I was relieved when I saw that he landed on a pile of leaves that were scattered everywhere.
I crawled to his side. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”
He opened his eyes and smiled. “I’m okay, and you?”
“I’m fine really, but why would you do something like that?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Seriously, it’s like if you’re trying to kill yourself.” I was standing up when Jared drags me down. I fell on top of him and my face began feeling hot.






“Would you care if I actually was?” He asked.
“I-,” I looked away and stared at the leaves on the ground, “guess so.” I was still on him and my face still felt like if it was burning. “Can I get up now?”
He leaned back, on his elbows. “Sure.” He grabbed his shades from under the bike. “Damn. They’re broken.”
I got up and kneeled by his side. “Let me see.” He passed them over to me. “They are cracked a little but they can be easily fixed.”
“Easily?” He raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, my uncle works in this store for glasses repair. I’m sure he can fix them.”
“Does your uncle live around here?”
“I think so, let me call him.” I searched through my contacts and found my uncle’s number. I was going to press the call button when Jared put a hand over the phone.
“Don’t bother. I will fix them myself.” I looked at him, his face and eyes were both serious and upset.
I closed my phone and angrily I tell him, “Fine, do whatever you want.” I went over to the bicycle and climbed on.
“Do what I want? That’s hard.”
“Are you coming?” I mutter.
He walks and stops right next to me. “Do you want me to come?” Why would he ask me that? I told him to do whatever he wanted not what I did. Although, I am glad he asked because I would like him to come.
“Um...,” I flushed.
“May I drive?”
I pushed myself back so he can have space. He climbed on and put his hands on the handles. This time I was too shy to put my arms around him.
“Are you trying to kill yourself?” He said.
“No.”
“Then hold on to me,” I did and then he grinned, “I promise I won’t bite.” I could not help but smile. I really like it when he is in a good mood.
He rode on a path that went around and up the cliff. It was very bumpy so I leaned closer to Jared and he drew closer to me.
I stared down at the depth of the fall and I noticed how lucky we both were that there was a pile of leaves down there. Jared was very brave to have saved me, and this is not the first. I know that I owe him my life, since he almost ended his twice, because of me.
“Thank you.”
He glanced back at me, “For what?”
“Saving me again.”
“It was my fault to begin with. I was all anxious to leave the school because of Liza-,” I looked away at the huge boulders that were at least twenty yards away. “What’s wrong?” He asked.
What happened to me? Why did I get depressed all of a sudden? Don’t tell me that I am jealous because he mentioned Liza. It is not like he likes her, or does he? He could be lying about trying to get away from Liza.
“I want to walk.” I said.
“Walk?” Yes, I do. I want to walk alone and think. He can just return the bike tomorrow.
“Why do you want to walk? Is the bike uncomfortable, because I can get off?”
“It’s not the bike. I just want to walk…alone.”
He pulled back the brakes and put his feet on the street, and the bike came to a stop. “You’re going to walk alone?”
“Yes, is there a problem with that?” I said.
“You barely know where you are and you don’t know what kind of people live here.” I do too, I’m-I’m in... Whatever, I can just ask for directions. I don’t need his help. That’s the whole point of being a teenager, to learn to be independent.
“You can return the bike tomorrow.” I climbed down and began walking. I heard his cell phone ringing.
“Hello? Who’s this?” He waited a second. “Elliot?! How the hell did you get my number? What do you mean you are watching…us?” Just then a face appears, in a house on my left. It was Elliot, but wait four more faces appeared and they’re all laughing.
Jared pulls my arm and seats me in between his arms. His hands were on the handles and my back touching them. I was not holding onto anything when he sped forward, so I almost flew but he set free one of his hands to draw me back. I had no other choice but to hold on to his waist.
He raced down the street. “Was that Elliot in the window?” He didn’t answer. “Jared?”
“Yes, it was him and others.” He looked at me.
I took a chance to ask him, “Hey did you write a note?”
He snickered, “Yeah you read it remember?”
I sighed, “No, like one before that?”
He stared at me, “No.” It must have been Elliot who wrote it trying to deceive me into thinking it was Jared, but why?
I became tense and changed the subject. “So do you know them?”
“I know them too well.” Why would he be racing from them if he knows them? They won’t do anything cruel or violent if they meet up with us.
“Then why are you pedaling so fast? It’s not like they’re going to kill us.”
“Ha, that is what you think.”
I stared at the empty street behind Jared, when Elliot and the four other people show up in a black pick-up truck. I squint my eyes and I see that their taking out pocket knives from their pockets and smiling maliciously at us. My hands began trembling. What if they try to kill us?
Jared’s eyes looked down at mine. “Are you okay, you’re shaking?”
I am so scared just by the way these guys glare at us and smile. It is both creepy and frightening. “What is it, Delarie?” When he said my name, it made me snap out of my phase.
“They have pocket knives, all five of them and their in back of us.”
“Damn, why today?” Jared turned left with the bike and rode down a passageway in between some backyards. The pick-up truck did not fit so we lost them for the time being.
“Why are they trying to catch us?” I asked.
“They want to kill us, what else? It is what they have to do. I knew I shouldn’t have ever talked to you and now you’re involved.”
“What are you talking about you shouldn’t have ever talked to me? If you hate me then why haven’t you told me to get away from you?” His green eyes seemed worried and infuriated.
“You think I hate you? Look, I don’t hate you-”
“Then at least tell me what is going on?” I demanded.
He sighs and looks at me, “They were trying to jump us because…well because…”