Hidden

It was kinda funny, I thought, as I hid myself along the wall.

I was so utterly aware of my surroundings, of the people as the unknowingly milled around me, and yet, they were so unaware of me. Ignorance is, indeed, bliss, isn't it?

A slight tinge of bitterness swept through me as I thought about my girl. I didn't understand why I felt that way, or why I was letting her affect me that way. She was not only a distraction to me, apparently, she was also a negative influence.

Speaking of diversions....

Suddenly, before I knew what happened, she was standing there in front of me.

As she spoke, I felt her cool, minty breath fan over my face. "Please please tell me what happened."

I didn't like seeing her with such a pleading tone, and I was conflicted. I wanted to tell her, to give her what she wanted, but I didn't want her to know, for her to be so burdened.

"You don't want to know."

Her eyes flashed, and at that moment I saw that they were, in all actuality, a light brown, with so many dark flecks that they appeared dark brown. "Yes, I do. I wouldn't ask if I didn't want to know."

"It's a lot to swallow," I warned, testing to see how easily she backed off.

"I've swallowed more," she answered, and her eyes sparkled playfully. "Please. Tell me. Were you beat up by someone?"

I was about to answer, but then she rocked back on her heels. "Well, duh. Obviously you have me." Her voice picked up speed. "Anyways, I'm terribly sorry for being so so rude. You don't even know my name. And I can't believe that I'd be so impolite!"

That was odd to me; most kids at the school didn't particularly care about manners, and their lack of them was painful to me.

"No, I'm sorry. My name is Xander," I introduced myself politely, seeing it as an opportunity to divert the subject from my wounds.

She smiled. "Well, my name's Kate. Is Xander short for Alexander?"

It seemed so easy for her, to ask the question. "Yeah. It means 'defender of man'--"

I paused. She had said it simultaneous with me. Defender of man; her voice merged with mine so easily, so prettily.

She smiled again, the sweet, closed lipped smile that I remembered. "My little brother's name is Alexander....'cept we call him Alex."

I asked her the same question, unsure of where else to start. "Is Kate short for Catherine?"

A dark, pained look passed over her face, but then she swallowed and looked into my eyes. "No, but I get that a lot. Kate is short for Kaitlin."

She was about to continue, I could tell, but the the bell rang in its slow, damning way. "Crap. I'm late again. Well, I'll talk to you later." She paused again, and smiled. "Don't think I forgot. I'm getting my answer shortly."

And off she went, hurrying through the doors and up the stairs.

And I was left behind, wondering how much of that I imagined.