I mean to only take a peek for just a second, but I can't help myself as I stare at the scene before me with my mouth agape.

The girls' bathroom is situated in the middle of the school at an angle a few metres away from the school library.

On the steps leading up to the library, I see two people dressed in black dragging a girl between them. One of the burly men is holding her at gunpoint, whilst the other holds a megaphone. They stop a few steps below the library. I can't see them very well from this angle, but what I see is enough. At first, I think Justine might be the girl, but then I notice her blonde hair and a small wave of relief washes over me. However, it doesn't last long, as I soon recognise the girl's strawberry-blonde curls.

"No..."

Mark grabs my arm, successfully pulling me back inside in my moment of shock.

"Anita!" I gasp.

"What?" Mark lets go of my arm, scowling.

"The girl in the middle... it's Anita! Mark, we have to do something!" I exclaim in a panic. I attempt to run out of the bathroom, but Mark catches me around the waist. I struggle against him, but he forces me to face him.

"Woah, hold up. Audrey just stop and think for a moment!"

I push away from him and cross my arms, deciding to hear him out.

"Those people out there are dangerous, Audrey. You can't seriously run out there and just expect them to hand her over to you!"

"Then what am I supposed to do?" I cry.

Before he can reply, I hear a loud squeak I recognise as a megaphone being turned on. I peer outside, once again ignoring Mark's warnings.

"Listen up and listen well!" the man shouts every word, despite the megaphone to his mouth. "We won't waste any more of your time if you don't waste ours. We want one thing and one thing only."

Before he can go on, I hear the sound of sirens wailing outside of the school. For a fleeting moment, relief washes over me.

The cops will sort everything out.

But what the gunman says next makes me shudder, and all hope drains away.

"My men have already surrounded this school. If the cops make one move, I'll shoot this girl, and from there things will get..." he pauses dramatically. "Messy."

I slap Mark's hand away as he tries, unsuccessfully, this time, to tug me back into the safety of the bathroom. Both men have their face covered- a bit like robbers- so that I can only see their eyes. I notice that both men wear a belt with some equipment, including a walkie-talkie.

So he's not bluffing. If the police make one wrong move, his men will give them the signal, and he'll kill Anita. I can't let her die. I need to do something.

The other man still has her at gunpoint, and even from here I can see her tears that are streaming down her cheeks. She attempts to struggle against him, but to no avail. The man does not budge.

"So if the cops don't want anyone hurt, they'll stay where they are," he says satisfactorily.

I have a sudden urge to punch him.

Who does he think he is hurting innocent people? Does he get a kind of sick enjoyment out of it?

Sure enough, about a half a minute passes and the sirens continue to wail, but no one arrives at our rescue.

They know what the stakes are, I think nervously. He really isn't bluffing.

"Nobody needs to get hurt, though," the man says after a short while, and I stare at Megaphone Man in bemusement.

"Bring Audrey Litt to me and nobody gets hurt. It'll be as if we were never here."

I feel the blood instantly drain from my face.

"You have one minute. Otherwise, we shoot. Cops or no cops."

I stumble back into the bathroom and lean against one of the sinks.

"Bring Audrey Litt to me and nobody gets hurt." His words repeat in my mind over and over again.

"Just as well nobody knows where you are," Mark mutters.

It's my fault Anita's captured. It's my fault if she gets shot. It's my fault if anyone here gets shot.

"How do they know my name?" I ask aloud, more to myself than to Mark.

"They know more than just your name," he says gravely, and I glance at him in bewilderment.

"What did you say?"

When he doesn't answer, I sigh in frustration. "People are going to get hurt because of me Mark! If you know something...."

Mark walks over to me and places a hand on my shoulder. "Listen to me, Audrey. You can't go," he says firmly. "These people, they're dangerous. Trust me when I say you do not want to go out there."

I don't want to go out there. I have to. If I don't, people will die. Anita will die. I'll never be able to live with myself.

"Okay," I say to Mark, and I see the instant relief on his face.

"Don't worry," he assures me. "We'll figure out a way..."

Mark is interrupted by Megaphone Man's booming voice. "Twenty seconds!"

"I get it," I say to him. "They're dangerous. But I can't let my friend die, Mark."

"She won't. If we could just stall for time..." Mark says before being cut off again.

'Ten seconds!"

I smile solemnly at him. "There's no time."

He immediately understands what I intend to do, and he reaches out to grab my hand, but I'm too quick.

"I'm sorry," I say, before running out of the bathroom.

"Audrey!" he shouts, but it's too late. Ignoring Mark's cries, I dash towards the library steps to where the gunmen are keenly waiting.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

| Dedicated to nourella |

She always seems to find something positive to comment about in my chapters, despite how (and I quote) "mind stressing" my chapters can be. Thanks <3

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 2016 is finally here! Hope you're all having a good new year's day.

Maybe think of adding 'comment/vote on Deception' on your bucket list for the year? ;)

EDITED ✔