Sophomore Slump Or Comeback Of The Year?

~Patrick’s POV~

“Pete, I don’t wanna get on the stupid skateboard!” I protested. It was his late birthday present. Not mine.

“C’mon, it’ll be fun! I’ll help you,” he offered, his face glowing with his child-like smile. I swear, Pete was bouncing around like…I can’t even come up with a good simile. But he seemed really happy about potentially seeing me do a faceplant. In public.

“For the last time, no!”

Why can’t he just take no for an answer?

“You can show off for all the hot girls,” he said, in a tone I figured was supposed to be convincing.

“Yeah, right. I’d only embarrass myself. Besides, the only people here are five-year-olds and their moms.” And I’m also deathly afraid of embarrassment. I amended mentally. Seriously. I absolutely sucked at sports. The only thing I had mastered was riding a bike, and I’d barely been able to manage that. Skateboarding would be instant suicide.

“Yeah, but some are hot moms.”

I chuckled, simultaneously rolling my eyes at the stupid joke. That’s my best friend for you, always turning everything into joke. Life’s just a joke for him.

“Seriously, though, there’s no one here to embarrass you. None of these people will ever see you again,” he said, in mock reassurance.

“Yeah, not unless someone takes a video and puts it on Youtube.” The possibilities of this age are so vast…I’d hate to see myself as the next Numa guy or something. It would just…

My train of thought was interrupted as Pete closed the few feet of distance between us and, in one swift motion, swiped the hat off my head. He took a few deliberate steps as I touched my head in bewilderment. I felt my hands curl slowly into fists as he slowly dangled my beautiful red trucker hat.

“Pete,” I said, trying to sound menacing. So far, so good. “Gimme back my hat.” Oops. I think that part sounded a little whiny.

“No,” he replied matter-of-factly, smirking as he set his board down in front of him.

“I mean it,” I said I started walking towards him. Friend or no friend, he had taken my hat. Hats are…they’re my thing! That particular hat happened to be one of my favorites. Pete backed up very quickly, waving the hat around, taunting me.

“It’ll be fun, Patrick!” he insisted. “Or maybe I could just hang on to this hat and…” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a Sharpie. I felt my jaw drop as he threatened to do the unthinkable.

I don’t see why he was so keen on my riding the skateboard in the first place, but at this point, I knew I had to give in. “Fine,” I grumbled.

“Sweet.” Pete set my hat lopsidedly on his head as he scooped up his skateboard and walked towards me, holding the accursed piece of wood at arms length, towards me. I begrudgingly took it and set it down on the concrete of the sidewalk, suddenly noticing that it took a downwards curve a few yards along the way. Cautiously, I stepped on as Pete approached me, ready to help me, if need be. I took my advantage of his sudden proximity to reach out and snatch my hat from his head. I was successful, but my instant of celebration as I returned my hat to its proper place faded when I felt a hand on my back.

I gasped as Pete shoved me, pitching the skateboard into motion. After the initial shock, I miraculously adjusted, and, in a moment of newfound confidence, I kicked myself forward. I felt the wind rush in my face. I was on top of the world! I heard Pete cheering me on, and it was as if the entire world was applauding my brand-new talent. I was free—and then I felt the ground move away. I realized I’d hit the downwards slope, and I was quickly accelerating. I thrust my arms out to my side, trying to maintain my balance. Damn, I knew I probably looked really stupid. The world around me was a blur. It’s a miracle I didn’t fall off from the start. Somehow, I made it all the way down safely, but the skateboard kept running after I ended my descent. “Who-oo-a!” I yelled against my will. Suddenly, a dark figure ahead of me interrupted the blur of green trees and colorful playground equipment. Unable to stop in time, I plowed right into it. It yelled as I toppled it over. It was a person. And not just any person, mind you.

It was a girl. Not a five-year-old, not a mom. A girl, like…my age.

Oh. Crap.

Oh, and did I mention I didn’t just knock her over? We fell.

“OW!” we said at the same time.

My hat and glasses had flown off during the impact, so it took me a minute to regain focus. When I did, I realized the unknown girl and I were sort of…tangled up…rather awkwardly.

“What the crap?!?” I heard her exclaim. I felt my cheeks redden instantly as I got off of her. Ew. That sounded a little...wrong.

“I’m really sorry,” I said, my voice just above a whisper, sounding a bit squeaky. I was so embarrassed, I could barely speak. I stood up and offered her my hand. “It was an accident,” I added quietly. “I-I-I’m sorry.” I repeated my stuttered apology as the girl sat up, took my hand—which, I realized in that instant, was very sweaty—and let me pull her up.

“It’s okay, I guess,” she said, sounding a lot calmer and quieter than she had the last time I heard her voice. She rubbed the back of her head, wincing slightly.

“A-are y-you alright?” I asked.

She stood silently, her face twisted as she thought. After a moment’s silence, she replied, “Y-yeah…I guess so.” She paused, and then added, “Are you?”

Of course, I felt no pain until she asked. When she did, I realized my palms and knees were kinda hurting. Before I could manage a reply, though, I felt someone tackle me. Fall #2 for the day. Great.

“DUDE! Are you alright?” Pete asked as he pinned me to the ground. I heard giggling from someone not-too-far in the distance. I broke free of Pete’s hold and pushed him aside. “No. That’s the second time in less than five minutes!” I whispered angrily. “Oh…well…” He turned and appeared to notice the girl for the first time. I hoped he hadn’t seen the accident, but Pete’s hushed laughter said otherwise. We stood up. He patted me on the back, whispered “Go get ‘em, tiger,” and then walked off to pick up his skateboard, which seemed to have flown away.

I could’ve slapped the bastard. Made me look like an idiot. In public. In front of a girl.

I wiped my hands on my pants and walked back over to the girl, who seemed to have finally controlled her laughter.

“What was that?” she asked, apparently very amused.

“That was my friend Pete.” The idiot who got me on the fucking skateboard in the first place. “The skateboard’s owner,” I added, receiving a giggle in return. She was laughing! At something I said! I think I blushed. I know I did internally.

Silence.

Then she broke it. “So…?”

“ ‘So…’ what?” I asked, confused.

“Are you okay?” she asked, reminding me of where we left off before incident two.

“Um…well…” I started, trying to think of a smart way to tell her I was. “Pete might have fractured a few ribs, but I think I’ll live.”

Another giggle. Two in one! That balanced out the falling, right?

“Right…well…I’m sorry,” I apologized again

“Yeah, you kinda mentioned that,” she replied, a joking smile on her lips. I think I must have blushed again or something, because she seemed to develop a sudden interest in the sidewalk. “Right…well…” She bent down and picked up her iPod, and a part of my glasses. Wait, part?

She slipped the shuffle into her pocket, and then said, “Um…I think these are yours…” She trailed off, and I took the fragment of the frame. I knew my mom wouldn’t be too happy about that. But it could’ve been worse, right?

“Thanks,” I mumbled, searching the ground for another piece. My hat, way bigger than the half I was searching for, caught my attention, and I picked it up and put it back on. All of this over the stupid hat. Why am I such a hat person?

I think she was looking for the other piece too; she sorta bumped into me as we watched the ground. “Sorry,” she whispered. Before I could reply, she pointed at a spot on the ground. “There it is!” It was closer to me than it was to her, so I picked it up.

“Thanks!” I said, holding the fragments together in front of my face. I was no longer blinded. I saw the world in detail again—the girl’s glasses, with black frames similar to my own, the scratch on her arm, her long, black locks, and then the little black-haired boy who was now approaching the two of us.

“C’mon, sis, let’s go!” a little voice said, the little boy tugging on the girl’s sleeve and waving around a Frisbee.

“Alright, Eric. Gimme a sec, okay?” she asked gently, her voice liquid honey.

“’Kay,” Eric said, running off.

“Gotta love seven-year-olds,” she said. Somehow, I don’t think she was being sarcastic. The way she dealt with him was astounding, though. Such kindness, not a bit of irritation evident in her voice. It was so…different…from a lot of other people, who are always bitching about their little brothers and sisters. I mean, my brother used to do it all the time, before he left home and stuff.

“Well…I gotta go. See ya!” she said, waving as she walked away to follow her brother.

“Bye,” I mumbled, probably a little too quietly for her to hear. Unlike me, however, Eric spoke very loudly.

“Is he your boyfriend?” he asked his sister as I walked away. Once more, I felt my cheeks burn red. I didn’t hear her response, though, and I continued to look for Pete. It only took three minutes for me to find him—or rather, for him to find me and put me in a headlock.

“So how’d it go?” he said, giving me a noogie. “Did she give you her number?” he asked, bouncing around again. “What’s her name? Is she going to school with us?”

“Uh…okay, no, and I don’t know for the last two,” I replied.

Then it hit me.

I didn’t even know her name.

I know it shouldn’t have been a big deal, but still…

The two of us started the walk home in silence.