To Go From There

I walked through the halls of my neon green and white school, along the edge of the hallway, hanging onto the wall as I went along. I found my English 12 class, even though I was in 11th grade. I was technically a junior but I was taking all my senior classes. I wanted to take all my easy classes next year when my mother goes through her cancer treatments. I only had 3 more weeks left of this hell before the summer. I was going to drive my mom to her cancer hospital and then I was in charge of the household. My step-sister, who was graduating this year, was pissed when Mom told her that I was going to be who made the rules. My step-dad abandoned us a year back, when Mom first got sick. He left his daughter, Genesee with us. We’re pretty sure that he never even realized that Gen is still with us. I’m not going to be doing much around the house during summer. Gen’ll do everything she wants and I won’t stop her. Why? Because I’m shy, push-over Kiernan and she’s strong-minded Genesee. She’ll get whatever she wanted, not that I cared. She could have it. As long as Mom never found out, I really couldn’t care.

It wasn’t my fault when I ran into Keisha, the salutatorian of my graduating class. She ran into me. She was the one of three people that knew who I was as she was one of two people in this school that hated me. If it’d been anyone, I’d just gotten to walk on without them noticing. I’m that small and insignificant that they’d think I was just a wall that popped out of nowhere. Yes, they’re that dense.

“Watch it, Dunkin.” she growled and shoved me into the brick wall. No one noticed. No one ever noticed. I hit my head and she smiled in content before heading off to wherever she had to go. I slid down the wall and sat here, cradling the back of my head in my hands. The ache escalated quickly into a throbbing pain. I leaned my head back and let a tear slip from my eye as I tried to get the will to stand up. I was generally unnoticed, except to her. She was my personal hell. I have had so many bumps, bruises and sore limbs because of her. She has no regard for the well-being of others, especially myself.

“Are you okay?” someone said. I didn’t look up. Even though the hallway was virtually empty, I thought that they couldn’t be talking to me. I was invisible, remember? I leaned my head against my knees and tried to ignore the pain.

“Hey! Are you okay?” that same person said. I could see their feet before me and I worried that they were just messing with me. I whimpered and pulled my knees in closer to me. I was honestly shaking and finally, the person left at a jog down the hall. I put a hand on the back of my head, feeling the bump developing there. It hurt to think so I just closed my eyes and let all worries and concerns go. I felt my eyelids grow heavy and I started to slip into sleep.

“Hey, you can’t sleep yet, sweetie. Keep your eyes open. Can you tell me your name?” that same voice asked.

“Kiernan.” I mumbled.

“Can I call you Kiera?” he asked.

“No. My dad used to call me that.” I groaned. I opened my eyes and my gaze fell on the most perfect, angelic face that I didn’t recognize. I could name most of the students at the school, since I sat back and watched them with interest. I was like those bird watchers but not as creepy. It’s easy to pick up on little things about people when they don’t know you’re there. You can see all sorts of things, like who really likes who and how girls don’t generally like to eat in front of their crush. When you’re invisible, it’s all you can do to entertain yourself. So when I didn’t recognize this guy, I tried to place his face. So much for not thinking.

He had chin length brown hair with natural blonde high and lowlights that was swept over his forehead and hidden under a hat advertising a California baseball team. His eyes, staring down into mine were deep brown. It was such a dark brown, I couldn’t tell where his iris ended and his pupil began. His jaw was covered in a 5 o’clock shadow that would have looked silly on anyone else. He smiled and I glanced at his attire. He was wearing a grey t-shirt and jeans that were actually on his hips. Over his grey shirt was a leather jacket that I must admit, I was kinda in love with. Overall, he was the most attractive guy at the school and I didn’t even know his name.

“Is there something I can call you?” he asked.

“Uhhhh… Kiernan.”

He laughed, “Hi Kiernan. My name’s Rhys.”

I smiled and he picked me up. I yelped and latched my arms around his neck as he secured his arms under me.

“You okay?” he asked.

“I’m… I’m fine.” I mumbled. This was way too close for me. I was not comfortable with this AT ALL! I’m social phobic, claustrophobic and I’m afraid of heights!

He didn’t say anything else as he carried me down the hallway and into the waiting elevator. I’m afraid of them too. If it moves, I’m almost 100% positive that it’ll scare me. Cars, clowns, planes, boats, heights, people, crowds, mimes, gnomes, talking animals… the list is endless. It’s ridiculous. There are few things that I’m not afraid of and they’re pretty silly. I’m not afraid of death, serial killers, strangers or drunks. Weird, right?

“Do we have to?” I asked, nodding towards the elevator.

“Do you have the strength to walk?” he asked me. I nodded. He set me on my feet and my knees gave way. He lifted me back up into his arms, which I was getting used to. It didn’t scare me, being so close to Rhys. He chuckled before continuing, “Yes. We have to. I don’t wanna risk walking down the stairs and you can’t walk so.. Yes. But if it’s any consolation, elevators scare the piss out of me too.”

I smiled weakly and he stepped into the small room. His grip on my body tightened as the doors slid shut. He cursed and looked at me. I caught his gaze and a girlish giggle emitted from my lips. He raised an eyebrow at me.

“I think… I think I need to go to sleep now. I’ve been awake for like, ever!” I said. I laughed when I realized how much of a teenage girl I sounded. He chuckled and pressed his lips to my forehead. I didn’t even know this guy, my head screamed but my heart thudded wildly in my chest at the skin-skin contact. I was a recluse, I didn’t get kissed (even if it was just on the forehead) by boys my age.

When the elevator reached the desired floor, Rhys rushed us off and into the nurse’s office. I groaned as he set me on my feet before her. I practically collapsed into his side. He held me up as she scurried to us. She took me from him and lead me to the exam table in the separate room. I glanced at Rhys as she shut the door. I sat on the table and she started asking me all these questions and wiggling her fingers in my face.

“What’s your name?” she asked.

“Kiernan.”

Not even the nurse knows my name.

That’s because you skip your physicals, never miss school and never get sick.

Shut up!

No! You can’t make me!

My god, I’m arguing myself!

“Seems as if you’re fine, Kira. But I’m gonna ask you to stay in the office for the rest of the day so I can keep an eye on you.” she said. Nurse Collins is a small, Latina woman with more attitude than her small petite body knows what to do with. Her hair is ebony black and falls in curls around her tan face and shoulders. She was pretty and spoke with a Puerto Rican accent.

“Kiernan.”

“What?”

“My name.”

“What?”

“It’s Kiernan.”

“…Oh.” she said softly.

I didn’t say anything else after that. I just sat in front of her until she left the room, leaving me alone. I lay back and felt relieved that she was gone. She was calling my mom, I knew she was. I didn’t want her to because that would mean my mom would stress over me instead of listening to the doctor and resting. I didn’t want her to get any sicker because I’m a target.
The door opened and Rhys walked in.

“I have to watch after you to make sure you don’t get the bright idea to go to sleep.” he chuckled and stood next to me.

“You’re too nice to me.”

“I didn’t know there was such a thing as too nice.” he laughed.

“There is when you don’t even know me.” I replied.

“Maybe I do know you.”

“That’s creepy.”

I closed my eyes and Rhys poked my side. I swatted at him. He chuckled again. He had a nice laugh. I liked it. Hell, that boy had a nice everything.

“Kiernan, are you okay? Open your eyes, sweetheart.”

“I can’t. I want to sleep.”

“I know, baby.”

“Baby? You don’t even know me.”

“What if I wanted to change that?”

“Then you’re crazy. No one wants to know me. I’m the girl that gets slammed into walls and ignored. I’m the girl who the teachers think is mute. I’m the girl that no one cares about. Why would you want to get to know me, Rhys?”

“Why not?”

I opened my eyes and stared into his honest face.

“Because… I’m the junior who has no friends and the girl who’s father left because she wasn’t good enough. My mom got remarried and my step-father left too. My step-sister hates me. You might know her, Genesee Hilton. She denies knowing me. My mom has cancer and probably won’t last the 3 years they’ve given her.” I sighed before shaking my head, “I’m just a mess.”

“Well, that’s just life, Kiernan. You’re beautiful and in the past 5 minutes that I’ve spent with you, you’ve intrigued me.” he said softly.

“That’s impossible.”

“No, it’s not. You think so little of yourself. Were you beaten as a child?” he asked. I chuckled and shook my head.

“No, I’m just… cynical.”

“I noticed.”

Nurse Collins walked in and smiled at Rhys.

“Rhys, you can head to class now. Kira, your mom is here to take you home.”

I didn’t bother correcting her.

“Kiernan… can I have your number? I want to prove you wrong.”

“Fine.” I pulled out a pen and scribbled my 7 digit number across the back of Rhys’ hand. He smiled, kissed my forehead and left. There was a slight spring to his step that made me laugh. Rhys was something else, and I was just getting started in knowing him.