Just a few minutes longer...

Christina got her head and body fully soaped, then stood under the hot spray with her eyes closed, slowing rinsing.

“Call you later!” Sara said as she left the showers.

“Okay!”

She returned to the business of rinsing off and then leaned forward, hands against the tiled wall and let the hot water splash over her head, neck and shoulders. A few deep breaths and she felt the tension from the workout ease out of her body, turning around and letting the water work in the same manner on her back. She took her time stretching her mid-back under the hot spray, listening to students filing out of the locker room, chattering as they left.

A half step forward and Christina let the water lightly pummel her low back. She bent forward to stretch those muscles as well, her hands behind her knees to pull herself down further. Eventually she stood up and felt fully relaxed. She turned back to the shower head and shut the water off.

I could spend all day under that thing if I’m not careful, she thought. As it is I’m sure this is the longest I’ve ever showered after gym.

She padded across the floor and reached her arm out and around the corner where she’d left her towel. Her hand hit the wall, no towel. Figuring it must be further over she leaned out and extended her arm, still feeling nothing but the painted bricks.

Poking her head out she looked at the hooks and saw they were all bare, no towels left.

Guess one of the gym teachers collected it by mistake for laundry.

Glancing around a bit nervously she stepped out of the shower, water dripping onto the floor beneath her. She took two steps towards the towel rack before noticing that it was empty.

But why would they take the clean towels? She thought. This doesn’t make any…

No longer concerned with her modesty Christina spun around and walked to the aisle of lockers. She rounded the corner and saw her locker sitting open like she had left it. She took several long, rushed strides to reach it and saw it was empty, as she’d feared.

Oh shit, this is someone’s idea of a prank! I’ve left it open every time I’ve had to shower and this never happened…

“Very funny Sara,” Christina called out. “Come on, give me my stuff back.”

There was no answer. Christina hollered for her friend a second time and got no reply.

Maybe it wasn’t Sara, she thought. She wouldn’t just leave me like this. Prank would be over by now if it was her… But then who would it have been?

That doesn’t matter, we have to get out of here.

She knew that the after school sports teams could be here any minute. She might be able to get some help from them, but she knew at least a few of the school bullies were on the team, and Sally Chalmers played on the soccer team and she was the biggest gossip in school. Christina was less then thrilled about the idea of everyone hearing about this.

Maybe I can hide in the showers, she thought. No one might see me if I was against the corner next to the entrance, they can come in, leave and that’ll buy me some time.

She hustled back to the shower room and tried her theory out, pressing her body against the cold tiles in the corner just right of the entrance. She looked over and had a clear view of some of the lockers near the entrance. This wasn’t going to work.

Okay, what are my options? I have a jacket in my main locker that I keep forgetting to take home since the weather turned warmer. There are several after school clubs though, I’ll have to pass by at least one full classroom on the way there. Maybe more.

__But what other choice do I have? It’s not like I can try to make it home like this…