Chapter 2

Just then, a large gust of wind came whooshing past me. This guy came out of nowhere, running to my aid with jet Black hair and tan skin, and he was super fast.

I couldn't see his face at all. All I could see was him slamming the bully into the lockers. The teacher then turned and slammed him in the locker and held back the boy who just attacked me. I believe she was trying to stop a potential fight.

I believe the guy that just saved me and the teacher saved them. He looked like he was about to beat the bully bloody.

The school bell rang loudly, making me jump. There was nothing I could do, so I ran off, not wanting to be part of any more trouble and get detention. Plus, I was already late to class.

After that point, all I wanted to do was find out the name of the guy who had saved me and thank him for coming to my rescue.

A small part of me thought I may have known him. If not here, maybe in another lifetime perhaps.

Or was it my imagination? Did our current school history lesson bring me to that week of the afterlife and rebirth of Egyptians and their lifestyles? I don’t know. I guess I have a wondrous imagination.

I kept getting bullied, and almost every time, it would seem “he” would show up to fix the problem. Then, I dash off again before I can see or thank his face. As always, one of the bully's favorite moves was to knock my books out of my hand, and then he was there. 

Poof, he had them taken care of by the time I picked up my books. I honestly don't know where he would come from; the halls were always full and crowded. 

Once, he picked my books up and put them in my arms, and then he was gone again! Man, was he fast! Even with that chance, I still missed his face. Before I could say, "Who are you?" or "Thank you," he was gone again. Frankly, I was getting aggravated.

So I should ask around to see what others knew or keep an eye out.

I heard stories from time to time. Of the same thing, this kid comes in and out of the shadows like a vigilant "nobody" getting a perfect look at him.

When I caught up with Micah at lunch, she asked me, "So, do you like this guy?" "Do you want to ask him out?"  "Yes..NO. I mean..." I said as I stuttered on my words, "I don’t know; I just wanted to say thank you to him." 

"But as time passed, I figured I would stop obsessing over it. If he wanted me to know who he was, he would come out and say it."

Over summer break, I was in summer school playing catch-up due to some missed school days from being sick a lot.

One year in October, as a little girl in elementary school, I remember it being warm outside for fall. 

As the school bell rang. Our teachers called the kids in. As it began to snow, it was not expected. This snow was gray and smeared on your hand when touched instead of melting into a puddle of water.

I had been suffering from an ear infection all that year and couldn’t hear Ms. Trubble, my teacher, calling. I was looking for Indian beads and minding my own business.

I didn’t see the kids leave, and they didn’t see me. When I looked up, no one was there at this point.

I rushed to the building as the ash began to pour down. Looking for a way into the school, I tried the windows to catch someone's attention and pulled on all the doors, but they were locked. I tried everything I could, but I began to have issues breathing. The world was spinning and going dark.

When I came to, I was in the hospital. The doctor said I had Double Pneumonia between being sick already and running around in the ash clouds; I guess it did me in.

Come to find out that the weird snow was volcanic ash.

It was from the 100-year-old sleeping volcano Mount Saint Helen. Saint Helen awoke and erupted, causing the weakened mount to collapse and sending tons of ash that traveled from an updraft and crossed the States.

I was in the hospital for a long time, and it got very dull. One day, my teacher brought me some cards my classmates gave me. They were all handmade from scraps of paper and clippings.

The newbie from the playground was in my class. I liked him the most of all. It had a magazine clipping of a fish in a bowl of water. It said, "Sorry, you feel like a fish out of water."

That was a joke about my inability to breathe; I chuckled. I held on to that forever. When I returned to school, we were closer than ever. 

As a kid, I remember I was not strong and got sick a lot. He took care of me even when I cried. My favorite moment was when we went on a field trip to an ice skating rink.

After an hour, I began to run a fever, so we had to leave the field trip early. I felt terrible for everyone, and we had to leave because I was sick. I tried to talk them into staying and letting me take a nap on the benches inside the building.

When we returned to the school, I had to wait for my mother to pick me up. "She called, saying I was suck at the moment, and it was going to be a minute before she could pick me up." 

I was sitting next to the guy from my class. I started to feel dizzy and drained, so I asked him if I could burrow his shoulder.

"Yeah", he said. Moments later, when I fell asleep, I slid onto his lap, and I swore I could feel him stroking my hair, but I was too weak and tired to say anything, and it felt calming, so I just let it be.

His grandma came to pick him up and offered to take me home. I was on the phone with my mother, who had just left work to pick me up. She said she was having car trouble. After that, it was the last I saw him.

"Kaysi…Kaysi," "I hope you're not dosing off during summer school." My teacher snapped me back to reality. Maybe I was becoming ill again or daydreaming. Why was I thinking of that boy from elementary school?

I believed this boy next to me was the "him" who had saved me in middle school. He was in summer school with me. I had not gotten a good look before, but he was right there this time! 

It had been so long since I had seen him. Could I tell him How I felt? An to say thank you. He took a seat next to me. This was as if fate. Finally, we were next to each other, together at least.

Tumbling through my backpack, I was nervous. I couldn’t find a pencil. Miss. Hughes raised my hand and called my summer school teacher. "Yes," "she said briskly." I knew I was in trouble. 

"Can I get a pencil? I seemed to have misplaced mine."

"No she snapped, this is a summer class." "I don’t have regular school supplies like during normal school throughout the year, so you are out of luck." "You should have brought one," she scowled.

Just then, I heard a whisper under his breath from the guy next to me.

"Wow," he said. Was he mocking me? 

"Hey," the boy whispered; his response timing was almost as if he heard my thoughts.

I thought I was going to get scowl by him, too. 

"Hum", "yeah", "I said with hesitation." 

This was the first time he had ever talked to me, and I was excited that I could hear his voice!

I have one, "here," he said, handing me one of his extra pencils from his box.

"She was just mad because she didn’t have anyone. A lonely, bitter older woman. He scuffed in her direction." 

I let out a small chuckle, not wanting to get into any more trouble.

"I got an extra pencil, so it's not a big deal." "Could you give it back after class, though?" 

"Thank you; I will make sure to return it."

Summer school days were different from regular school days. We had free time at the end of most days, and there was not much work. 

We would hang out while we waited for our parents to pick us up.

The boy was the only friend I had or seemed to have made. 

"So,"…" Hey, I never got your name," I asked nervously. 

"Well, most people call me D."

"That’s cool I said, slightly disappointed." 

"What’s up? You sound upset." He must have caught the tone change in my voice. 

"Haha", I laughed while scratching my head. "Oops, you caught that?"

"Yeah, I sighed. "I was hoping you were this kid I had known in elementary school; you reminded me of him."

"Well, you seem familiar. Maybe you're the one who has saved me from these bullies this year, then?"

"I don’t like bullies, especially ones who think they can hurt girls or people who are less able to protect themselves." 

"That is true, nor do I, to be honest. He didn't give me a direct answer. He was always trying to dodge me.

"I can’t imagine too many people would see someone in need and not respond or help." "I think it should be natural human nature." "When I saw you, I thought you were pretty small." "But don’t get me wrong. I think you could stand up for yourself backed into a corner."

"You know, D, you are pretty cool."

“Anytime you to buy my book he said jokingly,” and you're more than welcome.

"Also, thanks for the pep talk," hahaha. I awkwardly laughed... realizing what I said, I was embarrassed by my confession. 

"You know I am not the biggest kid on the block, either." 

"That's true. You are short for a guy," I said with a big cheeky smile, trying to get him back at that "you were pretty small" comment. 

I might not have been 100% sure, "This is him," but in my heart, I felt I was now sure this was the guy who saved me.