Walking Away

If You'll Let Me

Raven

I went down the bus stairs, head down as I tried to decipher my history textbook. It was hopeless. I could already feel the headache coming on.

Ugh. Mondays.

My phone rang, and I answered automatically. "Yeah?"

"I need your help. Please. Jonah's with Mark and Mark was with Ali because Ali's got a fever and I thought everything was fine because it went down but it's not because her fever went up and Kate's having a meltdown and Mark just chose the worst freaking time in the world to go drive his cousin to the airport, and something is burning in the oven because apparently Mark tried to cook before he left and just forgot to mention it and the smoke alarm is going off and everyone is crying and some little kid keeps coming to the door and I've been awake for like 80 hours please come help me but don't tell Jonah because he'll kill me."

"Kenny?" I asked, checking the caller ID.

"Oh. Yeah. Yes, it's Kenny. Please?" I could hear screeching in the background. The smoke alarm.

"Um," I started to ask how I was even supposed to get there when I saw my mom's car in the driveway. "You're so lucky I can drive. I'll be there soon. Text me your address."

"Bless you." He hung up, and I got a text a few moments later.

"Mom?" I called as I walked in. She poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Daughter?" She grinned, already in her pyjamas. "I'm home. And soon to be sleeping."

"I have to ask a favor." Mom nodded, gesturing for me to talk as she shoveled cereal in her mouth.

"Could I borrow the car to help a friend?" She nodded. 

Swallowing her cereal, she wiped her mouth. "Address?"

I handed her my phone. She forwarded to herself and then typed it into google maps for me.

She'd started doing that after I switched a couple numbers in the grocery store address. I had almost left the state that day. It took hours to get home.

Giving her a hug, I left the house and carefully drove to Kenny's house. I'd been there once already but I hadn't been paying attention. This time I tried to remember the turns.

I got out of the car, walking up to the door. I didn't even get to knock before Kenny opened it, the smoke alarm blaring. "You're here!" He grabbed my arm, pulling me inside. The air smelled slightly like smoke.

"I'm opening all the windows in case there's too much smoke, and turning the fans off, and honestly I'm two seconds away from grabbing a hammer and smashing that stupid thing into a million silent pieces." Kenny explained. He looked tired - 80 hours and all. 

80 hours. Is that actually possible?

Calmly, I reached up and turned off the smoke alarm. Kenny's jaw dropped. 

"That happens a lot at my house." I explained. "And windows are a good idea, but there's not enough smoke to hurt them, so you don't need to worry."

"You...you are amazing. Incredible. An angel sent from heaven above." Kenny listed. He dropped to his knees, kneeling. "I shall worship you until the end of day. Just this day, though, because after that it's just creepy and for all I know you could grow mad with power."

Laughing, I pulled him up. "Stop that. I just pressed a button. What's next?"

"I can help Ali but Kate went to school today and is melting over her homework." Kenny explained.