Hello My Name Is...

After lunch...

Alice had sat with her friends, trying to laugh and joke as if nothing was wrong. But it seemed everything was wrong all at once. She was the center of attention, some thinking she shouldn't have bothered with that emo boy. Others thought she was a saint for helping such a poor wretched thing in it's moment of need. She could only smile and laugh, and play it off as if he really meant nothing to her. But she had never had a persons life in her hands before, and it scared her in retrospect.

It took all her inner strength to keep a straight face, to not cry in front of her friends. James had shown up to give her a hug and a kiss. He called her 'His hero' for saving those less fortunate and would see to getting her canonized as a saint. Of course he was joking, but it wasn't funny. Her fake smile and laugh hid it though, and James was none the wiser.

Now, as she let James walk her to class, she felt alone. She felt that she was becoming someone or something that she wasn't. She was supposed to be the happy, peppy, perfect, smart girl that she was normally. What had changed her? What was it that made her think and feel this way? Was she turning emo? She flushed that out of her mind, no way, no how.

James noticed she had changed too, no longer smiling and laughing she did whenever they were together. He figured it was just stress and lack of sleep, so he didn't pay it any mind.
Suddenly, Davey showed up around the corner. He stood there, his eyes looking down at his feet, unsure of what to say or do.

"Can I help you?" James said rudely.

Alice shot James an angry eye before looking at Davey. His cumbersome bandage had a rusty brown stain on it, old dried blood apparently. He looked so sad and vulnerable, more so than the day before when she had found him. James smirked as he stepped forward, blocking Davey from his girlfriend.

"What do you want loser? So she happened to save your life, so? I guarantee she wouldn't do it again if it happened a second time. Can't you see, no one likes you. You should just go and finish the job that you were too much of a pussy to finish!"

James said this with a straight face, looking down on the shorter kid. Davey only shook his head, not caring. That set James off, he pushed Davey up against the wall, cornering him.

"The fuck asshole?! You wanna fight me?! Is that it?! You gonna call your skater fag buddies to help you out again?! Yeah, I know what you did to my boy Clay! Cause of you and those bastards, he's not going to be able to play for the rest of the season!"

Davey rolled with the jabbing finger being poked at his chest, he didn't make eye contact until after James was done bitching. Something had changed in Davey, Alice could see it by the second. He looked up at her boyfriend, his eyes narrowed, cold looking. She saw him grit his teeth, his jaw line set and determined. It scared her, to see this fragile person about to crack.

She pulled James away from him, "Stop it! Leave him alone, he's already been through enough!"

James resisted, "No! Fuck him! What, you got all sweet on him now Florence Nightingale?!"

He smirked at his own joke. Alice didn't realize it until now, but just how cold and mean her friends and boyfriend were to those who didn't fit into their world of perfect standards. It hurt her to realize she wasn't any better. She looked over at Davey, his hands clenched into tight fists. She noticed a spot on the bandage turning a dark deep red. She gasped and moved towards him, to stop him.

"Oh what the fuck?! You're gonna take his side?! Fuck this! I'm out!" James exclaimed, punching a nearby locker and stomping away.

"Sorry," Davey said plainly, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Don't worry about him, he's an asshole. Are you okay?" she asked, looking his hand over with genuine concern.

"It's fine, leave it." Davey said coldly as he pulled his wounded hand away out of her grasp.

His words stung her, and she hated it. She hated how sensitive and emotional she'd been lately.

"Look, I just want to help you!" she said, now angry.

"Like before, I don't need, nor want your fucking help! Just leave it and me alone damn it!" he shouted at her, making her jump with the sudden outburst.

He turned and walked away, not looking back. He was cradling his injured hand, his movement down the hall was slow and sluggish. He stopped halfway and turned to face her.

"Thank you though."

With that, he turned to continue walking. Alice wasn't satisfied with his words, she wanted more out of this chance meeting.

"Hey! Wait! I didn't ask for this! I didn't ask to find you and help you! I never asked for any of this!" she shouted after him.

He stopped mid step, he faltered and slowly turned to face her.

"Tell me, what do you want from me?! I've already thanked you, what else is there?!" he shouted back at her.

"I want to know something....I want to know how you do it." she responded, now on the verge of tears again.

They were a hallways length apart, staring at each other. Two social enemies on no-mans-land.

Davey took a few steps towards her, "How I do what?"

Alice looked away for a moment, to gather the courage that she needed to answer him.

"I want to know how your kind deals with all this... grief and sadness. How you guys can go on living the lives you lead with... all this hate and suffering people put on you."

Davey took a few more steps forward, "You mean the shit your kind put on me?! Why does it matter to you all of a sudden? You didn't give a shit not too long ago from what I remember!"

Alice took a few steps forward, "I don't know what to do! Ever since...." her voice was shaky and quiet, but she continued, "Ever since I saw you there, bleeding, dying... I've had all these emotions coming at me all at once!. And I don't understand it at all."

Davey moved closer, his dark eyes now focused in on her. He still cradled his hand, her wounded soldier.

She continued, "I'm feeling lost, sad, empty. I can't explain it, and I hate these feelings! My life used to be so focused... and perfect before that day. And now, I've just realized just how horrible your kind has it.... and I wasn't any better than those who hurt you on a daily basis!"

Davey was now only a few feet from her, his eyes still looking into hers. He was unwavering as he came closer, until they were almost face to face.

"And I'm so sorry Davey. I really am. I now know... what damage has been dealt and is being done to not only you,...but to others as well. I realize I'm no different or better than you, cause right now...I'm feeling what you guys feel. I've never felt this way before... it hurts so bad. I don't know how to handle this, any of this," Alice said, leaning up against the wall for support.

Davey looked down at her, his face complacent and emotionless. He reached out a shaky hand, and wiped a tear from her cheek. His bandage had another stain added to it, the wounded hand shaking.

"I don't know what to do anymore Davey, and it scares me. Help me understand all of this.." she pleaded.

"What? You think cause I'm 'one of them' I know how to fight this? I'm no better off than you are Alice. You want to know the trick to getting through another day in this insignificant life?" Davey asked, his eyes still looking into hers.

"Yes, please...tell me.." she whimpered, lowering her head and sobbing quietly.

"Live. Live your life as best you can, and know that nothing lasts forever. Love, hate, pain, sorrow, it all comes to an end eventually. You just gotta live through it," Davey said.

"I don't understand, that's it?" Alice cried, dropping her books and covering her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

Davey didn't know what to do, he'd dealt with crying friends before, but this was different. She wasn't his friend, yet now, she really wasn't his enemy anymore. She was closer to being 'one of them' now more than ever. He did what any compassionate person would do, he pulled her close and held her as she sobbed into his chest.

Alice could hear and feel his heart beating steady, his embrace was warm and welcoming. She clung to him as she wept, staining his shirt with her tears.

"Shh.." he comforted, "It's okay, things will work out. I can't tell you when or where, but things always seem to work out in the end."

His words made her cry harder, and cling even more to him. He looked down at her as she looked up at him, her makeup running. She was so vulnerable, so fragile now. Not the once superficial prep princess she had been only days ago. He saw her close her eyes and move up towards him, a familiar gesture.

He pulled away instinctively, breaking the almost possible kiss. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with her hands.

"Sorry," he said gruffly as he took a few steps back from her.

"No, it's okay, I'm sorry."

She sounded fake with it. He knew she meant to do it to some degree. She needed someone, anyone, who could relate to her, and he was the closest thing. She would only use him as her emotional crutch, and when she was back on her feet, she'd go back to her bitch ways. It was inevitable.

"Thank you Davey," she said softly, before picking up her dropped books and bag.

He remained silent, unsure of what to do or say. He was stunned, a prep had almost kissed him. What was she thinking? What had he been thinking? She had almost assassinated his standing as an outcast, would that have been such a bad thing?

He watched her walk away, still sniffling and wiping her face with her hand. He sighed sadly, and turned to leave the scene. He touched his bandaged hand, gently rubbing his fingers over the soft fabric of the gauze.

"Another place, another time.." he murmured to himself as we walked away.