“You feel okay, babe?” Matt asked as I walked out of class.

“Sure, why?”

“I just thought that you needed some cheering up, so I bought you a donut. Bavarian cream, your favorite.”

He offered up the pastry with both hands. I saw a bead of sweat fall from his temple.

“Are you alright, Matt?”

“Oh yeah, just that test, it took a bit out of me.”

I nodded as I took the donut, broke it in half and handed half of it to Matt.

He wrapped his free arm around my back, and we walked down the hallway.

“Did you still want to go see Tony’s race?” I asked.

“Oh yeah, I wouldn’t miss it. Those guys from Jefferson won’t know what hit them.”

“Sounds exciting,” I replied, “it will be my first race to see in person.”

“It’s kind of loud. There was this one guy who tech-ed out his ride with some nitrous-oxide.”

“Well, Tony won’t need anything like that,” I said as I saw Chris and waved to him. His nose appeared bloody, and he had a paper towel on it. I broke away from Matt and ran over to him.

“Chris, what happened?”

“I don’t know. I just had a large headache,” he replied as he looked towards Matt.

“Mr. Henry’s chemistry test?” I asked.

“Yeah, I couldn’t think straight during it.”

“How long has your nose been bleeding?”

“A few minutes.”

“You should go to the nurse.”

“I should be okay, Tai. Matt, can you come with me to look at this?”

“Yeah, sure,” Matt turned to me. “See you at lunch?”

“You got it,” I replied as I kissed his cheek, leaving a bit of donut glaze on his face.

“I shall see you later,” Matt replied as he walked with Chris to the restroom.

I finished eating the donut as I walked to my locker.

Third period should have been just as uneventful as second period was, but everyone was asleep or frozen in time. The shock of my classmates sleeping sitting up like they were statues, was more than I could manage so I ran out of the room and into the hall.

“Somebody help!” I yelled, but everyone else in the hall was also immobile. It was like I was in a high school wing of Madame Tussaud’s.

I ran to the stairwell and started to climb up to find Matt, but instead I found Chris at the middle landing.

“Are you okay, Tai?”

“No, Chris, everyone is a statue or something. Do you know what’s going on?”

“No, but we’ll figure it out together. Come on.”

I nodded and followed Chris to the second floor. The hallway was empty, and it looked like everyone was in class.

“Weird,” I replied as I peered into Mrs. Witzski’s room and barely saw her five-foot one frame across the room. I almost opened the door, but

Chris tapped on my shoulder.

“Let’s cheek another room and see if more people are affected.”

“You’re so calm, Chris. This is high on my “X-files” list.”

“Everything will be okay, come on.”

He reached his hand out to me, and I took it.

Chris was being brave indeed during this craziness and as much as I should have been freaking out more and more, I felt reassured as we walked over to a classroom across the hallway. Chris opened the door, walked in and turned on the lights. It was a storage room.

“What’s in here?”

“We are,” he replied.

“Yeah, I can see that, Chris, but why?”

“It’s a safe space from whatever is going on.”

“Safe space?”

“Tai, there’s something you need to know,” Chris stated as he took ahold of both my hands.

“What?”

“There’s someone who is controlling you.”

“Controlling me? Like how? Subliminal messages? Radio signals?” I asked as I took off my flannel shirt and threw it onto the counter next to an old paper cutter.

“They have powers they’re using them on you, but you must fight it. You can break away.”

“Who?” I asked, as I removed my belt.

“If I speak their name, then we’ll be located, and we can’t let that happen.”

I nodded as Chris moved closer and kissed me, a deep and passionate kiss and I immediately reciprocated.

“You’re beautiful,” he said as he ran his hands down my arms.

“I can be more beautiful if you can help me with this skirt.”

“I would be happy to,” Chris replied as he unclipped two buttons and my Abbey Dawn skirt fell to the floor. I stood in a torn crop-top, and a VS pink thong. I should have been freezing but all I could do was wonder what we were going to do next.

Chris picked me up, sat me on the counter and kissed my neck. It felt serene and like it was always meant to feel. Chris raised my hands and took off the crop top.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m whatever you want me to be, Christopher Vaughn,” I whispered as I jumped down and into his awaiting arms. We kissed again and his hands squeezed my breasts. I wanted him to keep going but there was a thought in my head. It was the same thought I had the day before. My hands went to his jeans, and I felt his hardness longing to be free from its denim and cotton prison.

I looked up to his eyes for permission and Chris nodded so I pulled at the button, causing the zipper to rip apart and his jeans to fall. He moved my hands in a position to lower his underwear, and I giggled at the thought of doing this for the first time, but I was in presence of someone who was protecting me from a dark force. I had my own dark force within me as I took a hold of his erect manhood and moved my lips close to it.

I heard a “dripping noise” and then felt something on my hand, blood. I looked to see Chris’ nose bleeding profusely.

“Chris, are you okay?”

“Yea, yea, keep going, please,” he pleaded. “He can’t find us just yet.”

“Who? I…What the hell?” I yelled as I stepped back and covered myself with my hands.

“It’s okay, Tai, it’s okay.”

“No, no it is not okay. Why am I standing here like this?”

“You wanted me to.”

I shook my head as I grabbed my clothes and tried to quickly get dressed. Chris’ bloody nose was dripping faster, like he was hemorrhaging from his brain.

“Let’s get dressed and take you to the nurse.”

“I’m fine, Tai, could you please continue, I would love it if you would.”

I stopped getting dressed. I had my top and flannel on, but my skirt and belt were still on the floor.

“If I do this, then you’ll go and get help?”

He nodded.

“Okay,” I replied as I kneeled. “Where were we?”

Chris moved my face closer to his hardening erection, and I reached my tongue out.

A door exploded open behind us.

“You!” Matt’s voice boomed.

“It’s not what it looked like, Matt.”

“What’s it supposed to look like, Chris? Of all the stupidest shit you could say!”

My face moved closer but then I felt another hand on my shoulder.

“Go and get dressed, Tai.”

They stared at me as I got dressed. Matt then punched Chris in the chest.

I brushed my hair away from my face and then turned to Matt.

“I’ll see you at lunch, babe. Chris and I have some things to discuss.”

“Okay, I’ll see you then, Matt. Feel better, Chris!”

“I will be in a few minutes,” he replied as he winced.

“Bye, Matt,” I turned and walked out of the room.

The clock on the wall showed it was time for third period. I couldn’t figure out why I was on the second floor.