Just Your Average Girl

Chapter 11: Normal

"Good morning, Mr. Morris."

"Oh! Good morning Marleni. I didn't know you were coming over this morning. It's so nice to see you. This reporter wants to talk to you, " Tamira's dad gestured to the tall, skinny man with dark hair sitting at the table.

"Who?"

"A Mr. Ron Neutmeyer."

"From the local morning show?" I feigned surprise. I was more concerned with how they found me. I turned to Ron and said, "Good morning, Mr. Neutmeyer." We shook hands and I sat across the table from him and his two suited associates.

"Miss Madison, we just want to know a little more about you. Before we start rolling, can you sign this consent form?"

"First, can you answer me this one question? How did you find me here?"

He looked at me for a moment and chose his words carefully. "A man answered the door and told us he couldn't find you. He said you had a friend that lived nearby and we should ask her. We didn't expect you to be here." I read the terms of agreement and signed my name on the bottom line. "Miss Madison, everyone in the area has heard the story of your heroism. It's truly an amazing feat. To most people, it's quite unusual. Can you tell us what happened?"

I waited for him to start the tape recorder and sighed. "I closed my eyes and remembered the incident. "Damian and I happened to meet while we were walking home from school, and we started talking. Some guys grabbed us and threw us into a van. We were brought to a warehouse where two men held me down-"

"How did they hold you down?" he interrupted. I rolled up my T-shirt sleeves over my shoulders and showed him the bruises I had from when they grabbed me. They were nearly gone, but the bruises were slightly visible with purplish tints. Neutmeyer looked astonished as I explained what happened. "They pulled my arms behind my back because I was struggling. One tried to put his hand over my mouth, but I bit him so hard it drew blood. He punched me in the stomach, and I punched him back. He yanked my arm back behind me so hard. I thought he was going to rip it off!

There was a third man with a gun who told me that if I didn't shut up, he'd shoot me where I stand." I shivered at the thought of that man and his raw breath in my face. Mr. Neutmeyer was staring, shocked, at me. The reporter asked, looking down at his notes," What happened to Damian?"

"Damian was tied up on the ground. The gunman pulled him up by his hair and put the gun to his neck. He was trying to make him say something, but I couldn't hear anything. Then he just shot him." I had my hands on my head now. I still couldn't understand why anyone would attack us. Damian's the sheriff's son, so why? I leaned my head on my hand and looked at Mr. Neutmeyer with tired eyes."Anymore questions?"

He was surprised for a moment then looked to his notepad. "Um, yes. What happened after the shooting? How did you save Damien?"

I knew that if I tried to tell him exactly how I saved Damien, he wouldn't believe me. "I got away from the guys that were holding me and carried Damien to the hospital."

"Nothing else? What about the gunman?"

"I disarmed him."

There was silence. I could tell he wanted more details but I had to choose my words carefully. "I knocked out the men who grabbed me. The gunman shot at me three times, but he missed. We had a struggle, and I slid the gun. We fought some more and I smashed into his clavicle with the side of my hand."

"And what about you?" I glanced at him, "What about me?"

"According to your school records, you went missing for two weeks."

"I think I slipped into a coma. When we reached the hospital, I blacked out and I hit the ground pretty hard."

We were all quiet for a while. All I could hear was Mr. Morris getting ready for work upstairs. Tammy was probably pressing her ear against the door, trying to hear everything. I got up and pulled my hair out of the scrunchy. My hair spilled over my shoulders as I shook hands with Mr. Neutmeyer and the two men with him. They stood up, confused, and obediently followed my guidance out the front door. Ron stopped me before I shut the door. "Miss Madison, do you have any last remarks?"

I stopped and thought for a moment, leaning on the door frame. "I thank God for the things I can do, but when it comes down to it, I'm just your average girl." I chuckled to myself and waved them goodbye. I shut the door and leaned my head against the door. "Greg, Tammy, I know you were eavesdropping." There was a shuffling in the room adjacent to the living room. Greg and Tamira walked out guiltily.

"Just your average girl, huh?" Greg snorted, "You're everything but 'average.' You trained in martial arts in the mountains of Japan until you were, like eleven. That's not normal."

I rolled my eyes."Oh shut up, Greg." I slumped into the living room couch. Tammy sat down beside and said, "You know he's right. Marleni, you are very different from every other girl."

"Wow, thanks," I said sarcastically. She sighed and hugged me. "And that's why you're my best friend."

"You guys make me sick." Greg made puking noises. "Oh, shut up Greg! Go play your video games or something," we said together. We laughed at the coincidence. I didn't mind not being normal; especially since being weird gives me a great friend like Tamira Morris.