My eyes were burning as I swallowed over the hard lump that was forming slowly in my throat. 'Not in public,' I had to keep reminding myself while picking up my pace through the narrow winding hallways of my school. No matter how fast I walked, I couldn't get away fast enough to leave my problems behind. They were stalking me, waiting to pounce until today when they unleashed this catastrophic rampage. He was finally gone, and I just couldn't bring myself to believe it yet. Denial is a cruel fate to live.
        Hot boiling tears finally spilled over streaking down my red cheeks. I wiped them away quickly with the back of my hand, smearing my eye liner in the process. Rounding the sharp corner of the dark hallway, I was taken aback. He was there. Still the same as I remember him earlier in the year. Looking at me with the same beautiful green eyes, same crooked smile.
        But he was different. His eyes were cruel and  mocking. The little light that was behind him caused shadows to be casted upon his angelic cheek bones, making him look incredibly evil. Backing away, I began to sprint in the opposite direction. Heart in my throat, tears staining my shirt, and legs quickly running out of steam, I ran faster down the poorly lit hallway. The walls seemed to be closing in allowing my claustrophobia to sink in. I could feel him coming up on me, faster and faster. His sweet breath was at the nape of my neck. Suddenly I was inches away from the cool concrete floor, face down. I don't remember tripping just the falling sensation. After a second it sunk in that it was him who had caught my fall. Him who had always been there guiding me, leading me through this first year.
        I opened my eyes, which had apparently been closed when I fell, to find that he was no where to be found. My head spun as I shot up quickly. Jerking my head back and forth, I scanned the small area around me quickly to see if he was till there. There was no trace of him. I grasped one of the lockers near by and staggered when I got up. 'It was only my imagination,' I kept repeating to myself. Like I said, denial is a cruel fate to live.