Yuree
He didn't know how to ride a bike . But I found out later that was pretty pointless .
I had gotten up slowly , and VERY painfully to my bleeding feet . Bee had rushed to my side instantly after i groaned in discomfort .
Bloody and torn clothes were not comfortable .
I wondered if he thought I was invalid ... but I wasn't . I was just injured .
" I'm okay . I just need to get home ... and then to a hospital ." I said , taking a limp step back towards where I had left my bike .
" Does it hurt alot ?" Bee asked again and I smiled ruefully . Honestly his concern was endearing . He was also handsome ... or atleast he could be .
I still remembered when I had seen his face when his scarf fell .
It had shocked me to my bones .
What happened to him ? I had wondered , He must have gone through something terrible to gain such a disfigurement .
But apparently he was born with it if what he said was true .
I had a feeling of recognition when I saw him but I couldn't place it .
He seemed to remember me though. I had seen the look of recognition in his eyes . Unfortunately I couldn't return it .
And I was slightly embarassed about asking if we met before . I mean , the guy saved me and I didn't remember who he was or when we had met .
So dumb .
But I would not forget him now though .
" I'm fine ." I said smiling," It's a bit sore but I can take it . And hopefully I will manage on my bike . I don't know if I can walk home like this ."
" Oh , Where is your bike ?" he asked looking around at the bikes on the ground behind us .
The boys had left some of their bikes behind . I didn't know if I should have put then in a neat row to be kind or to throw them in the bin out of spite . I didn't do either one , because one , my leg hurt and two , my shoulder HURT .
Honestly I was actually putting on a brave face , right then . I was in very much pain but like with not knowing who he was I was embarassed to show too much discomfort to him . I just had to get on my bike and ride home .
Mom would freak out but then I would get medical attention and , please sweet mercy ! , some pain killers .
" My bike is right there ... oh no ." I finished glummly . We had turned the corner and reached the opened barbed fence . My bike was next to the building wall but it would get me nowhere now .
The tires had been slashed and the chain was gone . Along with the smashed handle bars , I knew I was totally stuck .
" Great , just great ." I said looking up with frustration ," Now I'm stuck . "
" What about your phone ?" Bee asked me , I leaned against the wall to offer myself more support . It hurt to use my legs for long . The blood had started flowing again as I limped and my feet throbbed painfully .
" I left my phone at home . I rarely use it actually ." I said sadly .
How was i going to get home now ? I looked down at the ruined bicycle and felt a deep sense of loss . I had loved my bike and it had actually meant alot to me .
Mom had bought it for my sixteenth birthday and I had been over the moon . I had felt relieved about no longer having to use the crowded school bus and about being able to go into town and back home in less than ten minutes .
Now I was back to square one . I sighed dejectedly .
" I can take you home ." Bee said walking up to me .
I looked at him and thought about this . Bee was dressed in expensive looking clothes but he didn't seem rich . I doubted he had a car and one point to add , he had been by that alley before I got there . Did he live there ? I thought.
" How ? Do you have a car ?" I asked somewhat doubtful .
" No ," Bee said softly , " but ... I can carry you . "
" What ?" I asked standing up straight and I immediately regretted it . My shoulder sent me a wave of pain and I hissed . Bee moved closer to me but I lifted a hand , I would not look pathetic infront of my hero .
" Oh , I'm fine , I'm fine ," I said taking some breaths ," But Bee , you can't carry me all the way home . "
" I think I can ... I'm strong enough ." Bee said and I almost believed him .
I had seen it a few moments ago when he threw those boys around like toys .
He ... could lift me . But that was not the main reason for me to say no .
" Maybe you can but it's not pleasing to most people around here . " I replied , " It would be weird if a boy lifted another boy in his arms like that ."
If he did lift me , who knows what people on the streets would say . Maybe they would see it as him assisting me ... or as something miasmic to their eyes . I didn't want to deal with ridicule or anything like that . It might be better to walk home and attract concerned attention than be carried by a guy and get negative attention .
" Why would it ? " he asked me sounding confused ," I saw two males kissing on a television set in a shop once and no one said anything ."
He sounded breathless as he finished his sentence . Maybe he didn't talk much and his voice was not accustomed to long sentences .
Either way ," That's great and all, but people treat shows on TV and other people more differently than could be understood . " I said and then I turned on my painful legs ," I can just walk home , it's not too far . About ... 20 minutes with my limp ."
This wasn't true , on my bike it took 10 minutes , on my normal not cut legs it took half an hour to reach home but limping ?
It would take over an hour and I was worried about fainting along the way . I had lost alot of blood and was still losing more as my movements opened up each wound , which wasn't good and my injuries could have been infected .
oh well , I just had to reach home and Mom would take me to the hospital .
" What about the hospital ?" Bee asked , for a second I thought he had read my mind but then I understood his question .
" I have to get home first before I get to the hospital . My mom gets worried if I'm not home on time ." I answered , that was why I was not doing the normal thing and getting medical attention first . I had to make sure Mom knew I was okay ... or atleast close to it .
" The hospital is closer . " Bee said and pointed to a tall building about two blocks away . " I can carry you there and then you can feel better ."
I opened my mouth and closed it , it made sense but ... mom . " I ... don't know . I haven't ever ... been late before ." A lie , but it was usually because I was delayed not because I decided not to go home .
" Death is not the end but I don't think your mother wants you to die . " Bee said softly and I looked at him with a deep gaze .
I didn't know what he meant by the first part but he ... was right . I had to deal with my injuries first before getting home . I thought about appearing home in my bloodied state and smiled with amusement . Gus would pass out or something but mom ... she would be worried beyond belief .
I sighed , it was the sensible thing to do . Maybe I hadn't thought of it first because of my blood loss . I did feel slightly light headed .
" Okay , let's go-o-o-o !" I was stunned again by this strange guy , as Bee lifted me with his arms effortlessly .
" Are you alright ? Does it hurt ?" he asked me and I felt that endearing feeling again . He was caring , I would give him that !
" No , I'm fine . You can ... carry me to the hospital now ." I said and I felt a slight heat on my cheeks as I said that .
Bee nodded his head and started walking with me in his arms .
I had my head under his chin , my arms on my lap , with my right hand holding my dislocated shoulder .
I was close enough to smell him and , please forgive me , I took a small whiff of him .
He smelled like soil , like gravel and ... that was strange , I sniffed again . There was a cold smell underneath , it was slightly sour . And another one , a metallic scent ... was it blood ?
Maybe it was mine , I was still bleeding ... probably that .
I looked at his skin under his scarf , right by his shirt collar .
His skin looked pale cream and had a translucent grey texture . I thought about touching it but that would have been weird to do with someone I didn't know .
To distract myself I decided on starting a conversation . After all Bee looked like the type of guy to dwell in silences and never break them .
" Hey , Bee ." I said and he looked down at me whilst his legs kept moving . " How old are you ?" I asked but he didn't answer me immediately .
He looked up and his eyes looked thoughtful , I was curious by this . How come he seemed like he didn't know ?!
" How old do you think I am ?" he asked me and I pondered on this .
I knew he avoided the question but that was okay . I was good at guessing games .
Well , he was tall but that didn't say much . He had a mature face from what I saw when his scarf dropped .
Mmm...
" Between 19 and 21 ." I answered and he looked ahead before looking at me .
" 20 ." he said and I thought , Yay I was right !
" How old are you ?" he asked me and I answered him .
" What were you doing in the alley ? " I asked and I saw him avert his eyes for a second . Oh no , did I ask something wrong ! " Forget it , never mind ." I said quickly . I didn't want to offend him .
I turned to see where we were , I was surprised to see we had actually covered the first block . Bee had been moving faster than I thought and yet I felt nothing .
" Yuree ," Bee said , I looked up at him , he was looking at me intently.
I was worried we would get run over because there was a crossroad coming up .
" Yeah ?"
" You are very beautiful ." he said softly and I ... I ... I blushed !
I felt my cheeks grow warm and I felt a uncomfortable new sensation in my chest . I could not understand why but when mom , Terry or anybody else told me I was good looking it didn't hold that much significance , I didn't even believe it . But when this strange guy named Bee just called me beautiful ... my heart did a double front flip .
" Umm thanks ," I said and I looked at the road so as not to look into his eyes .
I knew the irony of what was happening . I had thought earlier that day that I was not a dog to mate with any mutt that came my way . And now I was blushing for a stranger who came my way .
Good grief , I was a hypocrite . But maybe not ... I didn't mate with him ...
My cheeks felt hotter at the thought .
Yuree Rosi , behave ! I admonished myself .
This guy saved your life and besides , just because he said your beautiful didn't mean he was interested ...
" We're almost there . Soon you'll be better . " Bee said quietly looking up and he was right . The hospital was right over -
" Ahh !" I cried out and Bee froze with me in his arms . I had felt a deep pain in my head , like a pin sowing a pattern in my brain .
" What is it , nymph ?" Bee asked looking at me , " Are you hurting more ? "
" I just ... I just felt a sting in my head . That's all ." I said breathing slowly , there were dark edges on my vision again . I tried to fight them but they just creeped in more and my strength wavered .
" Yuree , are you tired ?" Bee asked his face close to mine , I felt his breath on my face ... it was cold ... strange .
I tried to put my thoughts together ," I'm ... getting ... sleepy ... please take ...me to the ... hospital ... Call... Doc... Fishy..."
I couldn't talk anymore . My strength seemed to be slipping through my body , my head getting lighter and my senses fuzzyier .
The last thing I heard was ," Okay , nymph ."
Then the darkness consumed me .