Biography of a Teen (Running away)

--RSTT is a rehabiliation clinic for teenagers that can't get back on there feet, not a juvie, and not only for alcoholics and drug addicts.--

My heart skipped a beat as I rushed into the hallway being pushed by everyone around me. I refused to let go of Aidens hand for even a second being scared of being left alone. The first time in a while I've had that feeling. Smoke blew throughout the entire surface of the clinic as everyone sprinted for the nearest exit. Once it was my turn to inhale the ashy cloud of smoke my lungs nearly closed up. I began coughing uncontrollably as I tried to find any sign of air. Nothing was happening. My knee's quickly became wobbily and I solely depended on Aiden's strength to keep me in a upright decision. I frantically looked behind me to see if Wendy was there running within a close perimeter and was relieved to see that she was keeping as much of a hold on Aiden's other arm as I was.The door seemed like a mile away as we struggled through the crowd of desperate teens. One time I actually stumbled over a person passed out on the floor. A adult was trying to pull them up as we passed through. My breathing again became shallow and my eye's became hazy. I felt like giving up like the person on the floor behind me, but knew I couldn't. I had to stay conscious for my sake, and my mothers. Once we finally made it through the exit air finally entered my throat and my mind began to clear. I fell to my hands and knee's and hunched over coughing. I reeked of smoke and I was sweating all over my face. I looked up once I had the strength and saw Wendy in the same condition I was laying on her side gasping for more air. Aiden was the only one to seem somewhat composed. Yeah he was coughing a lot but he was still able to sit upright next to us. One of the guardians of the school came over to us and asked if we were ok.

"Yes." I managed to say.

"Just yell if you nee any of us." the lady was about to walk away when Wendy spoke up.

"Do you know what happened?" she asked the question every single patient in the clinic had burning inside of them. Just none of us had the balls to ask.

"There was a fire but nobody really knew the cause of it." it was all suspected, what or who had caused this traumatic possibly fatal fire. "Hopefully the security camera's located around the campus will remained unharmed and we will be able to track the cause." It was a small possibility that the camera's will stay in a perfect condition but nonetheless maybe the entire clinic won't be completely burned to the ground. Maybe the firefighters will save it just in time.

As I finally managed to pull myself in a standing position I walked closer to Aiden. I could see Wendy's eyes burning into me. I hoped she knew there was no real interest in him. But Wendy just seemed like the stalker, psychopathic girlfriend type. She was in fact stuck in RSTT.

"Are you really okay?" his concern was sincere.

"Yeah I suppose" it was the truth. "Just a little in shock, I thought we were never gonna get out of there. I suppose if it wasn't for you I wouldn't have." I flashed him a small smile that grabbed him in a hug. He as well reeked of smoke but I didn't care. I owed this dude my life.

"Haha, don't give me that much credit, at least you stayed conscious the entire time." he looked at me seriously then happily. "I couldn't carry a unconscious girl while barely managing myself" he chuckled I couldn't help but laugh with him.

I couldn't quite put my finger on why I felt so close to Aiden. I had known this guy for going on a hour now. But I felt strangely attached to him. I still didn't know what his past was, but I had a feeling it was somewhat similar to mine. Because the look in his eye's was the same look I had when I looked in the mirror. He turned away from me and walked over to Wendy grabbing her hand and pulling her up to a standing position to embrace her in a more romantic way then he had embraced me. Like I said it didn't bother me, but I could tell that Wendy was overplaying her emotions to get more sympathy from him. The tears were fake, but still she wailed into his shoulder. I laughed to myself as I turned to look back at the building for the first time since we had left it. The bright blue sky was overshadowed by a black smoke billowing out from the center of it. I knew RSTT was a goner, but I didn't know what was going to happen to the rest of us. Would we have to go to a new clinic? What would happen to Aiden, me, and Wendy? I finally make some friends for the first time in forever and I have the possibility of losing them before we even got to get to know each other. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair at all. I walked over to Wendy and Aiden while they were still hugging and made a coughing noise to let them know I was standing right there. Immediately they seperated and let go of each others hands.

"Haha! I don't care you guys can hold each other I just wanted your attention." I laughed louder again. Then quickly got serious. "We need to do something and fast."

"What are you talking about?" Wendy had grabbed hold of Aidens hand again. Then looked at me with scared eyes.

"I mean I honestly believe they are going to send us to different clinics. They have to. We're definetly going to be seperated."

"Why do you think this?" it was Aiden to speak this time.

"Aiden seriously?" I looked at him with mockingly eyes "How do you think they are going to house over 200 students with a clinic already housed with their own? Their going to split us up and send us to different places."

"What if they send us home?" Wendy had hope in her voice.

"That's not going to happen, especially for us three." I pointed at Aiden and Wendy "You two just got here. They aren't sending you home immediately" then I pointed at myself. "And I have no where to go, No dad, and imprisoned mother, I can't go back to the streets." right when I said this my eyes flashed towards Aiden, he had yet to hear my story and the look on his face was stunned, if only he knew the half of it.

"So...so what are we going to do?" Wendy's voice was shaky, she was truly and genuinely scared.
"Now is the best time." i paused for a minute. "We have to run."

That was all that was needed to be said Aiden grabbed my arm and quickly the three of us exited as fast as we could away from everyone else. At a casual pace so as to not have any attention brought to ourselves we made a quick escape and were soon away from all civilization. Only five minutes into our little get away plan did I notice that someone was in fact following us, quickly I turned around to notice a small boy probably close to age 13 following at a far distance from us. Once we were close enough to speak he tried to turn around and run.

"Wait, wait come back." I shouted at him. He obeyed and walked within arms distance from me. "What are you doing?"

"I...I heard you guys talking and I...I can't handle going into another place like RSTT again. I figured I would just follow you." The fear rose in his mouth and tears began to leak out of his eye's. "That is if it doesn't bother you?" my mind was puzzled. I had deep sympathy for the kid, having to enter a place like RSTT at such a young age, only to have to do it twice, there was no way I could reject the kid.

"No, it doesn't bother us." I turned around to look at Wendy and Aiden. They were still holding hands, and Wendy had trouble taking her gaze off Aiden's face.

"Welcome aboard." Aiden flashed his dazzingly bright smile at the kid then turned and looked at Wendy.

"Yeah welcome" she only did it for Aidens pleasure. "What's your name by the way?" holy god I had totally forgot to even ask him for that. I was a little embarrassed for myself.

"Ray." he told us. "Ray Lyles."

"Nice to meet you." I told him and at that I turned around and walked the other direction. With no words needed Ray, Wendy, and Aiden followed. We walked straight across the vast land, walking over hills, and through shrubbery, not saying more then two words. None of us knew where we were going and none of us had any idea what was in store for our futures. All we knew is that we were in this together, and we relied on each other for our only hope in surviving.