Mariah Williams
Hordes of people ran for cover as the rain came pelting down. It was so hard it marked the skin and blurred the vision. Who would’ve thought that it would rain so hard, when mere seconds ago the sky was a mystic blue, and the sun covered almost every inch of land. It’s not unusual for people to panic when something unexpected happens, so why wasn’t she running for cover? I watched her from the grimy Starbucks window from across the street. She was just standing there looking at the sky from the alleyway. Her wet black coils were matted to her face, while her clothes clung to her body, I bet it felt like they weighed a ton.
I stared for a little while longer. I’m pretty sure I’m witnessing a girl lose her vision by rain. Or are her eyes closed? It wouldn’t hurt to get a better look; this window is pretty dirty. I move a bit closer to the window, but instantly regret it. Her head slowly comes down and I’m stuck staring. She’s looking at me! What do I do? Do I look away? Pretend I’m not looking? No, it is too late she already sa-…wait, is she smiling at me? And like that the it was gone. Suddenly an all-black Escalade blocks my view of her. When it pulls away, she is gone. I want to see her again, like this, in this setting.
Every day for the past two years, I’ve been coming to this Starbucks, and staring out of this disgusting window just to see her. I discreetly change my seat along the window so she doesn’t notice me. I think I’ve nailed it. Over the years, I’ve learned that she attends the Clover University which is close to my University. I’ve also learned that she takes ballet down the street from this Starbucks and comes to get picked up by a black escalade in front of the alleyway at 3:33 p.m. I timed it correctly by my 10th stakeout.
“Here she comes!” I quickly sit up in my seat to get a better view. The black Escalade will show up any minute now.
“Hey Ant, would you like another vanilla bean?”
Carmella, is the barista here, she’s always bothering me; asking me every fifteen minutes if I want another drink. I think she likes me, but I’m not interested.
“Go away Carmella, I’m busy right now.” I shoo her away and go back to looking at her.
I don’t think Carmella got the hint, I could clearly still feel her body heat on my back.
“What are you staring at?” she smiles placing her hand on my shoulder.
“Carmella really!?” I turn to look into her green eyes. She has the worst timing ever.
“What, I just wanna know; you come in here every day and stare out this sooty window—I just don’t get it.” She lets my shoulder go and crosses her arms.
People were starting to stare. Why is she causing a scene, and why now out of all times?
“There is nothing to get Carmella, now leave me alone!” I snap turning back to the dirty window.
When I look back, I see a girl pulling her arm to go down 15th and Main St.
No, no, no, no, no, no what is going on!?
I hear Carmella in the background, but I don’t hear her hear her, her voice is more like background noise. From here it doesn’t look like Her wants to go with this girl. Does this girl know Her? Why is she pulling her arm? Is this a kidnapping!? I have to stop it! I quickly hop up from my seat pushing Carmella out of my way and head straight for Her. My heart is pounding and my hands are sweaty; this is going to be the first time we meet, unfortunate, but I have to save Her.
I push through the exit and quickly make my way across the street. I get honked at, and almost knocked down from oncoming traffic, but none of that matters. As I get closer to the pair, I notice the girl trying to pull Her is Lisa. Lisa goes to my school. She is pretty popular. Instinctively, I stay away from most crowds. Lisa always has a huge crowd following her. I make it to Her and quickly snatch her soft small arm from Lisa’s rough hands. Her looks startled, but doesn’t say anything.
“What are you doing!?” I’m surprised by my own voice and how deep and loud it is.
“Nooo, what the hell are you doing!?” Lisa hits me with her hand out to grab Her back.
I quickly push Her behind me, out of reach from Lisa who is acting like a wild beast.
“Y-You were dragging her away.” I swat Lisa’s arm away.
“Anthony, if you do not hand me back my friend, I’m gonna pummel your face in.” she growls, sizing me up.
“H-how do you know my name!?”
It was not too much of a stretch for Lisa to know me since we go to the same school, but we never had any classes together. I like to keep to myself; I only consider two people my friends in that place, if that. Does her know my name as well? Has Lisa ever mentioned me to Her?
“Everyone knows who you are Anthony,” she smiles smugly.
I turned to look at Her for confirmation. In this moment people knowing my name did not matter. Did Her possibly know about me? She looked at the beast just as confused as I was. She didn’t know me. I don’t know if I should feel relieved or saddened. Lisa reaches for Her again, but I push Lisa back. She falls a few steps back looking surprised at what I had just done. Her makes a move to help the Lisa, but I hold her back. Her is making a lot of hand gestures toward me. It is almost like she is trying to tell me something.
“What the hell is your problem Anthony!?” Lisa furiously regains her footing. “No wonder you are called a freaking creep at school!”
Creep, creep, creep, creep, creep Creep!
It just kept repeating in my head over and over. I’m not a creep. It was as if time had frozen. Why would she call me that? Why does everyone at school call me that? Why would Lisa call me that, especially in front of Her? Is it because I’m autistic? In my moment of weakness, Lisa bum rushes me and quickly grabs Her. No. no. no… no. I have to tell her. She has to know. She has to know it is not true. I whip around to see Her being dragged away by Lisa. She is looking at me… and she is smiling, I’m sure of it this time. Her. I feel a gush of wind whip past me and see a quick flash of black. I have to let Her know.
“I’m not a creep!”
