If You Could Save Me from Myself (Alan23 & Luneiya)

[Luneiya]

When Amy felt the world closing in on her, it was difficult to breathe. She felt a strange sort of distance in these moments. Everything was dark around the edges. Words and noises were sharp and muffled at the same time, making it difficult to hear. She could feel that she was holding on to Ty's shoulders in front of her. The fabric of his polo was scratchy against her fingers. She wanted the hold to be protective, but the stance probably lost its effect because she was shaking so much. She wished she could stop shaking. He was only fifteen, and she was seventeen. The older sister. She had to protect him.

You're useless. Worthless. A stupid piece of-

Waste of

"Is she crying?" Jeered one of the boys crowding them.

Was she?

She could feel wetness down her cheeks through the curtain of her long, dark brown hair. That's probably what that was.

"Your sister sucks, dude," Teased one of the boys with a languid laugh.

"Not as much as you though!" Cheered the third.

Amy felt her back against the rough stone wall behind them. She should be panicking. Why wasn't she panicking?

"Leave her out of this!" Retorted her brother, and Amy's heart twinged with guilt. She managed to look up.

There were three of them. The one in front looked like a cat toying with its prey. Hands stuffed into his jean pockets. Confident. Arrogant. He leaned in a bit, and Amy felt her hands tighten on Ty's shoulders. She knew him, of course. Zane.

The one to the left was belligerent. Crass. Sloppy. He was laser-focused on Ty, who was currently staring him down. Amy wasn't sure what his name was, but she thought from Ty's descriptions that this was probably Eli.

The one to the right was a bit more nervous. Sarcastic. A jokester. He an eye out for the trio's surroundings. She wasn't sure who he was.

"She started it," Sneered (probably) Eli. "S-s-stop m-m-messing with my brudder!" He imitated with a mocking, feminine, teary tone, playing up the physical comedy. Jokester boy laughed uproariously, and Eli chuckled.

---

 

[Alan23]

If he'd been fifteen years older, and more familiar with the romantic poets, Jake Henry might have described himself as a flower wasted on the desert air. As it was, such a comparison did not occur to him. The reality did, though. He didn't know exactly what he was cut out for, where he should be, what he deserved. But he knew it had to be something better than being stuck in the eleventh grade, in a fund-starved inner-city school, with a father whose name he didn't even know, and a mother who barely got by as a factory hand.

Given to introspection as he was, he occasionally wondered if he wasn't one of those cases you read about in old stories, a kid who had been swapped at birth by the fairies or something. A kid from Restful Pines, Rhode Island (a suburb not nearly as pleasant in aspect as its name made out) attending Madeleine Allbright High and destined surely for a life in a factory or store should not really have been quite so into literature, philosophy and old European movies as he was, but there was nothing he could do about that. He would have called himself a Goth or an Emo, except that dressing the part would have seemed a bit (as someone in the British sitcoms he also adored) "wanky", and something in him made him instinctively keep a low profile.

There were enough bullies at Madeleine Allbright High without begging them to pick on him. Not that they ever did for long - despite his seemingly frail appearance, he'd been able to persuade them to leave him alone, and to be frank these days he had more trouble with the teachers who disliked his casual attitude to school rules, his cynicism about school spirit and his refusal to (sic) Make something of himself" than the other kids. Yet he knew keeping his head down was still best.

"One day," he told himself for the millionth time as he slouched along, chewing on a muesli bar, "I'll be out of this. Get a job in a machine shop somewhere, and then if some publisher notices my writing... I mean, this is supposed to be the land of opportunity, right, where anyone can - "

Your sister sucks, dude!

The voice coming from around the corner made his ears prick up. Jesse Williams. One of the kids who had, a few months back, been one of the bullies who had tried to mess with him. Ty had attacked team-handed with his friend, Zane Teague. Well, Zane had ended with a broken nose, and Ty crouched on the floor, a recipient of Jake's knee in his groin, and that had been the end of that, at least as far as he was concerned. They still did a roaring trade on picking on younger kids though, and by the sound of it were up to something of the kind right now.

Well it was none of his business, he supposed.

And yet...

The sound of sobs caused him to pause. The kid they were picking on, that little Ty kid. Ty was the kind of kid who often got picked on, and Jake could not help but feel a certain sympathy for him. But hasn't he got a sister in twelth grade to look after him? he thought.

except by the sound of it, it wasn't little TY that was crying, but the sister. What was her name He'd seen her around, a pretty dark-haired girl, with a look on her face like a scared rabbit caught in a truck's headlights. Seemed big sister wasn't really up to the job of being a bodyguard...

He should have walked by. Any sensible kid would. But somehow...

He rounded the corner, laid his school bag carefully on the ground ad watched from behind the three bullies, his gaze drawn to the dark haired girl flattening herself against the wall, looking terrified...

 

[Luneiya]

Detached, but still looking around for some sort of solution, Amy heard the sound of someone approaching. Her eyes darted hopefully over, but it was just another kid, probably around her age. She didn't think he was part of Zane's gang. Maybe he could get a teacher, though? She didn't want to get him in trouble...

She forces her panicked eyes away from the stranger and over to Zane, though she couldn't look him in the eyes. Zane wasn't paying attention to her or Ty, though. He was looking over at the other kid.

"Whadda we have here?" Zane asked menacingly, turning to face Jake a bit, though not enough that Ty and Amy could slip through. "Come for a rematch?" Zane seemed infinitely more cocky with his goons by his side. Eli in particular was absolutely slobbering for a fight.

Rematch? What on earth had she stumbled into now?!

Jesse looked a bit more nervous, but he was clearly taking strength from their numbers. Slowly, the bullies were turning towards Jake, sizing him up, seeing what he would do. Amy's gaze quickly flitted to the space to the right of Jesse, if they could slip between him and the wall, but the boy noticed and put his arm out to block any attempt. She jumped a bit at the sound it made, and he laughed cruelly.

"Come to pick up your pet rabbits, Henry?" Jesse jeered, clearly growing more confident by that boost to his twisted ego.

 

[Alan23]

For a brief second Zane exchanged a glance with Jesse. The last time they'd picked a fight with the Henry kid, e recalled, it had led to much damage to both body and ego. They'd managed to live down the memory of it after a couple of months, and the Henry kid hadn't seemed keen to take any advantage. But a return bout definitely did not fit his plans.

There's three of us, Jesse mouthed, and anyway he won't take us by surprise like last time. And the skinny little fucker deserves it...

"I see your problem," said Jake, calmly - he sounded almost sympathetic - "the three of you could probably beat the crap out of me if you put your minds to it." He wondered just why he was bothering to challenge them, how he had managed to get involved at all. Quixotic intervention had never been his specialty. But it was too late to back out now, especially in front of a pretty girl. And Amy, he has registered, was quite pretty in her shy, scared-bunny kind of way. "But then you'd have to leave this poor little kid," (he nodded toward Ty) and his pretty sister unattended, and they'll get away. And with just two of you... he shrugged, "who knows what might happen?"

"We aren't looking for a fight," said Zane, quickly, "this is none of your goddam business, Jake Henry. "What say you just move on, and keep out of what isn't none of your business?"

"Yeah, 'spose," said Jake, carefully reaching into his pocket for the small length of heavy piping he carried there. If it was to be two (or three) against his one, he felt, he felt no compunction in adding weight to any punches he'd be obliged to throw. "It's just I don't feel like moving n right now. So?"

"Shit you pair are fucking wimps," growled Eli, advancing on Jake, "you might be scared of this skinny little kid, but I - WOOOOOUUAAAHHHH!"

It happened so quickly that even Ty, who had been following events with wide eyes, could not quite follow what happened. Jake's hand had shot out, caught Eli's wrist and given it a sharp turn. The attacker was forced to perform a somersault, landing on his rear in an undignified heap, to avoid his arm being broken completely As it was, the pain was excruciating.

"Five arms against two," smiled Jake, softly.

"Aaa, that little runt ain't worth it," growled Jesse, spitting so that the gob f saliva landed an inch or so from TYs feet, "come on, we got better stuff to do."

The pair turned and walked away, followed by the unfortunate Eli, still clutching his twisted, painful arm and shooting resentful looks back at Jake.

Ty followed the retreating figures until they had slouched around the corner, and when next he looked back to where their rescuer had been standing - he too had vanished.

 

[Luneiya]

The words were still spinning in her ears, fear pricking at her spine. It was difficult to pick out what was happening, but it seemed like the new kid was going to fight them? She wanted to warn him, but she couldn't. Ty was here, and... god, was she just awful if she wanted them to fight the other kid so Ty could get away? It wouldn't matter if it was just her, but... god, that was awful. As the kid approached, all full of quiet bravado, her bright blue eyes, still panic-stricken, found him. There was the sound of shuffling. She saw him reach into his pocket.

Eli was off, then, and she opened her mouth as if to say something, but before she even could, Eli was on the ground. She jumped a bit at his loud scream.

The tension had shifted. Something in the air was different. Jesse was spitting at them, but he was... leaving? They were looking back at the kid.

All of the tension and relief crashed into her at once as Ty moved away, watching the bullies go. Her empty hands clench at nothing, and she is vaguely aware of the dried wetness on her cheeks.

She slips down the wall, shaking, and Ty jogs back over to her, looking for Jake but not finding him. Her younger brother kneels down in front of her. "You ok, sis?"

She nods mutely, scrubbing at her face with her long sleeves.

He smiles at her fondly, and it breaks her heart a little. He always looked like the older brother when he did that. "I was pretty surprised when you got all angry and rushed out to defend me."

She looks up at him pitifully.

"Don't look like that. You got out, like, a whole two sentences! And even sounded kind of mad! That must be some kind of rec-"

She launches towards him then, pulling him into her hug. He hugs her back easily, kneeling on the ground in front of her. She cries a bit into his shoulder, squeezing him tightly.

"Alright, alright," He says fondly, patting her back. "We should probably get outta here."

Amy nods, quickly righting herself as best she can. She was wearing an oversized green knit sweater over a pleated, knee-length navy skirt. Dark grey stockings and cute black boots helped protect against the chill of the autumn air. Her long brown hair had fallen into her face somewhat, but she pushed it away. She'd have to redo the braids later. Her vintage black school bag had been pressed against the wall, but she took the opportunity to quickly adjust it on her shoulders.

She reaches out her hand to Ty, and with a smile, he takes it, letting her lead them home.

Amy looks curiously over to where the mystery boy had been, but of course, he was no longer there. "That was Jake," Said Ty matter-of-factly, "He's pretty cool." Amy smiled at his enthusiasm.

Ty was, unfortunately, the type to get bullied by older boys, though it never seemed to bother him too much or deter him in any way. He was skinny, small, and always said what he thought. His mouth had gotten him into trouble more times than Amy could count. Ty goes on to tell her all about his day on the walk home, and Amy listens with excitement and a warm smile.

 

[Alan23]

Jake did not come from a privileged background - rather the reverse - yet he was of that rare type that always seem to be arrange their life exactly as they want it to be. He had long since learned the secret of social survival in the modern world - keep your head down, do exactly what the system wants you to do, as long as it doesn't go too much against your own inclinations. And if it does, find a way around the rules.

His small bedroom was a prefect case in point. Somehow, he had managed (by use of careful research and clever trades) to fill this, his sanctum, with all the things he loved. A widescreen television, supported by a high fidelity amplifier and speakers, a hacked subscription to all of the streaming channels he wanted, a dock for his top of the line flagship phone filled with lossless FLAC files of his favorite music.

He lie back on the soft bed (mom could never have afforded the top quality mattress, but he knew a guy who knew a guy) listening to Depeche Mode (he cared for more quality than cool) through the crystal clear speakers that flanked one wall. Cast his eye over the top quality bourbon on the bedside table (again, he knew a guy etc) and thought about the day's events.

Exactly why he'd come to the aid of little TY and his delicate, though pretty sister, he could never fathom. It went right against his grain - defend yourself fiercely when attacked, but don't look for trouble. He'd never seen himself as one of those clean-limbed, blue-eyed heroes who rushed to the aid and succor of the oppressed. Rather he preferred a laissez-faire approach...

...though, he could not help thinking (much as he tried to repress the thought) he had found the look Amy had give him enjoyable. For a brief second he'd experienced the joy of doing something for someone else with no thought of gain for himself. Like Spiderman or Green Lantern must have felt, he decided. Not that he'd make a habit of it, he decided. He did not even really go in for friends... too much obligation. His philosophy had always been to travel emotionally light.

Yet somehow, the thought would not let him go. It was not just (as he tried to tell himself) he'd enjoyed facing down Zane and his gang, reminding them (if they needed reminding, which they probably didn't) that messing with Jake Henry was a mug's game, like pissing into the wind. Oh, it would help, it never hurt to keep lessons fresh n the mind of someone who would like to do you harm, but he hadn't really needed to get involved. He could have ignored the situation, kept to himself, as he usually did.

Well, he'd keep away from little TY and Amy, he decided. The last thing he needed was emotional involvement. He had enough problems in his life...

 

[Luneiya]

Ty's cheerful presence chattering on buoyed Amy's spirits on the walk home. Once they arrived at their townhome's door, however, she sighed and had to steel herself. Ty, oblivious, continued on talking as she unlocked their door and cautiously checked inside. Dark. No suitcase. Good.

She pushes the door open and locks it firmly behind them. Three locks. Though the ancient brownstone they lived in was pretty nice, it had probably been pretty swanky back in the day, it was in a not-so-great part of town. She then sits at the bench by the entry to remove her boots.

"Woo, smells like Mrs. Grattlesby made chili!" Ty cheers, going straight for the fridge. The ancient, live-in housekeeper was probably asleep by now, or whatever she did in her room. She was somewhat of an enigma to Amy.

Amy smiles a bit at his enthusiasm, but her thoughts are elsewhere. How on earth was she meant to protect Ty? For the moment, it seemed like the bullies had just been scared off.

Useless. Why do you even-

"Want some, Sis?"

Her head snaps up. She had been drifting off again. Stupid. Amy nods, making her way over to the kitchen island. Ty was getting the food, so she grabbed some bowls and spoons.

---

All too soon, their meal was over and Ty was off to do homework. Amy was still sitting at the island, though her eyes kept drifting to the front door. She sighs, slowly making her way over to her own room on the second story. It was difficult to focus on homework, thinking as she was of Ty's bullying problem, but she had to try. When she was finally done, she collapsed back on her bed.

What if.... no...

You can barely get a word out! What kind of-

Maybe I could ask him for help? But no... that wouldn't... I couldn't....

She turns over on her stomach and covers her head with the pillow.

After a bit of time lying like a useless lump, she resolves that she has to think of something else for a while. She pulls a book from her stuffed shelf and settles in to read. It was a new one, a fantasy story that would pull her to a faraway place, and she could use the distance. When it was time for bed, she prepared and settled in for a restless night. She played some music in her earbuds, but not even her favorite Hayley Westenra songs soothed her.

After what felt like the millionth time turning over, she made her way down to the kitchen.

I should at least thank him.

She tried to turn her restless energy into baked goods (this was not an uncommon occurrence), and she thought the iced cookies turned out quite well. She had made different flavors since she didn't know what he liked and packaged them up in a clear bag with a blue ribbon. She picked out a label, one of a cute dog, to put on it, and wrote "Thank you" in neat cursive.

Then, in her flurry of baking, another idea occurred to her. She turned back to her ingredients...

---

The next day at school, Amy tried to find their elusive savior. Ty had given her a general idea of where Jake was- now it was just a matter of hopefully finding him at a time that wouldn't be too inconvenient for him. At lunch, perhaps, or if he was walking alone. When she finally did find him, she would make her way over, head down.

She was wearing a similar outfit today: a grey jumper, black skirt, and black tights. Her style seemed to lean towards what the other kids would call "vintage." In truth, she just loved shopping for old, well-loved clothes and incorporating more old-fashioned styles. Her long brown hair was done in a single loose braid down her back.

Without trying to make too much fuss or cause too much disturbance, she would offer him the cookies with the "thank you" card opened so he could see it. She wouldn't be able to make eye contact.

 

[Alan23]

Eshira had always found it ironic that everyone thought girls of color were supposed to be able to run like the wind. Well that might have applied to top athletes and footballers and such she supposed, but for a plump, short-legged girl with massive mazoomas that swayed from side to side when she even walked, and laden as she was with her school pack and laptop, she had never had a chance. Even an Olympic sprinter wouldn't have got there before the bus left, and, she thought, as she watched it shrink in the distance and took the first weary step on her walk - the seven blocks between the bus stop and the school - she was sure she had jut felt the first splatter of rain.

Yes, she had. And not just the splatter, too. A full on plop that bid fair to become a drenching sheet of water in the next few minutes. She'd arrive for her first class soaked to her ebony skin, her hair drenched and hanging like the snakes of that Medusa woman she'd read about down over her face, her clothes clammy and uncomfortable.

Just her fricking luck.

If only she hadn't spent so long over breakfast (though as a big girl she needed to keep up her strength, so she couldn't be blamed entirely she felt), or over choosing what shoes she'd wear that day (and the high heels hadn't been the wisest choice either), or her phone hadn't gone missing a few minutes before she was about to leave (after ten minutes of frantic searching she'd found it at the bottom of her pack, and how it had gotten there was a mystery, she certainly hadn't put it there) and now -

Peep!! Peep!!

At first, Eshira was inclined simply to flip the driver the bird without even turning, knowing it was some smug creature mocking the fact she had to walk. You never knew, though, she thought, and turn she did, and was then glad she had when she saw the old but shiny (and mechanically perfect, she knew) dark blue Camira draw up next to the sidewalk just behind her.

She knew that car. She'd walked past the Henry place so often, watched it grow from a rusty, clapped out old heap with bald tires into a true showpiece, gradually over the months, as Jake Henry had gradually and lovingly restored it to close to its showroom glory. In fact she'd always liked the car, and would have adored a ride in it, but the situation was awkward, especially since ake had had that fight with her guy Zane, and anyway you didn't just go up to a loner like Jake and ask something like that. Did you?

And yet now...

"Quick," he said, reaching across and opening the passenger side door, "the rain's getting worse, you'll get soaked like a gopher who just failed it's swimming lessons."

For a brief second she hesitated - was he taking the piss out of her weight issue? Yet his look was friendly enough, and stopping to pick her up was a kind act. And though Jake Henry was the kind of kid who always kept himself to himself he wasn't known for being rude or disrespectful to folk. And hadn't she heard (though not from Zane, who was no doubt embarrassed about it) that he, the Henry kid, had come to the rescue of that little Ty kid in the eighth grade, and his sister who was doing a damnawful job of protecting him herself?

*****

Jake had been in two minds about stopping to pick up Eshira Fanning. He knew she and Zane had a thing of sorts going, and though he was far from scared of the bully the last thing he needed was to make a long-term enemy of the guy - who needed the hassle? But he'd been caught in the rain himself enough not to have a certain sympathy with her plight, and anyway it wasn't as if he was trying to get off with her, was it? Just doing a kind act.

Therefore the conversation they had on the short drive was stilted and hesitant but he did learn one thing. That behind his back a certain girl - Ty's sister, Amy, no less, had cast (if it wasn't Ashira's imagination) looks at him when she was sure he couldn't see. It had happened when he'd been walking across the football field on the way to class and she had been sitting eating her lunch, and again when he'd been getting into the Camaro after school the previous day. ake privately thought it was simply recalling how he'd protected her from Zane and his gang, but not knowing Eshira knew about that (and showing a diplomacy not really normal to him) had decided not to mention it.

"Ah, I think she just has that look, you know," he said, "I don't think she's got any kind of thing for me."

But Eshira smiled inside. A natural romantic and enthusiastic matchmaker, she knew she'd struck a chord in his mind. The worst thing her English lit teacher had ever done was to set the class reading Jane Auaten's "Emma" in class... Eshira had missed the satire completely and taken it as a kind of instruction manual!

 

[Luneiya]

Amy was, of course, unaware that anyone had caught her. She had been having a hard time approaching the boy or finding a particularly good time to do so. But, when she finally did (when he was finally alone and didn't look too busy and she had finally worked up her nerves enough,) she managed to hold out the "thank you present" but didn't manage to look him in the eye.

Assuming he took it, she'd reach into her pack with a blushing face and, fumbling, pull something else out. It was an entirely different pastry, this time some chocolate brownies wrapped in a clear plastic bag, and the opened card on it read, "Could you please ask Zane's group to stop bullying Ty?" She finally manages to look up at him sheepishly through the curtain of her bangs.

Clearly, the first present had been a thank-you gift, and unable to make a request from that, she had prepared another to ask him for this favor.

Of course, from Eshira's perspective down the way (she happened to be nearby but not near enough for Amy to notice, if Amy even knew who she was,) it totally looked like Amy was just falling over herself to give presents to Jake Henry. This grew her matchmaker's flame to much greater intensity, though she would have to stand by for a bit to watch, like a she was a documentarian watching two wild animals. She pulls up her phone to watch over the top- a natural form of camouflage for teens everywhere.