I Remember You

I awoke with a start. My breathing was unsteady, pulse pounding in my ears and eyes a hazy mess. I scanned my surroundings, noting that I was laying comfortably in my bed. I released a sigh and fell backward onto my bed. Right when my back made contact with the bed. I yelped in surprise as to why my arm was in pain. In a frenzy, I shoved my sleeve up to find a small scar where the knife cut me. Right then and there, the memories came flooding back.

The calling of my name, following the voice into that alleyway.(I made a mental note to never go in one again.) I then remembered the guy holding me at gunpoint. I felt tears threaten to spill but I kept my composure. Then my mind wonders to the guy with the black cape. That guy. Who was the hooded guy with the mysterious green eyes? Is he a new superhero? He's not like the others, that's for sure. Well maybe. He could be a conceited jerk, but he saved my life. So drop the jerk part and make him half conceited?

"Hope! Come get breakfast," my mother shouts from downstairs, breaking me away from my running thoughts.

I hop out of bed and stumble down the stairs while my older brother Michael comes sliding down the staircase rail, letting out a "Whee!" as he slides on by. I shake my head at his antics. To think this 20 year old boy is in college. I finally make it down the steps, trying not to run into anything to hurt my shoulder again, and wonder into our kitchen. Mom is behind the stove, flipping pancakes into the air. I prayed she didn't stick any to the roof this time around. She's done it more than once.

"Hi mom," I say getting her attention as I grab a plate and pile pancakes onto it.

"Hey sweet pea. You look rough." She turns her focus back to the burning pancake.

"Yeah, I went to bed pretty late," The lie comes out way to easy for my liking but she accepts it.

"Well hurry and eat up! It's Friday and you have that math test today right?" I groan. I didn't even study for anything last night- wait how did I get home? Michael speaks up, clueless of my inner debate.

"Come on Hope, I still have to drop you off before I can head to my classes," He says this while he stuffs a piece of toast into his mouth.

I jump down from the bar stool in the kitchen and quickly change clothes into something more presentable. I snatch my phone and backpack from my desk in the corner and sprint on downstairs. I come to a sudden halt when Michael tells me to shush. I give him a questioning look before tiptoeing silently behind him. I run right into his back, making him slap me on the arm.

"Sorry," I mouth. He nods in response.

We can hear moms voice, hushed but yelling. Michael then reaches for the keys to his car on the shelf by the front door. He slowly and quietly opens the door, trying not to get our moms attention. Michael maneuvers out the door like lightning, I following suit. I close the door softly then we both book it to the car. When we both slam the car door, we let out a relieved sigh.

"So what in the world was that about?" I question as I put my seat belt on.

"Mom was on the phone with her perverted boss again," Michael says while he backs out the driveway, heading for my school. He quickly brushes his light brown hair up into a man bun.

"Didn't he get the hint before? Mom wants nothing to do with the guy!" He shakes his head as we stop at a red light.

"Sometimes us guys don't take hints that easily."

"That's for sure," I mutter to which I get another slap on the arm for. I lean back into my seat and rest my head against the window.

My mind instantly goes back to the boy with the black almost silver mask. Those green eyes that penetrate through your soul, like he knows everything about you. The way his mask scrunches when he looked at me with concern. Everything else I try to remember becomes a foggy mess. I take a deep sigh, trying to forget about last night.

Five minutes later, we roll into my schools' parking lot. Townsend Harris High School. The grey stone shining in the morning light. Students buzzing to and fro. I step out of the car and Michael drives off. I take six steps forward before I am ambushed by my best friend Kate.

"Whats up Hope?" She says as she squeezes the life out of me.

Now, Kate is tall for a girl, like 5'8 tall. Her straight red hair cut right above her shoulders. Her nerdy yet cute glasses perched on her noise with he famous bright smile. Kate's blue eyes could light up any room. Tyler laughs from behind her, strolling casually with his hands thrown in his denham pockets. Tyler reaches a height of 5'11. Which he hates so he says he is exactly 6ft. His black cropped hair is pushed back as his dark brown eyes stare you down. Then I remember that I can't breathe.

"Please let me breathe," I exhale. Kate lets go, but she grabs onto my shoulders, right where the scar from last night is. I try not to yelp as she puts pressure on the bruise.

"Let me have my turn Kat," Tyler says, making Kate release me completely. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Tyler hugged me too, more of a side hug so he never put pressure on my shoulder.

"You ready for that calculus test today?" Tyler says as he throws his arm over Kate's shoulders. I groan in reply.

"Ugh, don't worry. I didn't study either," Kate pitches in.

We finally push past the crowd of students and walk up the steps to our school. Tyler, being the gentleman he is, holds the door open for both of us and the people who followed after. As we split up, I said bye to Tyler and Kate. Our lockers this year are all put far apart. Luckily Kate and Tyler's are seven away from each other.

I watch as small groups of people wander the halls, laughing, smiling, and joking around. The light hum of chatter makes me smile until I turn to my left to get to my locker to only find the queen bee of the school sucking faces with another jock. My smile falls without delay. Isn't this the third one this week? I shake my head and decide to just go to my class. I would rather not disturb her. I can possibly get to my locker before lunch starts. I still need to get out my math book for after the test because Mrs. G always gives us a page to work on- I never got to finish my thought when I ram straight into a wall and fall on my butt.

"Watch where your going kid!" I look up to meet the voice, to only realize that its the same young man I saw in the alleyway who held me at gunpoint last night.