Element

✭ Chapter 9

Please note: all chapters from here on have not been edited since their original publishing, and may contain errors.
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Today we are being sorted into groups for flying class. Ms. Benting asks each of us to go out on to the field and show her our best technique. I'm not that nervous, actually, I'm pretty sure I'll get into the advanced group. But that means harder work, with less help.

I smile, but then think of hazel-eyes. He isn't much of a flyer... and so he probably won't be in the advanced group. I feel my mood dropping, from excited, to slightly sad. But there is not time to mope. Ms. Benting is already starting to call up students!

I try to think up a good routine, but hazel-eyes keeps popping into my eyes.

No, you can think about him later! You need to focus on the task at hand! Getting into the advanced group!

I pinch my self, hard, to re-gain focus. I rack my brain some more, until the perfect routine pops into my head! Lift up, hover, lift more, side, up, other side, down, a short but really fast sprint to the middle of the field, then come back and end in a back flip- yes, this is perfect! As long as I execute these moves smoothly, and near perfection, I'll be guaranteed a spot in the advanced group. I start feeling lighter and happier as I rehearse the in the pattern in my head.

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Finally, Ms. Benting calls my name. I walk out, with my head up high. She nods at me, signaling for me to start. I take a deep breath in, and lift up about 8 feet. I hover for a few seconds, before lifting up another few feet. The weather is pretty intense up higher, and on a windy day like today, the air bites at any exposed skin. I fight to maintain control.

I rotate my palms to face my left, and I shoot over to the right.

Perfect! I think to myself as I come to a nearly effortless stop. I go a bit higher, and move over towards the left. The wind blows even harder. So hard, that it's all I hear. But down below, I can see people talking and staring straight at me. I take another deep breath and continue, I lower myself a bit, then gather the winds behind me. I let go and shoot forward, to the center of the field. But at this point, I'm pretty tired from wrestling with the winds, so I end the routine. So I come back to the group, smile, do a flip, and land.

I stand awkwardly while people are just staring at me. Then someone breaks into applause, the another person, and another, until the whole class is applauding my performance. Even Ms. Benting is applauding! I graciously accept the applause by smiling modestly. But my smile just gets bigger while I'm trying to catch my breath.

Oh my gosh! I just got applauded for my flying!

I can feel someone watching me, so I glance behind me. My eyes catch hazel ones, and they connect for a second, before I turn away blushing profusely. I look at Ms. Benting, and she gives my an approving thumbs-up, before turning to her clipboard, checking who's next.

I turn around again, and he's still looking at me. When he see's I noticed, he's smiles. It's like we're having a staring contest, and both of us want to win so desperately, that neither of us hear who's called up next.

"...Rhodes Appad. Rhodes?" Ms. Benting calls out. Hazel-eyes' cheeks turn a light shade of pink as he steps forward, breaking our stares. I gasp silently. So his name is Rhodes. He smiles a little, re-gaining his confidence after that embarrassing moment. He takes his place in front of the group. I'm silently cheering his name in my head as he closes his eyes and takes off. He looks a bit unsteady as he goes higher, and higher, and higher. His movements are too choppy to be flying that high! Heck, I can't even handle that altitude on a regular day, let alone such a windy day like today.

Ms. Benting must notice as well, because she's yelling at him to come down.

"Rhodes! You've gone to high! Come down!" But I couldn't even hear when I was 10 feet lower than he is right now! So let alone him hearing anything!

I mentally freak out.

Are you kidding? I just start liking this guy and he's going around trying to kill himself? Am I really that repulsive? What if he falls? Oh no! He's gonna die!

Suddenly, there's a huge gust of wind, that knocks him off balance, or at least, the little balance he still had! He yells out, and plummets slowly at first, trying to control the winds. But he's too panicked, and breaks into a free fall. I shriek, and the next thing I know, I'm rocketing up, shooting a gust of wind below Rhodes. It levels him out, but just barely four feet above the ground. He hovers there for a second, before I lower him down to the ground. I exhale loudly, as I lower myself onto the ground.

Suddenly, the whole class starts applauding. I hear exclamations of, "Oh my gosh!" and, "She saved his life!" I look around, dazed by all the clapping, and what just happened. Especially by what had just happened.

I saved someone's life. Not only that, but I saved my crush's life!

I plop down on the ground, still dazed about the whole I'm-a-hero thing. Suddenly, a hand reaches out to me, I guess to help me up. I take it with out hesitation, and my eyes trail to the face of the person who just helped me up.

Rhodes

As soon as our eyes meet, he moves towards me. Hesitantly, but then all at once, he envelopes me into a hug. My whole body radiates at the touching of our skin. I choke out a sob, I guess out of shock.

"Thank you. You saved my life." he says, stating it as if it were a fact.

I almost choke again, as I say, "No problem." He still has me in a hug.

"No it is a problem. You saved my life. I could've died."

"Well then you're welcome," I say more clearly.

Ms. Benting rushes over. "Rhodes, are you okay?" She asks, clearly shocked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He replies.

Then she turns to me. "Ramaya, I want you to know what you did was amazing. I don't think anyone in the school could've reacted quicker than you did. I'm insanely proud of what you did today."

"Thank you." I reply, still choking back tears.

"No, thank you." She says intensly. "Now, why don't the two of you go get some water. You can wait in the classroom. I want to talk to the two of you in private."

"Okay." Rhodes says, answering for both of us.

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We walk to the classroom slowly, as if it's our death sentence, which it possibly could be for Rhodes. He risked his life. Ms. Benting probably won't be happy with that. We stop at the water fountain to get a drink.

Rhodes clears his throat. "That was really amazing. How did you do that?"

I hesitantly reply "Um, well... I really don't know. Actually. I just, uh, didn't;t want you to fall." I stumble over each word, until I finally break. Sobs start racking my body as he pulls me into another hugs. Since he's so much taller than me, he rests his chin comfortably on the top of my head.

"Well, whatever you did, it saved my life. Although I'm not sure if I can return the favor anytime soon, I sure wish could." He says. We pull apart a little as our eyes meet, before pulling apart completely and turning away. I feel like I should reply, but I don't know what to say.

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So? Whadda ya think? If there's any questions about why Ramaya starts crying, imagine you just saved someone's life. If it were me(Wien) I'd be sobbing. Not because I'm sad, but because of shock. Like if you hear your friend is moving...*cough cough* Nadine *cough cough* You'll most likely be overcome with shock, (mixed with sadness too) making you cry. And no, Ramaya and Rhodes are not a couple, at least not yet... <- SPOILER!!! Rhodes was simply trying to comfort Ramaya. Btw: This is the longest chapter so far!!!

-Wien and Megan