich in my hands. “Stop teasing him!”

“Oh?” He leered, turning his less-than-decent look from Adam on me, which sent an uncontrollable shiver down my spine. “Is my little Rairai jealous? Want in on the action, do you?”

“You’re an idiot!” I threw a few of my much-too-many fries in his face, aiming for his eyes. He dodged them expertly though, so I kept trying, and he became so bored with dodging that he purposely tried to catch them with his mouth. “And I’m not yours!”

He slammed his hands on the table, jolting everyone around it, and then smiled when he realized he disrupted more than just our table, though I could tell it was strained (and you could see the food he wasn’t done chewing). “Let’s just listen to what Kelley has to say, okay?”

With a huff, I slouched back, but didn’t dare complain, since this was Cameron we were talking about and he was hard to handle when he got mad. Not that I was planning on making him mad, but he looked like something was picking at his nerves, putting him on edge. Like Kelley, that smile was so fake that it made my hands shake.

“A-as I was saying...” Kelley stuttered, surprised by the sudden shift of attention to her. I forced myself to mentally rewind time, to remember what in the world we had been talking about before it shifted to this odd state of conversation. Oh, that’s right, Adam was denying so Cameron teased him.

“I can see the future...?” She tried, and I nearly slapped her by how unsure and unsteady she sounded.

“Prove it.” There we go. Adam was being a jerk again.

“Tomorrow, someone’s going to come into our school with a gun and shoot one of us.”

I choked on air, tension rising and stomach squirming. “That’s not possible.”

She turned her serious look on me, face intense and without a single trace of the fact that she could be lying and trying to pull a fast one on us. “I don’t know how, since I only saw a vision, but it is a sure fact that someone will die.”

“You’re crazy!” Adam exclaimed what I’m sure we were all thinking.

“You’re crazy if you don’t believe me!” She retorted strongly, which really surprised the rest of us. She had never reacted so vividly before, usually staying calm and submissive, going along with what we had to say, because we were pretty careless and only thought of ourselves. I wasn’t even sure why she would stay with us—I mean the guys!—since they had a habit of dejecting her and putting her down. They did it psychologically, and I physically, because we couldn’t help ourselves. Simply put, we hated happiness and optimism. Cameron was the one who didn’t do it directly. He had a habit of being cold towards her without meaning to, using the excuse that he’s preoccupied or wasn’t paying attention. I don’t even think he realizes himself what he’s doing, and although I’m sure he’s done the same to me, I can’t hate him, because we’re all in the same boat.

“What should we do then? Not go to school tomorrow?” I could tell by a glance that Cameron was conflicted about the topic, eyes flickering, unsure about what the truth could be.

“But if we don’t go, someone else will get shot.” I added, after taking a long drink of my pop.

“Who cares about them?” Adam hissed, still looking at the window, his face looking an odd shade of pale blue that I naturally associated as queasy.

I tried kicking him again, but the sound of my boot hitting wood echoed instead. “You’re so selfish!”

“So are you!” He glared right back.

I bit my lip, stopping myself from retorting. I knew that anything I would say as a reply would be a lie. I did everything to satisfy myself, everyone knew it, and even I knew it. But I was also a hypocrite. I wanted everyone to be good, whilst I couldn’t even do so myself. The thought of how horrible I was made myself stuff my cheeks with fries, unable to handle it.

“Let’s hide somewhere tomorrow.” Kelley piped up again, with a conclusion. “Our parents won’t get involved and they’ll be safe.”

“I don’t think it works that way,” I dropped my arms on the table, “if no one knows where we are, then that’ll be suspicious and they’ll think we’re in cahoots with the shooter.”

“Let’s call in sick then.” I’m sure Adam would hate to admit it, but he was fully immersed into the conversation.

“The three of you calling in sick?” I mentioned to all of them, who so happened to all be siblings. “That has suspicious written all over it. I’m sure your mother wouldn’t allow for all of you to stay home.”

“I have a better idea...” Cameron, who was oddly silent for the time being, raised his hand (although his elbow was on the table), contemplative. “Since we know that it’s going to happen, why don’t we stop the shooting before anyone gets hurt?”

“That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard!” I screeched, not liking the fact that we had to risk our lives to play hero. Adam merely scoffed in response and looked back out the window, and I heard Kelley gulp next to me.

“Humour me,” he tried again, “if this guy really does show up, we can disarm or capture him, he’d get put into jail and less people will get killed in the future by that guy.”

“Didn’t you hear Kelley?” I hissed, tapping the table impatiently. “One of us is going to get shot by that guy! We’re heightening those probabilities by trying to take down this guy!”

Kelley looked down at her lap, looking as fragile as she would normally. “Besides,” she agreed with me, “what can four kids do?”

A solemn silence filled our table space.

What she had said grated my nerves—we weren’t useless, we could do more than she thought we could! But when I tried to think of the possibilities, all I could imagine was Cameron tackling the guy, because he was the strongest out of us, and deep inside I knew that he would be the most in trouble, because of the short distance. I didn’t want us to get hurt. I didn’t want us to go through the trouble of stopping the gunner. Adam was right, I was selfish.

“Kelley, isn’t your class doing archery in gym right now?” Adam, surprisingly, brought light to a whole new idea, completely different than what I thought he would say. He must be thinking on the same wavelength as I have, not wanting his precious brother to put himself in instant danger so easily.

“I’m not going to shoot someone!” She wailed pathetically, hands flying up and covering her face. “I can’t do that!”

Cameron opened his mouth to argue, but it was Adam’s turn to shove him, to silence him. He met my gaze at that moment and a chill went down my spine, because I knew what it meant. Cameron wanted desperately to help, but both Adam and I wanted him to be safe, because unlike the rest of us, he was needed in our school. No, in life. He was the only one who everyone still cared about, because he had a clear future. He could escape this hell. He has all the chances stacked in his favour. He was going to be the victor. We all knew it, and he refused to acknowledge it.

“I’ll  do it.” Because I was strong enough, because I had the resolve, because no one had the right to take away our happiness. “I’ll shoot him.”