Butterflies

“I don’t remember what happened. I just remember walking to class and seeing Steven. I don’t even remember how I could’ve gotten on the ground,” I lied.



Steven started to say something. “I thought you had class at…” He trailed off as I shot a mean glance his way.


The nurse looked me over, quickly examining me and looking like she had better things to do.


“Okay. Well there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with you. No cuts or bruises. Do you have any pain at all?”


“No, I feel fine,” I answered truthfully.


I walked with Steven out of the office after giving some other information to the nurse. “You didn’t have class. What were you doing,” he questioned.


“I… I don’t know. I was taking a brisk walk to ease my mind of some things. Is that okay Dad,” I teased.


“Yeah. I mean, I’m not trying to intrude or anything. I was just worried about you.” He was serious. His eyebrows were raised, and his tone was slightly defensive. I felt bad.


“I’m sorry. I’ve just been having a tough time lately and…”


“I saw you,” he interrupted. “I saw you jump and everything. I ran over as soon as I saw you do it. You weren’t bleeding or hurt or crying, so I decided to play it cool. But, I can’t play like I didn’t see that. It was crazy, insane even. I can’t believe what I saw. You have to convince me I’m not crazy by telling me the truth.”


He looked at me with pleading eyes. I hadn’t even shared the secrets of my past with my so called best friend. “You must be crazy! I didn’t jump. Why would I jump?”


He looked at me knowingly. His eyes peered into my soul and dug for information. “Are you busy right now,” he asked me. He wanted something: the truth. He was doing that hypnotic thing with his eyes again.


“No,” I answered without even thinking.


“Come with me.”


I followed him to the patio at the back of my dorm building. The flowers and shrubs that grew there withered slightly as we passed. I pretended not to see. He pulled a chair out for me, and I automatically melted into a mush when his eyes met mine. I had to tell him. Maybe then he would stop enticing me and move on to something better once he realized how much of a loser I was.


He started interrogating me. “I know you weren’t going to class because it was three and your classes end at one.”


“Oh yeah? Where’d you find that out?”


His eyes got wide. “I see you around, and I’m observant.”


“So you’re a creeper, huh?” I giggled.


“No. I just… I’ve noticed you… around… you’re very pretty… I heard you tell someone that you had your last class at one. So what?”


I froze. I reddened. I did a little happy dance inside. Steven Hade just called me pretty. I looked at my feet. Words were just not an option right now. I forced out an “Oh.”


He quickly realized I was feeling uncomfortable and changed the subject. “Anyway, what happened? Did you really jump from Riddell Tower?”


I nodded my head, still in a trance from what I had just heard. “Kisslah?” My name slid off his lips like a magic spell commanding me to lean in for more. “I want to help you, but I can’t unless you explain what the hell is going on.”


I snapped into reality. I had just jumped from a 100-foot tower and lived to tell about it (not that I should tell anyone). Steven really wanted to help though. I could see it in his caring eyes. He was truly worried about me, yet he hardly knew me.