When You Need Someone *Discontinued*

The Girl You Called Pretty When You Thought She Didn't Hear

My heart beat hard against my chest and my breathing was sharp. I narrowed my eyes at the dirt path I was currently running on. It led into a beautiful forest full of life that was lit up by the sun's illuminating rays through the green leaves.

I continued to jog, my hair clung to my face despite the frosty fall air and my feet pounded against the ground. I knew the forest like I knew my house and I could jog through it with my eyes closed and still be able to get home without a scratch. On the sides of the dirt path were the occasional clearing, some ponds, big rocks and lots of trees.

As a clearing came into view, I heard a boy calling out into the forest. Shouting somebody named Crosby's name. I stopped and pulled my hair behind my ear. The boy turned and I inhaled sharply. 

He was handsome, like really good-looking. He looked my age, grade eight, though I had never seen him before. He looked at me curiously with eyes the lightest shade of brown I had ever seen. His blond hair was decorated with mud and leaves, as if he has just rolled down a hill like a toddler.

"Wow, she's pretty..." He whispered to himself and I blushed. "Who are you?" He asked defensively.

"My name is Arisdel," I looked down at his bike that lay in the dirt beside him, "You?"

"Fenton."

I raised my eyebrow, "and what are you doing here in this forest?" I gestured around me, "I've never seen anyone else in this forest before."

"My dog ran away when I was walking him and I saw him dash into this forest clearing before I fell."

Well, that explains why he looks like he just rolled down a wet hill...

"Would you, like some help?" I offered.

"Yes, please," he sighed in exasperation, "why does Crosby have to have brown fur?"

"Is that your dog's name?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Crosby!" We called out at the same time and we looked at each other briefly before continuing to search for Crosby.

After five minutes of searching, Fenton sighed and looked at me. "I don't think we'll find him."

"Crosby!" I called in one last desperate attempt. I sighed and turned and suddenly caught a fleeting movement. Fenton and I frowned and shared a look, before slowly advancing towards the place we saw the movement coming from.

When we were a couple feet away, a brown bullet of fur jumped on me and I shrieked before landing on my butt. Laughter erupted from the boy beside me in the otherwise quiet forest and I glared at him as I stood up, holding what I presumed to be Crosby in my hands.

I glared at the dirty dog before laughing too. I put Crosby down, who raced to his owner, and sat on one of the many big rocks in the clearing. I closed my eyes and strained to listen to the music of nature. I heard Fenton come and sit beside me and I smiled slightly before listening again for the chirping birds, the flutes, the rustling leaves, percussion, and the sounds animals made in the wild, brass. 

"So, what's your last name?" I opened my eyes in surprise at the question.

I looked at Fenton then looked at the floor, "Alexander."

"Timothy," I looked up at him.

"What?"

"My last name."

"Oh." I smiled. "What school do you go to? I've never seen you before at my school."

"Red Bark Public School. You?"

"Sarah Carter Public School." 

"How old are  you, Arisdel?"

"13, my birthday was in September. How old are you?"

"13, my birthday is in February."

"Well, I've go to go, my mom is probably expecting me by now." I smiled at Fenton as I stood.

"What's your phone number?" He asked.

I pulled out my phone and he pulled out his. We exchanged phones and I typed mine in while naming my contact as The Girl You Called Pretty When You Thought She Didn't Hear before giving him his phone back. Fenton looked at the name I put myself under and blushed. I laughed and he slipped his phone in his dirty jeans and smiled at me, his brown eyes shinning.

"Cal-," he started but Crosby whimpered from beside him, sad to be ignored the whole conversation. I crouched down and petted Crosby with a smile. I stood and looked to see Fenton grinning at me. 

"Well, call me sometime." I nodded and started jogging back down the path, but not before waving to my new friend.