My Hero

David and I were standing side by side. I could see a glimmer of joy within his eyes. I looked up at him and smiled. It only occurred to me then that he was holding my hand. It was rough and warm and somewhat slick because of motor oil. A warm feeling despite the cold in the air spread throughout my body, tingling almost.

My eyes fluttered open as I heard a knock on my bedroom door. My mother came through holding a hanger with dry cleaning hanging over it.

"Are you sick?" she asks me, looking somewhat concerned. I shook my head. The semi concern melts from her face. She knows nothing about what happened at the river. I am both relieved and disappointed by this.

"Well you better get ready, I have to be at work in half an hour." She says before walking out. I get up, take a quick shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed, all of which took ten minutes. Once I was ready I found her by the kitchen table staring at her watch. That's just like her, putting work before me or anything else for that matter.

"Ready." It’s not a question, it’s almost a demand. I nod my head.

=====================================================================

The drive to the school was in complete silence. Once she pulls up to the entrance of the school she stops and I am expected to get out. No 'I love you' or 'Have a nice day'. Nothing. I open the door and walk to the school on slippery pavement. I get to my destination without any problems. I look behind me and notice that she is already gone. It wasn't unexpected.

I walk through the halls, getting bumped into consistently before I get to my locker.
I think I hear my name as I enter my locker number on the pad lock. The top gives away as I take off my coat and put it onto the metal hook on the side.

"Anna!" David's voice rings through my ears. I turn to see him running my way.

"Hey." I said once he got to where I was. He was out of breath, his face was red.

"I need to talk to you." He breathed out.

"Sure." I got my chemistry book out and followed him to the cafeteria which was surprisingly unoccupied. I sat at a table, not too far from the entrance.

David pulls out his wallet. "Do you want anything?" He asks

"Just some orange juice." I answer before he goes in to the line which is where all of the usuals were hiding in. As I sat there I wondered why he was doing this. Maybe because of how he acted yesterday? That was completely understandable and I hold no fault within that at all.

Before my mind could go any further, David came back with two cartons of juice for me and three bagels with cream cheese and peanut butter, which I'm guessing he got for himself.

"Okay," He starts his mouth full which caused me to smile. "I got on to thinking about what you said yesterday, and you're right about Samantha. About practically everything. And I see that in you. You need to get away from the Phoneys, spend time with people like us."

"But that's the thing, this place is packed full of them."

"But if we stick together things will be better." An idea struck him, I could see the look flash in his expression as clear as day. "What do you like to do?"

As I opened my mouth to attempt to answer his question he cuts me off before I've had the chance to sound out a word.

"Aside from reading." We had the same lunch, so I'm sure that he's seen me partially listen to Samantha gush about her hard life as I had my nose in a book, making a few noises whenever I was supposed to make them. In light of being with Samantha I had to find some way to keep my I.Q. intact.

I sat there trying to recall the last fun thing that I have done. My mind was blank.

"I can't remember." I finally said as I opened a juice carton.

"Okay then, we'll make up something." He said

"David, it's the middle of winter. How are we going to come up with something to do?"

"It's all up here." he said as he tapped on his temple. Normally I would have been nervous, but I trusted David, I mean he saved my life when he hardly knew me. What other reason do I need? He finished his last bagel as I downed the last of my juice.

The bell rang, announcing that it was time to gather and attend first period. Chemistry, which I had with David.

"Oh, I copied your homework from the other day, I hope you don't mind." He said as he put on a shy smile.

"No, I don't mind." I said with a light hearted laugh.