We Are All Gonna Pay

These assemblies are always so loud, I think it is mostly because everyone is able to sit with their friends. The friends who have no classes, and even the friends they haven’t talked to in a while. I sit next to Elizabeth and Jordan. My two best friends, everything in this assembly is normal from what I can see, no one out of the ordinary. The crowd is getting restless, though. We were called here during our 3rd-hour classes, and the teachers didn’t even know why. Our principal was pretty persistent, though. Jordan turns her head to me, smiling.

“At least we get to see each other.” She says Elizabeth was looking around for her boyfriend. The guy she had only met a few weeks ago. I mean, the way he asked her was cute, I guess, but we don’t really know who he really is. For some reason, we have never seen him in this school.

“Have you found him yet?” I ask, Elizabeth shakes her head quickly looking back at the door. She is holding this seat for him but that isn’t gonna last long. These stands are pretty jam-packed. The lights flicker but no one else seems to notice. I look up before nudging the girls carefully.

“Did you guys see that?” I ask them, trying to stay calm. I mean this has never happened before. What should I expect if that keeps happening? Jordan shakes her head looking at the light above us. The lights go out completely and the gym is filled with total darkness. I grab on tightly to Elizabeth and Jordan. There is no way I am gonna lose them in whatever this is. Jordan's grip on my hand tightens as we all scream at the darkness that has not fully left yet.

The lights turn back on in unison as everyone looks around. What is going on? The girls let go of my hands as we all stood, every class stood as we looked down at the gym floor. In big red letter across the big wildcat in the middle of the gym is

We Are All Gonna Pay.

My heart drops looking at the girls. “Pay?” Elizabeth says with a shaky voice. “Pay for what?” That's the question everyone is asking, Nothing has ever happened here, I know of at least. But something is going to happen soon if we don’t figure out who put that there.

Mr Jefferson, our principal, walks towards the paint, bending down and placing a finger in it. Please say it's not blood. It looks too light to be blood but maybe it's not human blood. He turns towards the other teachers slowly, shaking his head quickly. Something is wrong. Oh my god, maybe it is blood.

I feel Jordan grabbed my hand more tightly than she did before. This can’t be happening. I look towards the door and see them, well, something, I don’t know my mind is playing tricks on me. Someone is standing outside the gym with a black hood over their head. I blink trying to make sure I am seeing it correctly but they are already gone. My heart skips a beat as the school officer walks into the gym.

“We are all gonna pay. What does that mean?” Jordan asks, everyone sits except us. My legs won’t let me. Elizabeth has her arm in mine as we stare blankly at the letters.

“I-” I stutter “I don’t know.” I have to keep my cool. Keep it together Aria.

“Everyone stay calm.” Mr Jefferson says over the speakers. “Please take a seat while we figure out what is happening.” Elizabeth and Jordan sit pulling me down with them. I take a deep breath.

It has to be serious enough for them to not even let us off the bleachers. The gym is silent. Everyone is in shock. I don’t exactly blame them, I mean someone is threatening us. The silence is then filled with loud screams as a body rolls down the stairs. Elizabeth lets out a gasp as she removes her leg from the aisle. Jason, the most popular kid in school, rolls down the stairs fast like a bowling ball. Nothing gets in the way of it. Mr Jefferson runs up the stairs fast, ready to catch him.

His body is limp and pale as though he had been dead for hours. Where did he come from? I never thought anything was off. He’s usually in my first hour, but he wasn’t today. I was sure he was still home recovering from the party he held last night. It was a big rager filled with drinks and games, like the usual rich high school boys' parties.

The girls and I went to it for about half an hour. Elizabeth wanted to hang out with her boyfriend for a little while. Jordan and I were the DDs. Mr Jefferson and one of the officers, that I always forget the name of, I gotta stop doing that, grab hold of Jason’s body, pulling him the rest of the way down the stairs.

Jordan and Elizabeth sit there in shock. They were both going pale. I can’t handle both of them at the same time.

“I-is that…” Jordan couldn’t even finish her sentence. She looked as though she was going to throw up. I turn to face her, grabbing her shoulders and turning her to face me.

“Jor… Don’t look at him. You look like you’re about to throw up.” I tell her. Way to be Captain Obvious, Aria.

“Of course I look like that, Aria!” Jordan says in a half-whisper. “He’s dead.” I shake my head quickly

“You don’t know that.”

“Look at him, Ar!” I shake my head quickly

“I can’t,” Jordan shakes her head and places it on my shoulder, making sure not to look at Jason’s boy. Elizabeth hasn’t looked away from the scene. My heart stops as a loud click sound scatters across the gym. I have never seen Jordan jump up so fast, but she does, turning her head towards the doors.

Officer No Name ran to the door and tried to open it. But he couldn’t, as though they were all locked. The sophomore section lets out a scream as they all stand. There is no way we are locked in here. He tries his key but it doesn’t work.

“What’s going on?” Elizabeth asks as though she has finally locked back in with us.

“The doors are locked.”

I know one things for sure. This is not what I signed up for.