Give Me More Time With Her

Chapter 1: The Rescue

There she was. Kate. Such a sweet and innocent girl, driven to something as horrible as suicide. I extend my arm, trying to rewind further, but it doesn't work. "I'm gonna have to do this without my powers. Every word counts, Max. Don't screw up" I say to myself. I try to rewind one last time, just to check. But in that moment, I moan in pain, and Kate turns around.

Her eyes.... red and glassy, tears staining her cheeks, her voice hoarse from her crying. "What are you doing here, Max? Stop! Don't come near me, I'll jump!" She's so hurt by all of this. I reply, "Okay. I'm right here, Kate. We can fix this. We can take down Nathan Prescott. We can cleanse Blackwell. This is our chance to beat the bullies." She looks at me with those big green eyes of hers. She tells me, "Oh Max, I know you want to help me, but I've lost all hope. I'm already on the Internet forever. No wonder they call it a web, nothing can get out.... like my video."

I step closer. "Kate, I'm your friend. Let me help. I have proof now that Nathan Prescott hurt you and drugged you. If you come down with me, I can tell you more." Kate kept crying, but in her eyes, I saw a glint of hope and joy. She replied, "You're a great friend, Max, even if you're full of crap. I'll come with you. Still friends?" I couldn't resist. I stepped close until I was looking up directly at her. I said, "Always. Hug on it?" I opened my arms to welcome her. As quickly as the hope came to her, it faded just as quickly. "No!", she yelled, "nobody cares about me. Nobody."

This is when my brain started working. I told myself, "She's facing an internal battle, Max. Every word counts now. She's in between, and what you say could either bring her off that ledge onto the rooftop, or off the ledge onto the pavement two stories below us. Choose what you say wisely." I then told her, "Kate, I saw that postcard from your father. He clearly loves you without question. He'd be devastated." Kate looked at me, surprised. She said, "Dad does care, even though I hurt him." I reach out at last, and Kate reaches in return. I reach and reach and eventually, our fingers touch, and I grab her hand and arm, and pull her to the rooftop. She collapses to the ground, the tears coming faster and harder than before. I hold her in my arms, gently talking to her, telling her that she was gonna be alright. She cried and cried, and eventually, I cried with her. I wasn't going to lose the person that meant the most to me so easily.