"Good mornin'," Micah said as he arrived at the park; our usual meeting place. I stopped the 그네, 스윙 just in time before I nearly kicked him in the face. We laughed.

"Sorry," I giggled. "Hey." He smiled and took a 좌석 in the 그네, 스윙 다음 to me. My cheeks flushed as I thought over yesterday. I just had to know. "Um, Micah? What'd 당신 want to tell me yesterday? I mean, before I had to leave." He furrowed his eyebrows, then frowned.

"Huh? Oh... It was nothing."

"Ok," I nodded.

We soon 로스트 track of time, and were almost late for school. Since we couldn't take the long way, we had to take the faster way, which passed in front of my house. Micah stopped.

"Is that your Dad?" he asked worriedly.

"Uh, no. He... likes intense crime shows, and he's hard of hearing. It's just the TV." Micah pursed his lips, like he didn't believe me. I tried to keep my breathing under control, maybe then I wouldn't blush so much.

"Alessa, if there was something wrong, you'd tell me right?" he said. The way he stood there, and his saddened face, he looked so... helpless. And vulnerable. Even though he was much taller than me, he looked like the smallest pain would send him breaking into a million pieces. I wanted to hug him close and never let anything hurt him. No one had ever been concerned about me, and it was a warming feeling.

But I still couldn't tell him.

"Yes, I will," I said. He opened his mouth to speak again, but I was faster. "C'mon. We're gonna be late."

***

During lunch, Micah and I were at our usual table, when someone called me. I looked over to the 표, 테이블 across the aisle.

"Hey, 이모 kid!" called Gabby. She waved happily when I scowled. Also at her 표, 테이블 were some 더 많이 of the "popular" kids, along with Bryant and Aubrey. I ducked my head to stare at my lunch tray.

"What do they want?" Micah asked in a hushed whisper.

"Who knows," I said, still keeping my gaze down. I heard the sound of heels walking across tiles, and my hands clenched into fists. "Dear God... tell me she isn't coming!" Micah didn't speak for a while.

"You know I don't like to lie," he said after a while. I felt a tap on my shoulder. Reluctantly I looked up, to see Gabby peering down on me. She smiled her bright, fake smile. She reached down and took my hand, and I winced from the coldness of her skin. She placed something in my hand and folded my fingers over it. It poked out through the sides, but all I could tell was it was plastic and white.

"I thought 당신 might want this," she said in a baby doll voice. She stood there, waiting for me to open my hand. I did, and I grimaced as I saw it was a plastic knife. How original; the old "emo's cut themselves" line. I wanted to spit in her face, but the only thing I seemed capable of doing now was cry. A few tears made their way down my cheek, and I gripped the 칼, 나이프 in my fist. I wanted so badly to turn to Micah and ask, "how much 당신 wanna bet this 칼, 나이프 could break skin?" and then stab the heck out of Gabby.

But that would be mean.

Micah stood up then, and grabbed the 칼, 나이프 out of my hands. He threw it across the room, possibly hitting an innocent student.

"Leave her the fuck alone," he said sternly. The intensity of his voice scared even me. Gabby regained her composure fast, and smirked.

"Huh... 당신 guys make a cute couple... You're both losers!" she laughed and practically skipped away. I stood up and walked away as well, but out of the cafeteria. I went to the bathroom, and locked myself in a stall. It wasn't the best place to cry, but at least no one would see me.

A while later there was a knock on the door.

"Alessa?" It was Micah. Hearing his voice in the place, of all places, was strange. Strange enough to get me to silence my cries for a while.

"Micah? What're 당신 doing in here? This is the girl's bathroom."

"I know! So would 당신 please come out?! I'm freaking out here!" he said hurriedly. I laughed a little and came out. We both went and sat on the floor in the hallway. "Thanks," he said. I smiled a little. "You ok?" he asked. I shrugged. "Sorry I didn't 펀치 Gabby... I just can't hit girls," he smiled. I laughed as one of the last tears flowed down my cheek. He reached up and wiped the tear away with his thumb, and left his hand under my chin. He tilted my head up so that I had to look at him. I noticed for the first time how bright his smile was. And his eyes were a brilliant blue...

I tipped my chin up, unhooking it from his gentle grasp, and turned to stare at the carpet. We sat in silence for a while, all thanks to my insecurity. I kicked myself mentally. I didn't know if I loved him 또는 not. He was really sweet and nice... like a brother. The thought of dating a brother revolted me; it just wasn't right. Hopefully he'd just forget about it and we could just be friends, because I didn't want to deal with this.

At all.