Like Father Like Son

Chapter 3

Safu, Alan, and I began walking to school. It was the first day of school. Alan was just beginning his freshmen year after being homeschooled for all of his life. Safu and I were now Juniors at Elyurias High.

"Wooow~! Look at all the fish! So many different colors!" Alan ran across the bridge and stopped at the center to get a good view at the fish. Safu and I ran after him, yelling for him to be careful.

He was right, the fish did look amazing from up here. There were so many different colors of fish, probably because it was spring. My eyes widened in amazement at the pretty sight beneath me.

"Hey, Shion, do you remember what happened on this bridge 9 years ago?" Safu asked as we walked over the bridge. She stopped at the center of the bridge and looked down into the crystal clear waters below. The way the wind blew her hair and made her skirt flutter made her look as if she were a model posing for a picture. Wow, she looked beautiful.

"How could I forget? This was where we first met. You saved me from a pack of wild dogs here." I laughed, recollecting the memory.

>Flashback yo<

"Stop it! Stay away from me!" I yelled as I backed closer and closer towards the rail of the bridge. The three wild dogs snarled at me and barked for the food in my box. I threw my backpack at the dogs in an attempt to scare them away. "Leave me alone!"

I couldn't let them have this food! Mum needed it to make dinner tonight! We were having lamb, and the dogs must've smelled the meat!

My back pressed against a wooden structure. I looked behind me and saw the water below me. I imagined me falling into the deep waters below. The thought made me dizzy and made me turn my head back towards the dogs.

The dogs were still snarling at me and eyeing me with a hungry look in their eyes. The leader of the group, a black pitbull, snapped at me and stretched it's legs back to pounce on me.

I knew what was coming next, but I had no way to prevent it. So, I pulled the bag of groceries into my chest and shut my eyes really tight. I heard the dog bark and then jump...

I waited a few seconds, but nothing happened. Huh?

I slowly peeked one eye open, then opened both eyes as I saw what happened.

A girl only inches shorter than me had jumped in front of me and pushed the dog away before it could hit me. The girl was standing in front of me and was staring at the dogs, so I couldn't really see her face.

"Go! Get out! Leave her alone!" The girl yelled, picking up pebbles from the ground and throwing it at the dogs feet. I think she didn't want to hurt the dogs. The dogs whimpered then ran down the streets.

Once they were no longer in sight, my hero turned around.

"Are you alright?" she asked gently. Although it was dark, I could see she had brown eyes and brown hair, just like me. Her hair was short with a bow in it, and she wore a blue dress.

I thought she looked very pretty.

I never talked to a girl by myself before, Mom not included. I didn't know what to say, so I just pushed out all the words I could muster.

"I-I'm fine.. Th-Thank you..." I squeaked. She smiled at me. Her smile made my heart do frontflips.

"That's good. By the way, my name is Safu." she stuck out her arm and patiently waited for me to shake it.

I didn't, though. Instead, I pulled the grocery bags closer to my chest and broke into a fit of tears.

"My name is Shion... and I'm not a girl!"