{WashBack, Pennsylvania}

"Get out of the way!" I shout at the crowd of people who are currently in direct-line of where I'm running.

They look towards me, their eyes widening in surprise.

Yeah, they definitely weren't expecting to get run over by a teenager today.

I dash between two people whom manage to slide over just in the nick of time, my shoulders barely brushing up against them.

"Hey! Watch it!" A gruff voice shouts at my retreating back, probably waving his fist in the air at me.

People these days. So rude.

I ignore him, continuing to build up speed as I finally make it out of the crowded street.

Now, you might be wondering what in the world is this guy doing?

Well, it's really quite simple.

I don't go running through crowded streets filled with people attending the local Flea Market just for the thrill of it.

No, I have a very logical explanation.

"Bates!" A voice from behind me yells angrily, the sound lost in the wind that's currently blowing.

And there it is now.

My feet lightly hit the ground, carrying me further down the road. I glance over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of the four teenagers hot on my trail.

So, I guess you're still wondering how exactly I got into this predicament?

Well, it all started as I was leaving school.....

~~~~*~~~~

I push the exit door open with my shoulder, simultaneously swinging my backpack up onto the other. I reach up with my hand to pull the hood up over the dark blue beanie.

A gust of winter wind hits my face, the cloudy grey sky showing signs of snow to come.

Maybe I'll get lucky and it'll snow enough for school to be canceled tomorrow.....

I dismiss my wishful thinking.

I step out from the shadow of the school building, shoving my hands in the front pocket of my hoodie. There's a sudden shout from the picnic area, my head automatically swinging over towards the disturbance.

I let a breath out as my eyes land on a figure. Of course.

Brian O'Neal - the star football player of the school and a complete jackass, is in the process of cornering one of the lab nerds that I occasionally get partnered up with. Four of his so-called buddies - football players themselves, are assisting him.

I take a closer look at the unfortunate kid, his name on the tip of my tongue.

Wesley.

Yes, that's him. A genius if there ever was one....

They're probably trying to get Wesley to help them pass the lab test we have coming up next week.

Those jerks.

Without meaning to, my feet carry me closer. My sensitive ears already picking up on some of their conversation.

"I told you before, Brian," Wesley says quietly while backing up into a corner. "I'm not helping you cheat on any more tests." He tightens his arms around the backpack he's holding against his chest as if his life depended on it.

Brian chuckles, his back to me as I make my way towards him.

"It's not cheating, Wesley." Brian shakes his head with a sly grin forming on his face, "It's called helping a friend out." He makes his voice sound like he genuinely means what he's saying.

Only he doesn't.

Wesley shakes his head, eyes growing bug-eyed.

Brian dramatically sighs. "Wesley, Wesley, Wesley." He chides. "This can go the nice way." He waves a hand lazily around. "Or the hard way." His hands fist together at his sides.

The other four teenagers - who I can't remember their names because -

1; Why would I even want to remember them?

And 2; I'm just really horrible at remembering names.

- nod in agreement with Brian, their own fists clenching shut at their sides.

I look around, hoping that maybe there's a respectable adult around to help.

No one.

What'd I expect anyway? Brian's the school's golden boy. Anytime the adults so much as notice him misbehaving, they just turn a blind eye from him, refusing to get involved.

Hence the reason Brian thinks he can get away with whatever he does.

Which he can.

My eyes land on the only other group of people that seem to be around right now.

Roxie Wright - the envy of all the girls in school. Her model-like-looks attracting attention from anyone.

She also happens to be Brian's current girlfriend, which would explain why she's sitting at one of the picnic tables, her own group of Barbie friends sitting around her, a bored expression on her face as she stares over at Brian.

Doesn't even bother to stop this. Guess she doesn't want to mess up her perfectly manicured nails.

I tap my foot on the ground, uncertainty running through me... oh, what the heck.

I fill out the distance remaining towards Brian.

One of the girls sitting at the table notices me, immediately elbowing the girl next to her, and so on until the whole table is whispering amongst each other. Their eyes flickering between me and Brian's group.

All except Roxie.

She keeps her eyes on me, face expressionless.

I ignore them as I walk past, self-consciously tucking myself further into my hoodie as I keep my eyes straight ahead.

Brian's now holding the front of Wesley's jacket, lightly shaking him around as he practically dangles from his grip.

I stop almost exactly ten feet away from them.

"He said no." My deep voice cuts through the air like a knife, Wesley and everyone else immediately turning to me.

Brian openly sizes me up, a smirk playing on his lips. "Ah, Bates." He says in his annoying voice. It's his normal voice, but it gets on my nerves. Like nails running down a chalkboard.

Wesley looks at me with surprise, not expecting me - of all people - to help him out.

I'm not known around here as the nice-I'll-help-you-out type. More like the ignore-everyone-and-get-through-the-day type of person.

I've learned from the numerous times I've moved that it's easier to blend in, out of the line of fire.

But sometimes, I just can't help it.

"Is there something you need?" Brian asks smugly, raising an eyebrow. I stare at him a full second, then I let my eyes slide back down to the grassy ground.

"Let him go," I state.

Brian crosses his thick arms, muscles bulging. "Like I'm going to listen to the freak." He laughs, the other four joining in.

My eyes stay trained on a spot around three feet away from Brian in my direction.

"I'll do what I want, and definitely not you -" He takes a threatening step closer to me. "- or anyone else, is going to stop me." He spits out.

Uncontained anger runs through me, and I wince as there's a sharp stab of pain in the back of my skull.

I take in a deep breath from my mouth, letting it out slowly through my nose.

I tell myself to calm down. I don't need to get into yet another fight.

I've lived here in Washback, Pennsylvania - a small town with a population of about five hundred - for three months now without any incidents.

I don't need to start now.

"Whatcha gonna do, Bates?" He snidely questions. "Silence me to death?" He laughs again and I hear some of the girls from the table join in too.

There's another stab of pain in my head, only this time it doesn't go away as it feeds on the uncontrolled anger that's now burning through my veins.

My eyes land back on Brian. Challenging.

Brian smirks, pushing Wesley roughly away from him.

So much for blending in. Eh, it wasn't really working out anyway.

He starts walking forward, dramatically cracking his knuckles. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy thi-" He cuts off as his foot slips out from under him, his eyes widening in surprise as he falls not-so-gracefully, flat on his back.

He lands with a thump.

It's silent for a moment. Then Brian's four friends break out into laughter, the girls at the table giggling too.

Even Wesley chuckles at the shocked expression on Brian's face.

Brian looks over towards the table, his face reddening in embarrassment as he watches everyone laugh at him.

Then, he looks down at the ground. I unconsciously find my own eyes looking down also.

There's a thin patch of crystal clear ice, right where Brian just stepped.

I frown...that wasn't there a few seconds ago. I'm sure because that's where I was just staring for a whole minute.

And there was definitely not any ice there - nada, zilch, zero.

Brian looks back up at me, anger replacing his embarrassment. Why's he looking at me?

I didn't do anything.

He pulls himself up, silencing everyone with a look that could curdle dairy. His nostrils flare.

"You." He points at me. "You set me up for that." He glances over at the table again, still not fully comprehending the fact that he's the one getting laughed at.

"Trying to embarrass me in front of my girlfriend?" He carefully steps over the patch of ice, walking closer to me.

I think he already has that taken care of.

I take a step back. "It's January," I state, my voice monotone. "There's a possibility of slipping on ice anywhere." He stares at me, obviously not believing me. "How could I set that up?" I try reasoning.

Brian shrugs, just looking more irritated. "I don't know, Bates." He looks me over again, eyes flickering with a sudden unease. "There's something....weird about you." He trails off, eyes hardening. "I'm sure you set this up, and even If you didn't..."

This isn't working out so well.

He shrugs and a grin spreads out on his features. "I have to get back at someone for embarrassing me." He starts advancing towards me, his friends fanning out around me.

"So, it might as well as be you." He finishes with a smirk.

Great. I should've known.

Looking at Wesley, he only gives me a hesitant smile. No help there.

I look Brian over.

The typical buff, muscularly built kind of jock. Short blond hair, brown eyes, and somewhere around five foot ten.

His other four friends look about the same.

You know what? Five against one isn't very fair.

Right as Brian reaches out to grab me, I turn, sprinting down the sidewalk towards town.

~~~~*~~~~

And that's how I got in this in the first place. Isn't it depressing how when you try to do something good it always backfires?

Ah, the joys of life.

Tightening my hands on the straps of my backpack to keep it from bouncing on my back, I pick up my speed.

Now I just have to lose these bozos so I can get home before I start getting a zillion phone-calls from my overprotective aunt.

The sound of my feet hitting the pavement echoes down the deserted road, and I pick up the sound of my pursuers not too far behind.

Some dark hair that's escaped from my Beanie hangs annoyingly down in my eyes. My breathing is only a little wheezy from all the running, and my heart is thumping from adrenaline.

I turn right down the road, hardly a car in sight. I hear the sound of a train whistle, and an idea immediately sparks in my mind.

Following along the side of the road, I head towards the outskirts of town. Before much longer, a bridge looms in the distance.

I stop as I cross it, looking down from the middle of the bridge. It's about thirty feet to the ground, train-tracks leading up underneath.

I look up into the distance as another whistle rings out, the sight of a Freight-train coming down the rails at about Fifty mph meeting my eyes.

My eyes gauge the distance, a plan forming in my head.

It might work.

Loud footsteps come from behind me. I turn around, finding myself completely surrounded.

Brian stands in the middle, two goons on each side of him. Their breathing comes out in gasps, while my own chest only lightly falls up and down.

And they're the football players.

"Got ya now scaredy-cat." Brian taunts, setting his hands on his hips as he takes deep breaths.

I mentally roll my eyes. It's not that I was too scared to hold my ground back at school.

Honestly, I've had worse circumstances when it comes to school bullies.

I'd just rather not go home with bruises for my aunt to see, so she has an excuse to murder me for getting into another fight.

I'd stick with running any-day over her wrath. Thank you very much.

The sound of a train fills the air, the bridge rumbling to life as it vibrates. I glance over my shoulder.

The freight-train is just now heading under the bridge, the large colorful boxes it's transporting stacked one on one, making it about twenty feet high.

I inch back so I'm closer to bridges stone railing, my eyes now set straight past Brian, focused solely on the train that's now showing up on the other side of the bridge.

I glance left and right, making sure no cars are coming, not that I've seen many the whole time I've been over here.

It's a small town.

I set my right hand down against the cool stone, my eyes glancing back over the side at the passing train.

I spot my target, mentally counting down the seconds.

6.

5.

This is such a bad idea. But I never said I was smart.

4.

Brian takes a step closer, him finally deciding to do something after the whole twenty seconds we've been standing here.

3.

2.

Only he won't get a chance.

I quickly position my Beanie securely back on my head - having loosened after all the running, my hood already blown down.

1.

I run past a stunned Brian, making it across the fifteen-foot-wide road in less than four seconds.

The same amount of time I calculated it would take for the target I'm aiming for to go underneath the bridge.

My right-hand lands on the stone rail across the bridge, and I use my momentum to vault myself up and over the side.

I free-fall from ten feet, wind whipping at my clothes and ripping hair out from underneath my Beanie.

There's a sudden jolt in my legs as I hit the top of the box, signaling for me to curl up as I go into a roll to help absorb the landing.

I stay in a kneeling position as I stop, reaching a hand up to straighten my Beanie back on my head.

I turn my head, wind still whipping past me as I ride on-top of one of the huge transportation boxes.

Brian and his friends stand at the railing, eyes wide in both shock and bewilderment.

I bring my right hand up in a mock-salute, a smirk on my face.

I'll be paying for that later.

But it felt so good.

I stay crouched, my gravity center low - to prevent me from falling. The cold wind is biting my skin - but not actually affecting me.

Now I just have to figure out how to get down.

~~~~*~~~~
A/N

Heya! Thanks so much to anyone who's reading this! Your awesome!😘 And just a heads up. The next chapter is a little long. So yeah, just a warning lol.

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Newly edited by the awesome marchpebbles!

Edited: 7/26/17