Act of Kindness

There was nothing different about this day. This Wednesday on the 11th was nothing out of the ordinary. The spring day was filled with sunshine and a warm breeze. White clouds scattered the blue sky in a variety of shapes for any imagination.

Instead of being at the theatre, Kara was heading to a local high school to talk to the soon graduating class of 2016. The school's guidance counselor had met Kara a few times at some local events the theatre put on and asked Kara to talk to the seniors about the future. Kara couldn't of been happier to stop by and say a few words.

Kara remembered the last few weeks of her senior year and could relate to how these students were feeling.

"What's it been like...10 years since you graduated from high school?" Patrick teased her that Wednesday morning. She just rolled her eyes at her fiance. "I'm sure you'll have fun. You're not that boring. You'll have their complete attention...especially if you're wearing that." He added looking her up and down. Kara furrowed her brows as she glanced down at her attire. She was casual dressed in a skirt and a nice blouse with a pair of heels. She looked professional...or at lease like she knew what she's doing.

"Someone in this relationship has to look good." She threw back at Pat. He brought his hand to his heart apparently hurt.

"I think I do a decent job looking good."

"Say that to your holey pants." She nodded to his pant legs that donned various holes. Kara placed her coffee mug into the sink and rinsed it out, Pat coming up behind her.

"You love me. Holey pants and all." He said kissing her neck.

"I need to get going." Kara said facing her fiance who pouted. "But I promise to have your dinner ready before the game." The mention of food was enough to put a smile on Patrick's face.

At the front door, Pat kissed his fiance goodbye and watched as she pulled out of the driveway and head towards the highway.



He had to wait for the right time. When everyone was together. Everyone had to be punished. They all deserved this treatment. For the way they treated him, it was only fair. It was just a matter of doing it at the right time.

No one could stop him now. He spent all night planning it. Every minute. Every hour. He was going to get his revenge if it was the last thing he did.



"The kids are excited to have a speaker." The older guidance counselor said as she walked Kara to her office.

Kara smiled knowing exactly why the kids would be excited to have a speaker...to get out of classes, "I'm honored that you asked me to speak."

"You're such an influence on the community. You're the perfect role model for these kids. You've been in their position before so you know how everything works. If we brought in someone my age, it would be harder to relate to the kids." The counselor explained.

Kara went through the process of a security check and getting her visitor's pass. Soon she was heading towards the cafeteria where a class of about 300 seniors were sitting and chatting with their friends.

Immediately, the cliches were pointed out. It wasn't hard to spot the giant table with jocks crawling all over it. The table beside it was a group of girls each flirting with one of the jocks. Most of the groups were mixed of male and females. Some wearing team sport jackets, others with club shirts, and even a few in black.

"The principal will speak to them first, then their English professor to talk about their essays, then a few other speakers. You'll be the last one." Kara nodded and took a seat at the table with other teachers. Some recognized her from her performances and others from the Blackhawk events. Everyone was relatively happy at the moment.



When he arrived, he hid everything out of sight. He was able to retrieve everything and hide it as he walked. This was it. He was going to do it in only a few minutes. No one will see it coming. Why would they suspect him? He was too quiet for his own good. But this time everyone will hear what he has to say.

By the time he walks in there, the only people left were his potential victims. The adults will have to return to their jobs. There won't be anyone there to stop him. Not with the caliber he's got.

The roles of David and Goliath have reversed. He's now in control. Now they will know what it feels like to be the dirt he walks upon, to be seen as nothing more then wasted air.



"We'd like to thank all of our speakers for taking time out of their schedules to come and talk to us. They have been very inspirational and I hope you can use their advice for the future. They'll be here if you have any questi--"

BANG BANG BANG

Everyone in the cafeteria dropped to the ground as the deafening sounds rang through the enclosed room.

BANG BANG BANG

Cries of pain followed this time as the shots echoed again. Screams of fright couldn't cover up the sounds of the next round going off.

"What the fuck--"

BANG BANG BANG

"Why are you doi--"

BANG BANG BANG

"No! Please sto--"

BANG BANG BANG

"Everyone shut the hell up!" He said.

"Please stop!" A female pleaded. He approached her, pressing the barrel between her eyes.

"You want me to stop? Like I begged you to stop? Do you really think I should stop? You never did!"

"Leave her alone!" A brave jock tried to stand up for the defenseless girl.

BANG BANG BANG

Kara tried to look around the table she was under to see the persecutor but he was covered. Something about him seemed familiar to her and she watched the scene unfold before her.

"Every one of you deserves to go through the same hell you put me through! I'm going to treat you just like you treated me. I'm going to watch and laugh as you squirm in pain." He hissed at the jock.



Even after morning skate, Patrick wanted a little extra workout before the playoff game tonight. They were in the Conference Finals against Detroit and were one game away from making it into the Stanley Cup Finals. They were the team coming from behind; fourth place in Conference B. They were making their way to the top, one step closer.

Jon, Corey, and Sharpie joined Pat at the arena gym for the extra lift. They were the only four in the weight room, each doing their own work out. Patrick was peddling at an easy pace on one of the bikes trying not to think too much about tonight's game. Kara always told him that he did better when he didn't think too much about the game, "Go in, play hard but have fun. If you over analyze the game and yourself, you won't focus." Pat had listened to her every time.

The TV closest to Patrick was on some local news station talking about the upcoming Playoff game only hours away when a different news caster appeared on the screen.

"Breaking news: A local Chicago high school is under lock down after shots were fired in the cafeteria. Local and State Police are on the scene with a SWAT team. Officers were able to get some students out but there are some being held hostage."

Patrick stopped peddling when he recognized the name of the school, "Oh my god." He jumped off the bike, almost tripping, grabbed his bag and sprinted out the door. His mind was running a mile a minute as he made his way to his car.

He searched through his bag for his keys, fumbling with it. "Kaner, what's going on?" Jon asked as his three teammates ran after him.

"Kara...the...school....she's...." Patrick panted, still looking for his keys.

"Whoa Kaner, slow down. What about Kara?"Sharpie said.

"The high school shooting. Kara's at that school right now." Patrick explained. The three men starred at Patrick wide eyed in disbelief. When Patrick found his keys, he jumped into his car, the other three getting in his car with him. Each one of them pulled out a phone; Pat calling Kara, Jon calling Julia, Sharpie calling Abby, and Corey calling Coach.

Pat was the only one that didn't get an answer. Patrick's heart beat faster to the point he thought it would jump out.

"Julia's meeting us at the school." Jon said.

"Abby too."

"Coach is gonna call Stan and he'll let me know later."

"Did you get Kara?" Jon asked but Pat stayed quiet. "She's alright Pat. She's gonna be fine." Jon wasn't sure if he was trying to reassure his friend or himself but he needed the hope that his friend will be fine.



Kara wasn't sure how many people were dead or hurt. She lost count when the shooter just shot at whatever moved.

It had been fifteen minutes and Kara had no idea who this person was. He was obviously a student with bad history with the others. But he never came close enough for a good look.

While the shooters back was turned, two guns in the faces of crying girls, one of the jocks quietly stood up and made his way over to the shooter but his footsteps were heard. The shooter turned around, his gun pointed at the jock and a bullet flying into the jocks right arm.

"Jimmy, please. We're sorry. For everything." The jock said through his cries of pain.

"You're sorry? Sorry isn't enough Brad! How do you think Northwestern would feel when they find out their new star quarterback is just a bully? Or your parents finding out their star son is a coward? They'd be pretty devastated wouldn't they be? I'm going to do everyone a favor," Jimmy pumped his shotgun and pointed it right at Brad.

"Jimmy?"

The teenager turned toward the voice, his pistol pointing at the interruption. Jimmy's eyes widened when he saw who it was.

"K-Kara?"

"Jimmy, what are you doing?" The boy stuttered, surprised to see the only person that was ever nice to him at gun point. "Jimmy, you need to stop. They don't deserve th--"

"Yes! Yes they do! They put me through shit and no one did anything! They humiliated me and every one of them sat back and watched! Now I'm going to put them through the same pain." Jimmy looked back at Brad but Kara took a couple steps forward.

"Do you really think killing him will teach anyone a lesson? You're just stooping below his level. You're being the bully."

"No! I'm showing people that it is the meek that will destroy the strong."

"You've already shot his arm. Jimmy, you've already put him through pain. He won't be able to play football anymore. Any dream of being in the NFL is gone. You've sent your message, just let him go. Let all of them go. We can talk about this, you and me." Jimmy glanced between Kara and the injured quarterback.

"I can't. They have to feel exactly how I feel."

"Jimmy," Kara walked slowly up to Jimmy, "Please, for me. Let them go." Jimmy couldn't take his eyes off Kara.

She was so beautiful. He'd do anything for her.

The gun pointed at the jock dropped to Jimmy's side. The students rushed for the door in the back, some helping the injured and even carried the dead out. The only people left were Kara and Jimmy.



"I'm sorry sir, but no one is allowed in there. This is a lock down." The police officer said to Patrick as he tried to fight his way past. He didn't care, what he wanted to do was walk in there, he wanted to get Kara. He wanted someone to get Kara. Julia and Abby met the guys at the school, both in tears of the thought of Kara being in danger. Their significant others were keeping them calm but who could be in this situation?

The campus was covered with officers and crying students and staff. None of them had been Kara.

"We've got a whole group of students coming out. The shooter is in the cafeteria with one hostage." Someone reported over the walkies.

Patrick's heart jumped but he wasn't sure if it was good or bad. But he waited and watched for the students to be rushed out.

A crowd of terrorized children came rushing out, medics waiting at the ready for the injured. From where Pat was, he couldn't see the faces clearly but none of them was the face he was looking for.

"We've got a 20 on the shooter. His hostage is female, mid-twenties. She looks to be talking him down but he's got a gun pointed at her. The door's blocked. He's created a barricade." The radio spoke again. Julia let out a cry. She knew just as much as the others that it was Kara in there.

"Can you hear what they're saying?" The Officer asked into the speaker. After a few minutes of no reply, a female voice could be heard faintly.

"You don't need to do this Jimmy. You could have come to me if something was wrong. You could have talked to the guidance counselors."

"None of them would have listened!"A young male voice yelled, "I already told you that!"

"You should have come to me. You know you could of--"

"What could you have done, huh? You would've told someone and I'd get beaten up again!"

"So killing your classmates was the answer? There is so much that could have been done for you Jimmy!"

"No! No! There was nothing!"

"There's always something, Jimmy. Talk to me now. Tell me what's going on."

"They bullied me! They continued to humiliate me everyday! And none of them cared!! I was the ant under the magnifying glass! But no one would ever listen to me! The jocks rule the school! They get everything they want, even the girl! Just like Patrick Kane!!" Jimmy hissed the last part. Kara's eyes widened. The secret was out. It was Jimmy the whole time. It was Jimmy sending those things to her apartment. It was Jimmy the whole time.

"You sent those gifts. It was you?"

"Yeah it was me! And I'd do it all over again if I had to prove to you how much I love you. Kara, I love you, Jimmy approached Kara, the gun pressed to her stomach as the other gun brushed against her cheek. "You're the most beautiful woman I know. You were the only one that ever showed me kindness. Everything I said to you, sent to you, that was all I could think about. I wanted you to love me. Not him. Me. I love you, Kara. I always have since you first walked into that restaurant." Kara slowly lifted her hand to Jimmy's face, caressing his cheek.

It was Jimmy that had sent the flowers for her birthday.

It was Jimmy that wrote the poems.

It was Jimmy that drew those pictures.

And it was Jimmy that sent that final letter.

"Everything I sent you, I meant. The pictures of that girl in the notebook were you. Kara, I couldn't get you out of my mind. You haunted my days and nights. And the nightmare never ended. After you invited me to your place, I knew I could never be with you. I could never have you like I dreamed I did. Your pictures, your support for him, that ring...there was nothing I could do. I had to tell myself that. I had to stay away from you, try not to think about you. But that was killing me. I needed you but I couldn't have you. School made it worse and that's when I knew...I needed to do something."

"This isn't the way Jimmy. I would of done something, anything to help you. To make you happy."

"What do you want us to do boss? She looks to be talking him down." The radio asked.

The Officer answered, "We'll give her two more minutes then we're going in."

"No! You have to go in now! He could kill her!" Patrick yelled at the Officer.

"If we barge in now, he could kill her." The Officer replied. Patrick knew he was right but he wanted Kara out of there. He wanted to shoot this kid himself.



"Be with me Kara." He said.

"Jimmy...don't do this. Please."

"Chose me over him. I can be so much more then he can."

"Patrick is a good man, Jimmy. I love him and he loves me."

"He's just like the rest of them. He doesn't deserve you like they don't deserved to live." He gestured to behind him, indicating the students that were set free minutes before. "I need you in my life Kara. If I can't have you then..."

"Let' me help you, Jimmy. I can help you get through this."

"There's nothing more you can do for me." He couldn't hold on anymore. Even if he was to accept Kara's help, there would always be the memories, the images. Jimmy has gone through so much and no therapist, no medication would heal the pain he feels.

"You were the only person that ever was there for me. You were the reason I got up every morning, Kara. You cared about me."

"I still care about you Jimmy." She pleaded.

"I can't do this anymore. I can't go through the pain. I relive every moment every day. I can't get it to stop."

"I can help you Jimmy. Please, let me help you."

"I'm sorry Kara."

"Don't do this Jimmy. There are so many people that love you; your mom, your family, me! Please Jimmy."

Jimmy took a step back, the gun in his left hand pointed to the floor and the one in his right pointed at Kara.

The next minutes passed slow.

The door in the back of the room was hit open and a swarm of SWAT members came into the room.

But before anyone could react Jimmy smiled at Kara.

"Jimmy! No!!"



Patrick and his friends remained silent as they listened to Kara's conversation with the shooter.

Some words came in and out but what Patrick could hear only made his stomach drop more. Her telling him she loved him. Jimmy telling Kara that he wasn't good enough for her. That Jimmy could provide for her, just like he had said in the letters.

Patrick would rather take a beating from Zdeno Chara five times then imagine his fiance standing at gun point because this psycho couldn't live with the fact that Kara loved someone else.

"That's it. Go in and get them!" The Officer ordered.

The sound of a door being kicked open and the members of the SWAT team yelling for the shooter to put the guns down.

And then...

"BANG!

Everyone around the radio waited in silence to hear what was going on.

"We need a gurney in here..."

Patrick fell to his knees, blocking out everything being said between the policemen.

He didn't care if he was Patrick Kane, star forward of the Chicago Blackhawks. He didn't care if someone took his picture as he cried his eyes out. He didn't care what anyone thought. He just lost the love of his life.

Pat felt Julia grip onto his shirt and Jon trying to comfort both his girlfriend and best friend, but Captain Serious wasn't strong enough to keep his own emotions in check.

The sounds of running feet and rolling wheels came from the school exit. The gurney came out first, the body covered in a white sheet, blood staining the cloth.

"Oh my god." Corey said as he watched the people exiting the school. Jon, Julia, Pat, Sharpie, and Abby looked at the doors. Lying on a second gurney out of the school with medics at each side pushing it, was Kara.

"Go." The Officer said to Patrick. The forward was on his feet in an instant and sprinted toward the ambulance the medics brought Kara too.

"Kara!" He called out. He practically crashed into the gurney, engulfing her in a tight grasp as he held his fiance close, deciding at that moment never to let her go.

"I thought you were dead. I thought I lost you. Oh my god Kara, I thought I lost you." Patrick whimpered into her ear.

"I'm okay Pat. I'm fine."

Even if Kara wasn't physically harmed, it would be a surprise if she wasn't emotionally and mentally damaged.

"Ma'm, we need to do some tests." A medic said, interrupting the couple. Patrick pulled away and went with the medic as they wheeled Kara to an ambulance.

"Miss?" The Principal came over to Kara, his eyes red from crying, "Thank you so much. You saved so many lives." He said. Kara shook her head.

"I couldn't save everyone." The flash from the gun crossed her mind. The image will never leave her mind. She knows every time she closes her eyes, the scene will replay in her mind.

In the distance, a crowd of people with cameras were being held off by a wall of police. They snapped pictures and shot video of the Blackhawks forward comforting his fiance after one of the most terrifying events occurred in the city of Chicago.

"Ma'm, we're going to need you to answer some questions for us." An officer said coming up to her. She just nodded and listened to the questions. She told the officer why she was there, how she knew Jimmy, what happened when the shooting first occurred, what Jimmy said, what she said to Jimmy, how did everyone get out except her. She relived the entire event over again causing a new wave of tears to cascade down her face. Patrick squeezed her hand as he heard the story from his fiances point of view.

"I'm sorry you had to go through all of that. You were very brave in there. Getting the students out, talking Jimmy down, you're a hero." The officer said to her. Those around them nodded in agreement but Kara couldn't accept that title.

"I couldn't save him." She mumbled.

"No one could have. He was a struggling kid. He wasn't strong enough to save himself."

"I should of done something. I talked to him practically everyday. I should have seen his pain."

"He hid it from everyone. I talked to some of the students and faculty and they never would have guessed. He was bound to snap, I just wish it wasn't this way. We'll need to take you down to the station for a little bit, but you'll be allowed to go home soon." Kara nodded.

She just wanted this day to be over with.