Save Me From Myself

Milo Green, the handsome all-around-perfect fella.

The snow outside was around two inches and most of the bridges in town were iced over, but that didn't stop the school from having class. Sam was wrapped up in her best winter clothes and hurried into the school. She ripped off one layer of her sweaters and flung it into her locker. A tingle went up her spine, and she could feel the eyes of somebody on her back. She closed her locker and slowly turned around. A boy about her age stood by the door of her first block, staring at her. His periwinkle windows to his soul complimented his mahogany mane which brushed against his ears. He was quite handsome, and his violet eyes quickly looked the other way. I couldn't help but stare. He had a toned but slender body covered with russet skin, and a prominent scar stood out on the hazel skin of his cheek. A cinnamon growth of hair adorned his chin. As Sam drew nearer, she caught a note of his scent that brought yellowed pages to mind. There were no words to describe how beautiful this boy was. Sam was a bit shaken, but remained calm and went to take her seat at the back of the class when Mr. Whitman stopped her.

"Sam," he said with a smile. "I would like to introduce you to our newest student, Milo." Milo smiled awkwardly and shook my hand. "He's on the football team and will be in your first and second block." Sam nodded and again went to her seat in the back. She heard footsteps behind her and spun on her heels to face Milo.

"I-I was just going to my seat." He rubbed his arm.

"There are no assigned seats. You can sit anywhere."

"Well, I prefer the back." She rolled my eyes at him.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. People around here bully the ones who sit in the back."

"Yet I'm a football player, so I doubt they will." He took a seat next to her. He then pulled out his phone and began texting. Sam eyed him carefully with her peripheral vision. He wore pretty basic clothing, a long-sleeved Nike shirt with jeans and sneakers. The second bell rang and students started piling into the classroom. She tossed her aqua hair into a bun and took out her notebook. Milo coughed and she looked over at him. He handed her his cellphone, and on it was a prompt to fill in new contact information. She found this very weird, but maybe he wanted to ask about help for their classes that they had together, or the slim chance that he wanted to be friends. Sam wasted no time in putting in her name and handing it back. He grinned at her and class began. He was the first friend she had had in years.

The weeks went on as normal, up until lunch one uneventful afternoon. Sam always sat by herself at a table in the front of the lunchroom. Because it was freezing, the cafe was serving hot cocoa and soup. Not the best combination, yet anything warm was good today. A few of the football players walked behind her and poured the hot liquids over her little blue head. Four different steaming hot soups and cocoa ran over her and into her clothes while burning her translucent pale face. She stood up and gasped while teachers ran over. The football players laughed, even as they were carried away. The entire lunchroom went silent before bursting out into roars of laughter. Sam threw her tray on the floor and slammed her frail body up against the door and left. She didn't stop to get the sweater she had taken off and went straight to her car and left the school. She saw Mr. Whitman in her rear-view mirror, waving to try to stop her. She sped through the open gates and straight home.

Sam parked on the edge of the grass and ran as fast as her legs could carry her down a few blocks to the fields. Tears streamed down her face and she quickly pushed aside snow until you could see the dirt at the base of the tree. She scrambled up the tree and sat on the edge of the branch. She waited only a second or two before sobbing into her glove-covered hands. She shivered violently from the wet liquids becoming ice on her body, and she knew that she would either die from hypothermia or from falling. Whichever came first. Then, she heard someone shouting from behind her. She glanced over to see Milo.

"Sam!" He shouted and ran faster to her tree. "What are you doing?!" She sniffled and brushed aside tears and watched him panting as he reached the base of the tree. He stared up at her.

"Samantha, please carefully come down from there." She shook her head. "Fine. Then I'll come up." He clumsily climbed the tree and took a seat next to her and quickly hugged her. Sam allowed him to hug her and awkwardly patted his back. The two of them began talking, and he actually managed to make her laugh a few times. Milo even gave her his jacket to prevent any frostbite. Eventually, the mood lightened and Sam was able to be herself for once. 

"So what have you been doing lately?" Sam asked.

"You know. Sneaking around. Saving the world. Saving a fine lady from jumping out of a tree." Milo gave her a self-assured grin. "Other than that? Nothing important."

She laughed and lightly shoved his arm. "You're such a..."

"Rogue? Beast? Uncontested master of awesome?"

"Rogue," she said lightly. "Definitely rogue." Milo leered at her before reaching to ruffle her hair, leaving her navy locks askew.

She groaned in annoyance, running her fingers back through her hair to straighten it out, all the while smiling. Milo grinned. Milo lapsed momentarily into an uncharacteristic silence. Sam angled her head in response.

"What is it?" He looked at her.

"Did you almost kill yourself just because some idiots decided to douse you in hot food items?"

"Don't be stupid," she shook her head lightly. "That was just my breaking point."

"Alright, then what led up to this?"

"Home life sucks, school life sucks. Everything. I have no friends and I-"

"You have me." He cut me off.

"Why do I have you as a friend, Milo?"

 "In all honesty, it's because you're different. Everyone in that school is like a clone. They do the same stuff, talk the same and dress the same. Not you, and I like that." Sam shrugged and looked away. The winter wind  blew through the barren tree branches and Milo started chuckling. Sam looked at him, confused.

"Sorry," he was still smiling. "Your facial expressions are just funny." Sam laughed along with him. It felt good to laugh again. They both shimmied down the tree and onto the mound of snow that had been piling up below. Sam handed his jacket back.

"I think it's about time for me to head home."

"I can drive you there. I wouldn't want you walking in this weather." He nodded his head in the direction of his rusty pickup truck.

"Nah, I wouldn't want to make you drive me home."

"It's not a problem, I have to go that way anyway. It's not like it's out of the way or anything." Milo hopped into the drivers sear of the truck and opened the door for Sam. She got in and they drove down the block to her house.

"Milo," her voice was shaky from the winter chills. "Not to be creepy or anything, but you do live far from here?"

"Not at all. Actually, I live three roads down."

"How did you know that I lived here?"

"I followed your car when you sped out of the school parking lot." He pulled into the driveway of Sam's house and sighed. "I can tell you're not happy. Just by the way you smile and the way you talk. It's all an act. I know that. That's why when you left, I was scared you would try to do something reckless, and if I can prevent that from happening then that's what I'll do." He smiled weakly. Sam's eyes started to get glassy before they overflowed with tears. She cried into his shoulder for several minutes before recovering.

"Thank you." She mumbled. The smell of old books covered his clothes.

"What for?"

"Saving me from doing something reckless. From saving me from myself." He hugged her tight.

"It's a pleasure." He looked out at the sun setting in the distance. "You better get in the house before your parents start worrying about you."

"Yeah," Sam mumbled. "Sure." She opened the door and hopped out. "Bye, Milo." He waved and drove off. Of course her parents were still fighting like cats and dogs in the middle of the kitchen, but Sam paid no attention to them. She grabbed a glass of milk and a Poptart before returning upstairs to her room. It feels nice, she thought, having sometime care for you. I've never had that before... Sam was caught up on thinking about Milo before falling asleep.