Thea was walking home from school alone again. She thought about having friends and how it would be like but she told herself “No, I don't need them”

“I am used to being alone anyway" she thought as she walked on the pathway.

 The path infront her was crowded with children from her school with some classmates scattered among them, but only around her there seemed no one. From behind her she heard footsteps coming her way and looked back. She only meant to turn briefly but she ended up freezing and then staring at a boy. He was looking like he was going to fall and she couldn't just do nothing so she dashed, and with amazing speed, she pulled the boy towards her and into his friends who was standing behind her, leaving the boy with his friends before he can even say thank you.

“If I didn't catch him he would have fallen down the hill. He must be more careful. Anyway I should hurry, I have work to do when I reach home plus I have to walk to school tomorrow" Thea thought as she walked away from him.

The boy just stared at her as she hurrily left and smiled.

His friends ,worried, asked him if he was ok but his focus seemed to be on Thea.

The next day when Thea was walking to school, she saw the same boy from yesterday waiting for someone. She tried to pass him but as soon as she got in his range of sight he yelled,“Hey, you!" so loud that it almost made her deaf.

“Is he calling me?” She thought to herself. Thea looked at the side of her and saw a girl and thinking that he was calling the girl, she told the girl,“Excuse me, I think that boy over there is calling you” as Thea pointed to him. Afterwards Thea left. A little while later, Thea felt a soft tap on her shoulder.

“Sorry, I think you have the wrong person” She said.

 “Nope, seems like I have the correct person” the person replied.

 “I heard that voice before” She thought, slowly turning around. His blonde hair was like a Kiskedee’s belly and his baby blue eyes reminded her of the sky. It was him, the boy from yesterday.

 “Hi, my name is Mal”

“I was calling you before but it seems like you thought I was calling someone else” he said.

 “Why do you want to talk to me?” Thea asked not expecting him to say, “You remember me, don't you?”

“I wish to tell you thank you for what you did yesterday” so pleasantly.

“You don't need to thank me” she said, walking away afterwards, leaving him behind yet again.

 “How did  he know that I walk to school in the morning? ” she thought as she takes a few peeks at him before walking away.

“ Huh, She picks up things fast. ”

“I guess I have to try to harder to hide it” He thought and chuckled.

“Hey, wait for me!” he shouted happily as he hurrily caught up to Thea and entered the school grounds.

They entered the brightly lit school grounds and Mal seem to following her.

“What are you doing here?”

“Go to your class.” Thea said turning away and continue walking and Mal was still walking with her.

 As she left and entering her classroom she saw Mal enter the class right next to her’s.

“His class is right next to mine?”

“ So he was going to his class.”

“I feel bad now. ”

“I must apologize to him when I see him again” She thought.

“Morning, miss." She said as she walked to her seat. She answered with ‘Morning’ in a gentle way and then began with the lesson. She could feel the glares and talking under the squeaking of the marker being dragged across the board.

At break, when she was leaving the class, she saw Mal again waiting on her.

“ Don't you have anything better to do?” Thea asked as she walked to the library.

“This is the best thing I could do. ”

“ Anyways, why are we going to the library? ” Mal asked as he followed Thea.

“ It's none of your business, is it?” Thea said,  turning sideways to Mal to see his expression on his face.

She was sure that he would give up but he just replied with,“ Well, it is now, plus you can't get rid of me that easily.”

She was surprised yet again by his answer and in defeat, she decided to let him follow her.

After a while, they arrived to the library and went in. Thea went to one of the shelves, not to look for a book but to listen to conversations. Back in her old school even though you are not supposed to talk, the library was the place with the most gossip.

There were a lot of people there as she suspected. She listened to a conversation close by between two people .

“ Did you hear? ”

“ A student from class 3.4 was brutally murdered in the back of the school.” The girl said softly.

Thea had a feeling that someone was behind her and spun around quickly to see Mal standing right behind her staring at her. “ Boo” he said softly expecting her to be scared but she just looked at him and asked, “ Are you done?”

“Yeah. Anyway,...umm can we leave now? I don't like crowded places.” He said as he looked at me.

He had a strange feeling almost like blow to the head and his nose bleed.

“Are you alright? Mal?” Thea asked.

He stayed silent and his eyes were blank before falling on the ground with him nose still bleeding.

“ Help!” Thea yelled loudly.

A librarian rushed to where they were and then asked what happened.

“He just said he didn't like crowded places and then his nose began to bleed.” I said as a crowd started to form around him.

“ Is there anyone who can help this girl take him to the Infirmary?” The librarian asked.

This is when it was finally silent in the library.

“ Don't worry, I can carry him myself.”

“It don't look like anyone wants to help anyway” Thea said before lifting him up like a princess, surprising everyone in the library.

“Where is the Infirmary” Thea asked.

“ In the principal's office”

“You can ask the principal to go in the Infirmary when you reach ” A girl answered

 Then Thea left, carrying him to the Infirmary.

Mal shifted feeling something soft under his head. “A pillow ” he thought.

“ I wonder if he is ok. ”

“ His nose bleed a lot ” He heard someone say, which was most likely Thea.

Mal slowly opened his eyes. He looked at the bed he was laying on before turning to the side of him seeing Thea. He sat up, thinking, “I fainted again?”

“Again? This happens often?” Thea asked worried.

Mal just nodded.

Thea looked at him and asked, “Are you ok?”

“ I'm fine ” he answered he said before getting up.

“ Come on, you still have something you wanted to find out right? ”

“ Let's go ” He said.

“ No, You stay here until you feel better ” Thea said as she sat him down, sitting next to him.

She gentle touched Mal's head.

“You've really gotten better like she said.” Thea said removing her hand.

“ Was it that bad” Mal asked

“ Yes, I was really worried” She replied with a an angry look.

“ Why did happened to you anyway?” Thea asked but Mal didn't respond.

“ Um... Mal, do you know a girl called Shime? ” Thea asked changing the subject.

“ She stopped by when she heard that you was sick and told me not to worry because you will feel better ”  Thea asked

Mal chuckled upon hearing this and said, “ Yes, she's my sister who cares for me a lot” before lying down before falling asleep again.

Mal ran and ran but it seemed like he was going nowhere then he jolted up from his bed.

“ This nightmare again? ”

“ Why now ” he thought as he scratched his head.

He looked at the empty seat that Thea sat in.

“ She's gone. ”

“ I thought she wasn't going to leave a sick person alone ” He thought to himself.

Then fast footsteps came from outside the room and came closer and closer. Then the bell rang and he heard someone say “ I wonder if he is alright ” and then Thea barged into the room and looked at Mal.

“ Are you ok?” She asked as she walked to Theo with a bag in her hand.

“ Yeah, but what's with the bag? ” Mal asked

“Nothing ” She said as she threw it in the corner of the room.

“ Where did you go after I fell asleep? ” Mal asked as he looked at Thea taking a seat.

“ Oh, The nurse had come and told me that the bell rang for the end of break and that she will look after you ” Thea said

“ Wait, what time is it? ” Mal asked.

“ It's lunch time?! ”

“ How long did it take you to reach the Infirmary when I fainted? ” Mal asked.