One who protects

I was in the bathroom, taking a shower, I had just eaten dinner made by my mom, I was a little more relaxed now.

I got out of the shower, and I dried my self up with a towel, the I put on my clothes and at that moment, I heard a "beep" sound, it came from my phone, so someone texted me?, that's pretty rare.

I pick my phone up and saw a text from an unknown number but when I checked the profile picture, it was clearly Mister Harry's number.

I saw the text he sent me, and it goes as following "you'll be going to school at 4 a.m. starting tomorrow, it's the principal's order". Wait what the actual hell?!, We need to go to school as early as four in the morning?!, what the hell is Mister Williams thinking?

Then I got another text from Chester asking me if I got the same message from Mister Harry and I replied as soon as I can. He was also mad and confused like me, but at the end of the day, both of us just decides to sleep early for tonight and have Mister Williams explain everything to us.

I looked at the clock that is ticking in my room, and to my surprise it is already 9pm. Since I will be going to school way earlier tomorrow. I went downstairs and explained the whole situation to my mother and she just accepts it with an open mind.

I went back upstairs heading towards my room, as I enter the room, I turned of the light and all that's left is my lamp that is sitting on a mini desk beside my bed I set up my alarm for tomorrow. I lay myself on the bed and starts closing my eyes. Soon, I was sound asleep.

"Beep...beep...beep" I could hear the sound of the alarm calling me to wake up. I woke up and I didn't care to take a shower since it's too cold anyway. After brushing my teeth, I changed my clothes to my uniform and put on my glasses. I was ready to go to school.

I went downstairs and I could see my mom sleeping on the couch, I didn't really want to disturb her but I really think she shouldn't be sleeping there. I woke her up and the moment she opens her eyes and saw me, she starts to hug me. She said she was worried and decided to wait here but she fell asleep due to fatigue. I said that everything's going to be okay and calmed her down a little bit.

I put on my shoes and gave a goodbye kiss to my mom as I usually do. I opened the door and god was it dark outside, I step outside and I could already feel the cold breezy air hitting me. I was glad that my mom gave me a scarf before going. I opened our house gate and I saw a thin figure with long hair wearing Arowana Academy's uniform next door, it was her, Chloe Roberts.

Chloe and I have been friends since we were 3 years old, we used to play with each other everyday. When we started school, we used to walk together to school everyday she would even come to my house every evening to do homework together. We were so close back then, but now we rarely interact with each other.

"Oh hey Nik!" Chloe said in a cheerful voice trying to start a conversation with me.

"Hey Chloe" I replied.

Right after that, I immediately walk away from my house leaving her behind. I could hear her shouting my name but I ignored it. Why am I doing this? you might ask, well the reason we're not so close anymore is because I kept distancing myself from her. I did this to protect her, because in middle school, people always complaint about how Chloe and I spends too much time together, people mistakes us as a couple. Due to this, people tends to talk bad about Chloe, so in my first year of high school, I finally drew a line between us.

While I was trying to run from her, she catched up with me and stops me.

"What's wrong with you Nik?, you always avoid me when I try to talk to each other" she asked with a furious voice.

"Nothing, really there's nothing at all" I whispered trying to not wake people up in the neighbourhood.

"Nik, please tell me, I'm your friend, if you got anything to tell me just say it" she said in a more polite tone than before.

"I just want to protect you" I said truthfully since there's no point in hiding it anymore.

"From what?" asked her curiously.

"From people talking bad about you hanging with me all the time!" I shouted a little bit.

"I don't care what other people think about us, you're someone dear to my heart" she said it in a said voice, it almost sounds like she's crying.

"But I do care about what other people think about you, besides I hate it when people speaks ill of you"

The conversation ended, I was ready to walk off, but suddenly, I felt something is grabbing me, it was her hand, Chloe's hand. She was crying, tears are falling down her cheeks. I never thought those words could make her this sad, my one promise was to make her happy, but now, I made her cry.

I shoved my hand into my pocket and grabbed a pocket tissue and gave it to her, that's the least I could do.

"Hey, sorry for what I said earlier, I really don't hate you, I'm just trying to protect you" I said in a comforting voice.

Suddenly, her hands are wrapped around me, she was hugging me, both of us didn't utter a single word, it was pure silence.

Then she starts speaking.

"Look, I just really miss the old days of us hanging around together doing dumb things together, laughing and crying together, do you think I can simply just shove you out of my life just like that?" she said sounding very emotional.

"I'm sorry for being an idiot, I never thought it could hurt you so much" I said while wiping her tears.

"Then, from now on, please stay by my side" said her.

"Okay I will" I replied with a short answer.

She finally lets go of me, and boy was I blushing quite hard after saying those words.

Even though it was dark outside with only a few of street lights, I could see her smile as bright as day, that smile to me was priceless, I must protect it at all cost.