I let out a deep breath.

Finally, it was the last class of the day, but the end of school still seemed like an eternity away.

I sighed when I reached my locker, realising that I still hadn't found my locker key... Although it wasn't such a big problem for me. 

Pulling two bobby pins out of my hair, I wedged them into the lock and twisted them around. Smirking as I heard the familiar click of the lock opening, I pulled the door open, not noticing that Addison had crept up behind me.

"You really should tell the administration that you've lost your key," she laughed as I jumped slightly.

"You scared me! And besides, it doesn't take me long to unlock it without one anyway." I replied, frowning as I found my phone underneath my maths book from this morning. 

That was strange since I always had my phone with me.

I must have been annoyed about the substitute teacher and just put it in without thinking.

Shrugging, I grabbed my books for the last class of the day and closed the door to my locker. I checked my watch as I caught the tail end of whatever Addison had been ranting about, hiding a smirk.

Less than thirty seconds until the bell.

"...and you know, Brandon was so annoying this morning--"

She stopped, her mouth still open as the bell rang. 

Smirking at her expression that still wanted to rant about 'the most annoying guy on the planet', I hefted my bag back over my shoulder and headed towards class. Turning around, I called back to her.

"You coming?"

~*~

I glanced at my watch discreetly and stiffled a yawn. Although class only started fifteen minutes ago, I was already bored out of my mind. 

I had been struck yet again with the most troublesome subject line-up for the week--full of all my least favourite classes... Or at least the most boring ones. 

Either the teachers kept droning on about how the dinosaurs died, or they themselves were falling asleep at the desk. Great teachers they all were--matched the subjects they taught at least.

Snickering slightly, I slid my phone out of my pocket and decided to accommodate myself with a nice game of Angry Pigs. Surely, even a villain could play that?

I quickly regretted my decision as yet another large 'You Fail!!' sign appeared on my screen. Resisting the urge to throw my phone across the room, I gave up and flicked open my only other game app--Sighing when the stupid pigs started laughing again, I gave up and flicked open my only other game app; Crossy Street. 

It was only after endless hours of Addison insisting that the game was in trend and awesome that I had finally relented and now it was sitting there, taking up precious space on my phone. 

I hopped across the road as a box of chips (but how does a box of chips cross the street?), starting to gain a little confidence in my skills before I was smooshed against the windows of an oncoming train.

Sighing, I turned off my phone and shoved it in my pocket, freezing when I met the suspicious gaze of the teacher. I flashed her my brightest smile and made a big show of picking up my pen and pretending to copy down whatever nonsense she had written on the board.

When she seemed content that I was, in fact, doing the right thing and not playing on my phone, dropped the act and started doodling down the margin of my notebook. 

It wasn't as if anything of significance had been written on the board anyway.

Just as I had finished my last doodle, I felt a small bump as a paper ball hit my head. I discretely leant over, picking it off the floor and catching the eye of Addison who was seated diagonally behind me. 

She flashed me a thumbs up and a wide grin before returning her gaze to the front, just as the teacher turned around.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. 

Exactly what part of her did Mr Stan think was 'model student material'?

Shaking my head, I unrolled the note, smoothing it out and sliding it into the opening of my pencil case. Squinting slightly, I read Addison's loopy handwriting.

Saw you playing Crossy Street ;) You're soo addicted now, right?

I looked at Addison incredulously, still not understanding her obsession with that game.

Ah...whatever, no point in correcting her.

Shrugging, I shoved the note into my pocket and picked up my pen to continue doodling. It really wasn't a good time for me to pass notes--at least not with the teacher still suspicious from my illegal bout of phone usage. 

After completing a marvellous caricature starring Mr Stan, I glanced back up at the clock before sighing heavily.

"Is there a problem, Miss Vanightshade?" 

I glanced up, my gaze meeting Mr Stan's rather stern one and I bit my lip.

Oops.

"No, sir," I replied, picking my pen back up and waving it in the air. "I simply made a mistake with my notes which I have just spent the last hour writing out."

He frowned slightly, before stepping back to give me a full view of the board.

"Well then," he mumbled, apparently disgruntled. "Copy them down quietly."

I flashed a smile and nodded, about to actually copy some of it down in case he came to check when I felt a vibration in my pocket.

We still had around twenty minutes left, so it couldn't be my father... so who?

I glanced back up and caught Mr Stan's suspicious gaze again and decided against pulling it out of my pocket to check the caller.

Whoever it is, I'm sure they can wait.

Breathing a small sigh of relief when it finally stopped vibrating, I relaxed in my seat, only to tense when it began again. Muttering profanities under my breath, I raised my hand.

"Excuse me, sir," I flashed an innocent smile. "May I go to the bathroom?"

Mr Stan's eyes narrowed at suspicion and I tried to make it look as if I was absolutely desperate, although not without the cost of my dignity. 

I could already hear Addison snickering behind me. 

"... alright," he finally replied, and I quickly pushed back my chair and left the classroom before he changed his mind.

Reaching the silent hallways, I pulled out my phone, frowning when I saw the name of one of my father's closest friends on the screen.

That was strange--he didn't usually call me, and if he did, it definitely wouldn't be during school hours.

I lifted a finger to pick up the call, just as my phone stopped ringing. I unlocked my phone, with the intention to call him back since I had already taken the liberty of 'going to the bathroom' when I noticed that I had twenty-two missed calls.

All from the same number.

Him.

Since my phone had been in my locker for most of the day, I understood the missed calls, but twenty-two times? 

Just what could possibly be so urgent that he had to call now?

An uneasy feeling settled in my stomach before I brushed it aside. He was probably just calling because my father had locked himself up in the attic again for whatever reason.

Leaning against the wall, I pressed redial, the dull sound echoing eerily in the empty hallways.

It rang once. 

Twice. 

On the third ring, someone picked up and my earlier sense of dread came back full force. 

Maybe I should've invested in listening to my gut feelings more because my blood ran ice cold as I registered the first words that were spoken over the line.

"Your father has been captured."

a.n.

Dun DUN DUUUUUN!!! Haha, this chapter was a little shorter than I would have liked, but I suppose you can't always be happy with everything. Feedback is most welcome, especially now that I've finally edited this chapter :P Hope I haven't missed too much!

SpiderPrincess

edited: 18/01/17