Almost Perfect World

We Believe

It was 6AM, and I was lying in my bed. It was Monday, and I had to go to high school. I started to think for a while. I would do that when it was whether too late at night or too early in the morning. I started wondering if what Drew and I wanted to do was somehow possible or we were just wasting our time and we would regret it in the future. I hoped that we did not.

I finally had to wake up, even though I was very comfortable in my bed. I had breakfast, and then I got dressed up. When I finished, I caught my bag and said goodbye to my family. I was going to go walking, so I left home at 7.30AM.

I went there just in time, so I did not have time to talk to my friend Kathy before entering the class. And that was better, because I was not really in the mood of talking.

First class went good, except because the fact that Ethan and his friends were there and Saturday had not been a good day because of them.

-----------------

It was the break. I was, as usual, with Kathy. I was not hungry, so I did not eat anything. Kathy did though. But she was looking at me with a weird facial expression. I thought she wanted to tell me something, or to ask me something, and I was not wrong.

"You're worrying me," Said Kathy finally. "You know that, right?"

"Why am I worrying you?" I was surprised for the question, although I was kind of expecting it sooner or later.

"You're acting weird. You're barely studying lately, and that's not normal from you. You barely do your homework, you're like... somewhere else. Iit's like you're here and you're not at the same time. Please, as your friend, tell me what's going on. Don't tell me nothing's going on because I know there's something here. And I'm worried."

I sighed. I did not know if I should tell her or not. I was between a rock and a hard place.

"You're absolutely right," I answered. "There's something. But now, as your friend, I'm asking you not to tell anyone anything and also to understand that I can't tell you. I'm trying to do something but I can't tell you what. It's not something you should worry about and please, just understand me. I'm sorry but I can't tell you, I can't help that. Just trust me this time."

Thankfully, she understood me. She did not ask me more about it during the break. I did not know what she was actually thinking about what I had just told her. She might have thought I was out of my mind, but she was my friend. I guessed that she would understand, or at least, I hoped that.

I had enough with my parents worried about me, and in that moment Kathy was worried too. I was complete with that. Also there was what happened with Drew and Ethan the other day. God! I had forgotten to ask him what his parents had said when they saw him. What a friend I was! "I should have asked him", I said to myself in that moment. I felt guilty for that. I wished his parents had not reprimanded him or punished him; he did not deserve that. I knew he should not have hit Ethan first, but they had to understand Drew's position.

--------------------------

I did not go home after high school. I told my mom I was going to go to the library before going home. I told her that it was because some "homework". Of course it was not because of that, but anyway it was a good excuse. Some people say that inspiration comes from nowhere, and I was going to check if I could find some in the library.

And, there I was, in the library. I was reading some magazines and newspapers there; maybe some news or something else could give me a good idea. But I found nothing there.

Also I looked up in some books, which titles looked like good ones. The books did not give me ideas either.

I read almost all the magazines and newspapers on the library. It took me a long time, and I was already hungry when I came to the library, so in that moment I was really hungry.

The search was not worth it; I did not find anything, again. I was used to lose. I felt like that, always losing. I was a loser, and I was tired of that!

I was coming home on foot, when it suddenly started raining. "Fantastic, all I needed!, I thought. It was raining cats and dogs, and home was a bit far from where I was.

I started walking a little bit fast, because I had no umbrella. I was wet though, and I was feeling so cold. I was going to get a cold, I was sure of that.

I carried on walking fast, hoping I would get home sooner. I could have called a taxi, but I did not have enough money to pay it. So I did not have a choice but walking fast.

While I was walking, something really weird happened. A man of, about 30 years old came close to me.

"Hey young lady," He told me, and I got scared. "You're so wet. Come, here you are an umbrella."

He handed me his umbrella, as he wanted me to catch it. I did not know what to do. I could take it, but it was so weird. He just had that umbrella, so he was offering me the only umbrella he had. People do not do that in the US, people do not do that anywhere. People do not usually do good things for a stranger.

Take it or leave it? What should I do? My mind was messed up, I did not know what to do. "I'd like to be dry for the rest of the walk", I said to myself. "But it could be a trick". A difficult decision, right? What would you do in the same situation? It is a hard question.

It seemed like the man knew I did not know what to do. Probably, it was so easy to notice. Then, he talked to me again.

"I know you can't trust a stranger" His eyes were staring at mine. "But the only thing I want to do is help you. Just because people don't help strangers doesn't mean it isn't the right thing. Catch the umbrella and don't ever give it back to me."

That touched my heart. I absolutely agreed with that. I could not say "no" after that. I caught the umbrella and thanked him a lot.

That small act made me think. There still were good people; people who did good things for strangers. People who preferred to help someone than to be dry the entire walk. That man had offered me his umbrella, without knowing who I am. That was absolutely awesome.

I went back home with that umbrella. I was so happy. Not just because I was clean and dry, also because people still existed, and I had seen one of them.

Maybe I had not gotten any idea from the library, but I had seen a good person who helped a stranger, and that was enough.

I barely had lunch befpre going home, just a sandwich. I was not hungry anymore. I only said hi to my family and went to my room. That man's act gave me something to hold on to. I started wondering again what Drew and I could do for our "project", and a wonderful idea came to my mind. I had to go see Drew.

"Mom, I'm going to leave," I was already on my way out home. "Ok?"

"Wait, wait," She told me. "Where are you going?"

"I've got to... see how Drew is. I'm going to his house now - I'll be back as soon as possible."

"Okay, you can go. Bye dear."

"Bye mom, love you."

I left as fast as I could to go to Drew's house. I was almost running.