Guardian Angels.

I looked around the playground with a carefully blank face. She should be around here somewhere, she did say to meet outside and the natural place for all kids to hang around about was the playground.

As my eyes made another quick sweep over the dreary dullness of the concrete area, I finally managed to pinpoint Erica.

She was sat on the swings, spinning slowly as she stared at the floor. She reminded me of when I was a child and I used to twist the chains and just spin around like she was doing now.

I took a breath and started towards her. She looked up at me with an easy smile, stopping fast as she slammed her feet to the ground. She swayed slightly and shook her head, like she was trying to focus...sort of like in the cartoons when the characters get hit over the head with a mallet or something and they just shake their heads to get rid of the little stars that float in front of their eyes.

'Erm, you alright?' I asked awkwardly as I shifted my weight between my feet.

'Oh yeah. Just I get sort of nauseated when I go on swings, you know?' she said, standing up and dusting off her hands.

'How come you go on them then?' I muttered, avoiding her always smiling face.

'I'm not gonna deny myself the fun of going on the swings just because I feel ill' she laughed, the tone of her voice making me feel as if she should have said 'well dur!' at the end.

'Oh.' I said. 'Why did you want me to meet you anyway? I'm the school freak, nobody talks to me.'

I know that I kept repeating that but I was trying to drill it into the damn chicks head. It was like she just wasn't getting it and I had to make myself clear.

'You wouldn't believe me if I told you.' she chuckled, tugging at the end of her plait thoughtfully.

'You're not one of them are you? You're not gonna try and embarrass me?' I blurted out, unable to contain it. She turned to me, shocked.

'Of course I wouldn't, Aled! I want to be your friend, I've been telling you that all day.'

'Really? What wouldn't I believe if you told me, then?' I huffed, crossing my arms. I didn't like people avoiding questions, it irritated me.

'I dunno if I should say...' she mumbled, looking off towards the school building.

'See? You can't really want to be my friend then if your just gonna ignore my questions. Friends generally tell each other everything.' I said. Not that I'd know, of course.

'Well...I really should ask Zach if I'm allowed to tell you.' Erica said hesitantly.

'Zach's not here.' I said bluntly. 'And I'm sure you can make your own decisions.'

Erica bit her lip and wrung her hands together. Eventually, her hands fell limp against her sides and she looked me in the eyes. So she was going to tell me...I bet she was just out to get me, like everybody else.

Whatever she was going to tell me, I'd approach it with a 'I-don't-care-so-whatever' sort of attitude. It was just easier for me.

'I'm your guardian angel.' she told me.

Well, that had thrown me. Whatever smart and sarcastic reply I had ready for her had simply vanished from my mind, instead replaced by a surge of disbelief and a worry for her sanity.

'You're kidding me, right?' I spluttered. I didn't peg her as the crazy kind.

'No, I'm really your guardian angel! That's why I know who you are and everything.' she demanded, grabbing my arm as I tried to turn away. I looked down at her hand and snatched my arm away from her. She gaped at me, she looked upset.

'Yeah right. Erica, I'm not really sorry to be the one to tell you this but you've gone completely insane. There's no such thing as angels and I can sure as hell bet that you are definitely not one.' I spat, brushing the part of my jacket that she had touched...as if she were contagious and that the crazy would spread.

'Aled!' she cried, running to catch up with me as I stormed away.

I sped up as she reached me.

'Please, Aled! You have to listen! Me and Zach are both angels, we're here to help you...to protect you from something!' she shouted to me but I just kept on walking, pulling open the door and almost unhinging it.

Erica had somehow managed to grab hold of the door before it swung shut. Now we were both back in school and the other students watched us as I practically ran from her.

'Aled!' she called again and I spun around to the other kids staring.

'Look out everyone, crazy coming through.' I hissed, noticing the way Erica's face fell and feeling a slight pang of something. Oh well damn, I felt guilty for declaring that the chick was a psycho.

'Aled!' another voice shouted and this was one I recognised with fear. Jared.

'Aled, what the hell are you doing?' he yelled, pushing away a couple of year sevens to get to me. 'Are you trying to humiliate me?'

His face was starting to turn red and his eyes were bulging. I took that sign as a 'get-the-crap-outta-there'.

So I took off. I just ran, leaving behind the furious faced brother, the teary eyed Erica and the congregation of curious kids. I dived into the boys toilets, praying that noone would find me.