~•~Chapter Two~•~

Noah gasped as he was dragged into a janitor closet. A freezing cold, damp rag was shoved into his mouth. And he was pulled into the corner of the closet.

"Who're you, and why're you here?" The mysterious figure growled. Noah tried to say something, his voice muffled by the rag. All he could see of the figure was a faint outline, a silhouette, and he was huge. Noah barely would've made it halfway to his shoulder if he stood on tip-toe.

"Answer me!" The figure snarled, smacking Noah across the face, hard. He cried out in pain, curling into a tiny ball. Other tall figures approached; they seem to have come from the shadows. "Permission, James?"

'James. That's hit name.' Noah thought weakly, his thoughts blurred from earlier's blow.

"Sure." James drawled, and his cronies stepped forwards. There were three in all, and they began kicking Noah. The pain was so bad, he is kind screamed for him to just pass out. But his body didn't oblige.

"What is this?" A new voice asked. A ray of light came from the door, landing in Noah's face. "Go away, Leo, unless you want to join in?" James's lazy drawl came from the corner.

Noah's vision was blurred from the blood and the pain, and he whimpered. James's cronies backed up. Melting into the shadows.

The new voice's owner stepped forwards, crouching and taking the rag out of his mouth. His vision cleared slightly, and a handsome face peered down at him.

Noah immediately began feeling self-conscious. He had forgotten to brush his hair that morning in the excitement of finding the baby squirrel. He had decided on the way to school he was going to name her Aspen.

His face was probably purple and swollen, his body bloody, and his hair a mess and this Leo person was here looking like he just finished a photo-shoot.

"I'm going to pick you up, ok?" Leo said softly, gingerly picking Noah up bridal style. Noah yelped, and Leo loosened his grip, flinching.

"I'm sorry. I'm going to take you to the nurse. I'm sorry. Sorry." He apologized, running towards the nurses office. This attracted many looks.

All Noah could think about as he lost conscience was that he failed his promise of staying below the radar.