Between Us

One

I sat on the ground, knees tucked close to my chest. I wanted the stranger to leave. But he just stood there, staring down at me. When I finally focused on his face through the tears, I could make out his honey-coloured eyes set against dark brown skin.

"Leave me alone," I said, turning away from him. Casting my gaze to the ground, I heard him take a step towards me and sit down. He crossed his legs under him and rubbed his palms together, warming them up.

"What's your name?" He asked. I looked up. His face was half in shadow under the night sky.

I shifted in my position and tightened my grip around my knees.

When I didn't answer, he leaned forward.

"I'm Niko," he said. And I looked up just enough to see if I could reach my jacket that lay discarded next to him.

But his eyes followed mine and he picked it off the ground, dusted it, and held it out to me.

Cautiously, I took it and pulled it on, wincing when the material made contact with my grazed elbows. I gave up trying to put it on and instead draped it over my knees.

Niko stood and held out a finger before jogging into the dense trees.

When he returned, I saw a small box in his hands. A first aid kit materialised as he came closer.

"Can I?" He asked, gesturing to my arms, sitting down next to me. He was too close.

I was wary of this stranger who was trying to help me in the dead of the night. But when I saw the genuine look in his eyes, I let him tend to my bleeding elbows.

Gently, I studied his face as he dabbed my wounds with a cotton swab then pressed a plaster on each arm- first on my left, then my right.

When he was done, he closed the box, but made no indication that he was about to leave.

If he was psychotic serial killer, he would've killed me by now. So why was he here?

"Where do you live? I can drop you off home if you-" he began.

"No thanks," I cut him off, as I pulled on my jacket.

I didn't have my phone anymore, but I guessed it was after 1pm. The moon was bright and high in the sky and the distant engine of cars sounded through the air.

"Look, I'm not leaving until I know you're not going to do anything stupid." He sighed, running his fingers through his afro.

I blinked, suppressing the urge to roll my eyes at his words.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, each word filled with anger.

Niko exhaled a breath and tilted his head to the side, observing me.

"I need to be sure that when I leave you'll be safe."

His words pierced through the walls around my heart and I felt my shoulders relax. Nobody had ever said those words to me. No-one had even cared that deeply for me.

But the words from this boy were enough to confirm that he was just a kind stranger. It was hard to find such a gentle person in this world.

"Then you'd be the only one."

Niko stiffened. But he relaxed as soon as my eyes met his. He was wearing a black leather jacket over a white shirt. His black jeans looked worn and white-washed. I wondered what he was doing so far out from the main roads.

Then unexpectedly, he laughed. It was a low, soulful sound that echoed around me.

When I raised my eyebrows at him, he stopped, his expression settling into a lazy smile.

"Do you even know what you'll be throwing away if you jump?"

"A life of tears and bullying? I don't think I'll miss it," I replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

Niko shook his head and said, "don't you have a dream? Like, something you want to achieve before you disappear from this world?"

When I didn't reply, he continued.

"Personally, I've always wanted to be a lion-tamer. But I don't know if the lion would be offended by my good looks and charm," he said, his eyes shining in the darkness.

I stopped myself from laughing at his self-consumption.

I snorted, "sure."

Niko scooted closer. I could see his breath fog in front of me.

"How about I make you a deal?" He asked.

He seemed nice, but I was done with the conversation. I hoped his 'deal' involved him leaving me alone.

"What?"

His eyes held mine, and I suddenly felt self-conscious of my tear-stained face and the small freckles that dotted my dry skin. I was pretty sure I had snot clogged between my nose and upper lip.

Still, I didn't care.

Niko leaned back and held out a hand.

"Give me one week. And if I can't convince you that life is worth living, I'll drive you back here myself and make sure you jump. Deal?"