Still Breathing

By

Nicole Anne Chan of II - Honesty

The sound of my locker jamming made me walk faster, thinking the jocks might be the one who's trying to yank it open. Instead, the picture in my mind was far from what I was seeing. A girl with light brown hair was the opening my locker. She seems to be new, considering that our school only had a few students. Everyone knew who to and not mess with.

I crept behind her and asked, "Um… Excuse me miss, but that's my locker." She was startled and eyed me. She muttered something I was unable to hear.

She faced me and apologized, "Sorry… I'm new and I have no idea whatsoever about the things going on around here." She offered her hand and continued, "I'm Stefanie, by the way."

I shook her hand and introduced myself, "I'm Kyle. Perhaps that locker," I pointed to the one on the right side of mine, "Is yours."

She tried the combination on it, and it worked. "Thanks." She said and smiled. Blood rushed up my face, making me look away from her briefly.

Then again, when the happy moment comes, a sad one comes right after. The familiar whispers of people, the banging of lockers and the losers running off to different directions was a sign that he was coming. He stopped behind Stefanie.

"Stefanie, just who are you talking to?" the muscular guy asked stiffly. I looked at the two of them and realized something that wasn't gonna benefit me.

"Who, him?" She pointed at me. "He's Kyle." She closed her locker and faced the guy.

Oh no… He's gonna jam me, literally. The guy grabbed me by the collar and pushed me to my locker.

"Lars… I'm not…doing anything wrong—" I told him. My voice was turning into a squeal as his grip tightened.

"Brother…" Stefanie pleaded. "Please, let him go." Lars did as he was told and released me. I slumped on the ground empty of energy.

"Stefanie choose your friends. Don't befriend people like him." He said. "And you…" He looked at me. "If I see you talking to her, you're not just gonna get shoved in your locker." He walked away along with the other jocks. I sighed out of frustration. Other students were looking at me with pity; the popular ones, with disgust. I closed my eyes to at least try and pretend nothing just happened.

Stefanie sat beside me and said, "Sorry about my brother…" We stayed quiet until it was time to go.

We didn't speak after that. There was the occasional brief greeting; nothing more, nothing less. I yearned for the day when I would be able to talk to her.

Until it did happen.

A couple of months, weeks, days, hours, minutes, and seconds….

Our table was on the corner of the cafeteria and Stefanie's table was with the average girls. On that certain day, her friends were talking about her brother, Lars, and they were prying her for information about him. She got annoyed and went over to me. The other guys were giving the 'you're gonna get in trouble' face.

"Can I eat with you?" she asked. I nodded and she sat across me. She told me what happened.

"They're jerks." She told me. I smirked, but it faded away when I saw the silhouette of someone behind her. I gulped and she saw me looking far away. She turned around and saw anger written all over his brother's face. Lars' hands were already balled into fists. My palms were sweating with terror. I inhaled a good lot of air knowing this may be the last chance to breathe.

Stefanie stood up just as her brother was rushing towards me. "He's my friend! Don't fight with him," she said. Lars just walked past her. I closed my eyes and opened them moments later to see him in front of me.

"I told you not to talk to her!" He punched me in the face, making me fall from my chair. He grabbed me by the collar and threw me to the other table making me land face first on the floor. Blood streamed down from my brow.

Stefanie was pleading. Lars' friends held her back. The other loners and nerds were trying to stop Lars but it made him go all out. He punched and kicked me repeatedly. All I can think of was death.

Eventually, the punching and kicking ceased and a low-male voice talked to me.

"Mr. Park, are you all right?" he asked. The voice came from our principal, Mister Gilford.

"I'm fine." I whispered. Stefanie came to my side. She kept on saying sorry and sadly, my eyes closed and what comes after I do not know.

I opened my eyes, and the white ceilings greeted me. I looked to my right and saw Stefanie. She held my hand as she slept. I shifted into a sitting position. I gently removed my hand from hers trying my best to make her not wake up. Still, she woke.

"Kyle…" she whispered.

I grumbled a bit. "Hmm?"

She hugged me. Tears rolled down her cheeks. Happiness sprang from somewhere in my heart, making me smile.

"I'm not dead y'know. What's up with the tears?" I asked her. I suddenly remembered Lars and wondered what happened to him. "Your brother…?"

"He got expelled." She said and released me. A hint of gladness was on her face but I can never be sure. I just nodded in reply. I didn't know what to say. Seriously, who in their right mind will be happy when their brother just got expelled from school?

"Don't be sad about it," she continued. "He really was going to switch schools anyway."

"Oh…" Was all I said. Then, the door opened and my mom came in.

"Stefanie, I'll take-over for now." Mom said. Stefanie bade good-bye, and I was left alone with my mom.

"She's a nice girl. She's been watching you for days now" Mom sat down on the side of my bed. "Maybe she's the one who can mend your broken heart."

I sighed. "I can't believe I'm falling in love with the sister of the person who stole my ex." I said briefly and smiled. "I like her, Ma. Nothing more, nothing less."