First one-shot ever. I don't know if it's good or not, and I tried to make it seem like the book and I just hope that none of the character's are OOC or anything.
Disclaimer: I do not own Speak or any of the characters.
JUST ONE MORE THING…
I never thought that I would ever feel free again. Yeah, that's right. Free. Talking to Mr. Freeman (how ironic) helped a lot. Telling him everything that happened. He didn't judge me either, he just nodded and listened. And in a way he understood me too. I left Mr. Freeman's room, feeling much better than I did from the start of the school year, when I heard someone calling my name.
"Melinda, wait up!"
I turned around and was surprised to see my lab partner, David Petrakis, running to catch up with me.
David: "I haven't gotten a chance to talk to you yet."
Me: [hesitates] "Were you looking for me the whole time?"
He blushes and looks away for a minute. Probably thinking of another way to make it sound non-stalkerish. He sighs.
David: "Yeah."
Me:
David: "Are you walking home?"
Me: "Probably. I don't want to wait for the bus."
David: "Do you mind if I walked with you?"
I shrug. I wasn't really sure if I meant it as a yes or a no but I guess he took it as a yes since he started walking beside me toward the school door. The silence lasted for quite a while. I'm not really sure if it was an awkward or not, since I'm used to the quiet. I suppose it was awkward for David though, he's been fidgeting for the past five minutes.
David: "So…are you doing anything during the summer?"
Me:
David: "I'm probably going to intern at my uncle's lab. It's good experience you know."
Me: "Yeah."
We were silent again after that. This "conversation" should be recorded in the Guinness for having the longest awkward silence ever. I'm not proud to say that, that would actually make one of the very very few achievements I have in life. I'm trying to think of a way to break the silence. Just speak up for once, I mean I've managed to open up to Mr. Freeman, why not David? He seems like a nice guy, right? But then again so did…IT.
David: "You can trust me you know."
Me: [inside my head] Wow, a genius and a mind reader? Crazy.
He looks at me, expecting for a reply. My throat clenches up just like it has done so many times, but this time I want to fight it. I want to trust David, really I do. The two Melindas in my head start fighting.
Melinda One: "Seriously Mel, just do it. It's not like nothing bad's going to happen --- shut up number two --- I mean, if he wanted to do something he would've done it right now. This is like the perfect place; empty streets, an alley close by, and nobody near enough to hear you scream. Besides he looks sincere enough. Maybe it will help you feel better. You'll never know unless you try."
Melinda Two: "Since you're making assumptions, I'll make some too. First: He could be waiting for the right time to do something, you know plot it out. Second: He could be just a really good actor and can lie through his teeth. Besides---
David: "Mel?"
I looked up at him through my bangs. He seemed concerned, genuinely concerned. I sighed and gritted my teeth. I can do this. I open my mouth.
Me: "My house is right there."
Darn. I was so close. David looks to where my gaze was directed and nods. I would have expected him to give up and start talking about what kind of a freak I was, when all of a sudden he grabs my hand.
David: "Hurry, the light just turned red. You're a little out of it today aren't you?"
I was still a bit startled about what he did that I just nodded and slipped my hand out of his after we got to the other side. I give him a quick side glance. He looks disappointed. Great. Here comes the guilt. I stopped walking and faced him. We were only about 3 blocks away from my front lawn.
Me: "Look, it's not that I don't trust you, because I do. It's just not the right time for me to talk about…this. It's…"
I was struggling to find the right words to explain. The lack of speech I've been having has taken a toll on my vocabulary.
David: [smiles understandingly] "Don't worry about it. I was just worried about you and thought you needed a friend to talk to or something. Besides you don't have to tell me what happened, I just wanted to know if you trusted me. I promise you I would never hurt you."
He sounded so sincere and truthful that my eyes started to water. David is probably the only one who showed understanding of my situation, and he wasn't a teacher. I guess I had started to cry because he wiped my tears with his thumb, and was fumbling around his pockets for a tissue. I quickly wiped the up coming tears away.
Me: "Thanks, a lot. I guess I needed to know that someone actually cares."
He stops fumbling and looks at me. He smiles and seemed pleased by what he had done. I guess Melinda one had given me a kick or something because I did something that surprised him, well both of us. I gave him a hug. He wasn't quite sure what to do, but he returned the hug as well.
Me: "Thank you. And I really do mean it."
I let go of him and smiled. He smiled back and continued walking me up to my front porch.
David: "Hey, I was wondering if maybe you'd want to hang out with me sometime. Maybe I'll call you."
Me: "Maybe I won't answer." I grin at him. "Maybe I will."
He laughed and started looking for something in his backpack. He takes out a piece of paper that was a little crumpled and folded by the edges.
David: "Just one more thing."
He hands me the piece of paper.
David: [smiles] "I'll see you around."
He starts to walk down the path, as I stood by the front door and watched him leave. He turns back once and I waved at him and he smiles once more and keeps on walking. I look at the paper in my hands. It was a drawing of Ms. Keen as a robin on a branch of a tree. There was a word on the bottom right corner.
Fly.
I guess that's just one more thing to add to my list.
So was it good? I really want to know so please review. I'm all for the David and Melinda pairing, which is why I wrote this. I hope you Speak fans there would write something as well :] Constructive criticism would be nice and well appreciated. Just no rude comments or flames. Thanks!