Afraid Of The DARK

Chapter One: Saige

     Yesterday, the teacher said that there was going to be a new student at school tomorrow. And technically, tomorrow is today so I'm wondering who it is. A boy or a girl? I'm afraid of the dark so I have a night light that turns on and off automatically. I get off of my bed and change out of the pajamas I'm wearing. I comb my silky brown hair and tie it in the back.

     I grab my backpack that's leaning against my desk and put files and folders full of paper in them into my bag. I take a look one last time in the mirror before I go downstairs and eat breakfast. I see that my skirt is bent up in the back, so I neatly brush the skirt down and tuck in my white T-shirt. My first impression in front of the new kid would be awkward if I hadn't noticed my skirt. I go downstairs and grab the box of Frosted Flakes and pour some into a bowl. I grab a spoon and find a place to eat my breakfast.

     Yes, I know, you must be thinking, you're missing a part. No, I'm not. I like my cereal without milk. Only a few people in my class like theirs without milk. I'm different and I think different makes me unique from the others. 

   I finish eating my breakfast and take my bowl over to the sink. 

     "MOM!-" I call to her. I want her to drive me to school because it's still kind of dark outside even though it's 7:30. I run upstairs to grab my phone I left on my desk and run back downstairs.

     "Yes, Saige?" My mom replies. On second thought, I would look kiddish if I arrived to school with my mom but it would be fine if she picked me up...I decided to ride my bike to school instead so I don't look like a weird kid with their freaking creepy dolls at night.

     "Uhmm...Just wanted to say that I'm riding my bike to school and I'm heading off so I wanted to say 'Bye...?'" I say. When the words came out of my mouth, it sounded as if I was asking a question.

     "Really? Are you sure? Okay, just be careful and wear your helmet. Text or call if you need something, okay?" She sounded shocked, because I've never went to school on my bike before. I'm scared a little since it is my first time riding to school without anyone but I headed out the door anyway. I decided to leave my helmet, and hid my phone in my jacket pocket. I wasn't allowed to use my phone on the week days, but everyone had brought their phone in like- 4h grade, so I had to. Wearing a helmet is very uncomfortable, so I just went to where my bike was parked. Yesterday was raining so the ground is muddy and wet.

     I put my backpack on both of my shoulders and get on my bike. At first, I am a bit unsteady because I have not ridden my bike for a long time but I soon get the hang of it again. As soon as I do, I push on my pedals, going at my own pace. I look at my watch. It's 7:38. I have to get to school by eight O'clock. I'm sure I have enough time, if  I'm not pedaling so slow. I'm watching out for cars on the street that I wasn't even paying attention ahead of me! I see a pole and dodge it, looking behind me at it relieved that I noticed it, I look in front of me again and see another bike very close to mine I almost bump into it. I'm speeding down a hill and I'm pressing on the breaks- Too Late.

   I fall forward off my bike, somersaulting onto the muddy grass. I see a few scrapes on me because of the bike and sidewalk but more importantly, I am drenched, covered in ooze. I look at my bike and it has many scratch marks on it. The front wheel has deflated with a tiny hole in it. My heart sinks. This is not how I planned this day to go. 

   Ugh. Can this day get any worse? The other biker is rushing towards me, with a worried look on their face. 

   "Are you okay?" He says.

   "For the most part," I tell him.

   "That was a tough landing. Are you hurt?"

   "Yeah, but it's nothing to worry about." I reply, putting my hands behind my back.

   "C'mon, let's get you up." He says, holding his hands out to me. I move my hands that's behind my back onto his hands, forgetting the reason why I hid them in the firs place. I get up.

   "What, your bleeding..." He yells.

   "You said you were okay,"

   "I am okay, see? It's just a scratch." I say, I smile with my hands open right next to my face.

   "Once I get you to your school, you are going to the nurse." He demands.

   "But my bike is messed up." I look at my bike, wondering how my parents would react if they saw it.

   "I know, that's why I'm taking you to school." He says.

   "What school do you go to?"

   "Lavender Hills." I don't know if I should trust him or not. Telling someone I've just met where I go to school. Like I just met him! Now I start to regret telling him that. I hope that by the end of this horrible, never-ending day, he forgets what school I go to.

   Still I say, "You know, the place where the lavender flowers and plants grow near?"

   "Yes, I know," He assures me.

   "Get on," He says.

   "What about my-"

  "Your bike? I will take care of it. Don't worry."

    He winks at me and runs uphill to go get his bike. He brings his bike over to me and says, "Let's pick up your things first." I didn't even notice that all my stuff were scattered on the ground because I was too busy thinking about if I should trust that boy. He helps me pick up my now damp, things and puts them in my back pack. I carry my back pack over my shoulders not knowing what to do. He keeps telling me to get on his bike but I don't know. I take a glance at my watch and it's 8:02. I'm going to be late if I don't get there in time. If I call my mom to pick me up I'm already blocks away from my house so she would take a while to get here. And, she would know I had my phone with me. Hesitantly, I agree and he sits down on the one seat that it has.

   "Where am I supposed to sit, then?" I ask.

   "On my lap, of course!" He laughs. 

   "Ew- what the heck?!" I shout at him, uhm, disgusted. I hit him- kinda hard.

   "I'm playin'," He finally reveals.

  "It wasn't a funny joke..." I say, staring at the red hand mark that's fading away slowly.

   "Now I feel bad for hitting you." I turn to the other way feeling bad, crossing my arms.

   "You should just get on the bike." He rubs his hand on his cheek, (where I hit him.)

   "Where should I sit at then?"

   "Here." He says, patting a white place in the back where you put your stuff on. He points at it, making sure I know what place he was talking about. I sit down where I was told to and he moves one of his leg off the ground and puts his feet onto the pedal. I hold on to his waist and he heads off to my school with his GPS on his phone on.

   "What's your name?" I ask.

   "What's yours?" He replies instead.

   "Saige." I say. 

   "Saige Willow."

   "Cool. The names Tyler." He says. The wind brushes my hair through the air and I look up into the sunny-dark sky, breathing the fresh air in.

   "Hold on tight," He tells me. I hug his waist and he takes a sharp turn, still on the sidewalk. I wave one hand in the air, "Whooooo!-"

   He glances back at me, and I'm embarrassed. I turn bright red. I look away for a second, and then turn back.

 "We're almost there." He turns back looking in front of him and in the corner of his face I can see something.  A tiny little grin.