Upside Down (Skandar Keynes Fanfiction)

Reversed Decade

He was sitting two rows before her, and the right left cheek was visible to her sight. That hair, that shoulder, that jaw... And even that habit to play with his fingers! She gasped and snapped her head off back to her notes. Another rapid flood of pieces of memories weaved through her neurons as she tried to gain concentration, which seemed to be poorly possible.  

--- 

"No, Skandar. No way!" she cried.

"Ah, come on. It's easy; row the pedals, gain balance, and... Voila! You're on it." Skandar comforted. Jack was only eight years old, but yet still unable to ride on a two-wheeled bike.

"I will fall!" she resisted.

"I've fallen as well, but it's just the first time. The second time you ride it, it'll come to your senses naturally." Skandar said and smiled. He pulled his sleeves off and showed her his bruises; it was barely visible now. She pouted.

"No." she insisted.

"You're afraid of falling?" he teased. She could felt a single solitary angry tear came out her eyelids, she wiped it fiercely.

"I just hate taking care of wounds." she lied. She hated to be underestimated, so damn hated it she let her fear evaporate. She gave Skandar a challenging glare, and he let out a satisfied smirk. She was about to pedal when her feet froze. She inhaled deeply, whispering herself to calm.

"You're scared." he teased. He walked to the side of the bike calmly; she couldn't interpret was it for showing off or to relaxed her instead. "Don't you trust me? I'm your best friend." he smiled.

She narrowed her eyes. With her last exhale, she rowed the pedal. When the gear reached a semi-circular cycle, she lost balance. Skandar's agile hand caught her arms but her left foot touched the ground first; concentrating her weight on the tip of her toe. She made another semi-circular row and was off balance in an instant. Skandar was there to catch her, but her fine reflex won over his movement. When she let her foot of the ground, she let the gravity took control. The road was curved down slightly and she started to feel the air combed her brown long hair.

It was fun.

It was fun! He was right!

Jack lost control and went down farther and farther, where the road curved down in a sharper angle. That was the moment she realized she couldn't stop; she didn't know how to stop. It was a very panicky moment; some sick enjoyment that came from her furious speed raced in her vessels.

She then saw a small puppy helplessly walked across the road she was about to cut within less than a second. It was a very foolish, yet she denied it and called it heroic, action when she turned away and led herself into a park and brushed her flesh against the ground. Not to mention Skandar's bike was thrown at least three metres from the tip of her toe.

"Jack!" she heard Skandar's voice not far from her. He panted, slid his knees and arrived just on time. Jack sighed and sank herself in the tall grass, head against the ground as if to release her pain to the air. "What did you think you're doing?! I couldn't catch you!"

"I think I bleed." Jack said. Skandar's eyes went big and his hands seeked for her wound. "Sorry for your bike, Skandar." she said softly. 

"It's just a bike." Skandar said, rolling his eyes. He winced silently as he saw her wound, contrary to her relaxed expression. "Does it hurt badly?" he asked.

"Skandar it's just a common bruise, Skandar. I'm alright." she said. A single hot tear escaped from her eyelids as she began to feel the pain. She stifled her sobs, so that she could blame the dust that harmed her eyes. "I almost crash into that puppy, under the tree." she added, pointed a big maple tree. Skandar turned around and searched for the puppy.

"The puppy is okay." he said carefully. "Come on, let's go get you home now." he said.

"I'm okay. The puppy is not okay." she protested. "Let's go get it home." she pleaded. For a moment, there was a silly annoying smile playing across his face. He seemed to be amused by the idea.

"What? Who's gonna take care of it?" he tried to reply rationally as he tried to hide his laughter.

"Both of us, of course! You have a dog right? We can do things to get money to feed Lucky!" Jack said happily. The idea was rational, but still he couldn't help but find an amusing scene with the realization.

"Lucky?" he asked.

"Well, he must have a name, mustn't he?" Jack said and smiled sheepishly.

"But-"

"Come on Skandar, please."

There was a long pause afterward as Skandar might need some time to consider things up before he came to his decision. He examined her face, and she stared back hopefully at him to show how much she wanted that dog. He then sighed and Jack jumped in excitement. 

"But we need to take care of your bruise first. And then see if someone owns the dog, okay?" 

--- 

She must be dreaming or hallucinating now because everything that played back on her mind seemed to be as alive as her surrounding, maybe even more alive. They stared for a moment as Jack was wondering why was that face, the one that was on his face a decade ago when Skandar was bewildered about the idea of picking up the dog, was so alive it could stare back at her so intensely. That was the moment she realized she was staring at the same person, a decade after, and the same face was staring back to her.