The first time I saw him, I fell in love.
That's not entirely true. I didn't fall in love, more, I fell into the ground. Hard.
I'd like to say that it was just me being clumsy like I usually tell people. To be honest, I have enough bruises and scratches to make the little white lie seem somewhat believable. This time, though, it wasn't from that.
No, the cause of my humiliation wasn't myself; it was Kellie Green.
It all started right before my third-period class. I opened my locker, wincing as it creaked open with a whine loud enough to raise Satan from the smoldering depths of hell. A few papers fell out, scattering into the hall behind me. I didn't bother picking them up though; I knew they would just fall out again. I rummaged through my locker for a few moments before pulling out my chemistry textbook, its pages worn and creased. Shoving the rest of my textbooks and papers into a somewhat orderly pile, I slammed the locker shut.
"Oh, look. It's Casper the Ghost."
I turned towards the speaker and wished I hadn't. In front of me stood Kellie, my mortal enemy. Actually, since I'm a loser and not a superhero, let's just call her my bully. Ever since I met her at the start of sixth grade, I knew she was trouble. From her brand-name clothes to her layers and layers of make-up, to the cloud of perfume that followed her like a disease, she was everything I wasn't, including popular. She strutted over to me, with two of her "friends" behind her. I'm using the word 'friend' very loosely. I think "mindless robotic slave" would be a much better name for them.
"What're you looking at, Howell?" Kellie sneered. Her robotic minions laughed mechanically at her apparent joke.
"I dunno. It looks to be a rejected clown, but I can't say for sure." I replied smoothly. Her eyes widened at the insult. She reached forward, her claws just barely brushing the side of my chemistry book. I stepped back to avoid her, only there was nothing to step back onto. Flailing my arms wildly, I tumbled down the staircase. My limbs knocked into each other, leaving what'll probably become bruises. My head slammed into a step near the bottom, and by the time I reached the end of the disaster, I was shaking. From the top of the staircase, I could hear the laughter. "Get a life, Howell." Kellie calls, before throwing my book, which must've slipped out of my hands in my panic, down the stairs. I grab my book and hold it close to me, like a teddy bear for a small child. I could feel something dripping down my face, so I wiped my hand on it. Sure enough, it was blood.
"You okay?" I glanced up and saw a person standing next to me, his hand extended. I watched him warily. "Don't worry, I don't bite!" he chuckled, grabbing my hand. I tense up, waiting to see what he would do, but he just pulled me to my feet. "That was quite a tumble you took, there!"
"Yeah, I guess." He cocked his head.
"Do you need to go to the nurse or something?" he asked, concerned. I shook my head, which wasn't the smartest idea for someone who had just undergone severe head trauma. "Okay, well, let me just help you to the bathroom." With his hand around my shoulder, we walked to the bathroom at the end of the hall. He led me to a sink, where he stood, watching as I washed the blood off of my hands and face. As I dried my hands off, I turned to him.
"Why did you help me?" He smiled.
"We can't help everyone, but everyone can help someone."
"Is that a Tumblr quote?" He chuckled at my joke. "Thank you, though."
"No problem. I'm Phil. What's your name?" he asked.
"My name is Dan," I replied casually. He smirks.
"Nice to meet you, Dan. Hopefully, the next time we meet, you won't fall down a flight of stairs."
"Maybe we will, maybe we won't. What class do you have next?" He looked at me for a moment, then answered.
"Chem, same as you." His smile grew larger when he saw my confusion. "I've got your textbook." I felt my face redden in embarrassment at my stupidity. Hiding my face, I started to walk down the hallway towards our impending doom in room 209. He followed. "Don't you want your textbook back?" he asked, looking crestfallen that I had left him.
"Y-yeah," I stammered, my face flushed. I reached out for the book, and, for a split second, our hands met. I lifted my head and we locked eyes. My heart started beating rapidly as he leaned closer. He was inches from my face, leaning closer and closer…
Then the bell rang, and he pulled away. "I've heard Ms. Clarke gives you a detention if you're late to her class. Wouldn't want that to happen, would you?" And with that, he entered the classroom. I watched him, my mouth slightly open. As I recovered from the encounter, I thought one thing.
Phil is going to be the death of me.
This is the first chapter of my new book! I'm going to publish it on my usual account, but I'm keeping it a secret from my friends, so be sure to tell me what you think!