Alive If

Better

"No worries." The kind stranger looks at me and takes off his mask to reveal his face to us.

"Man titty dude?!" I yell internally. The audacity of him showing his face to me again. Who would have thought that he has the capability of wearing a shirt?

"Thank you, sir," Santhy speaks softly and he smiles so warmly at her. I couldn't stand this persona, it doesn't fit him at all. If I were looking for a guy that I know I could resent for life and maybe be capable of killing, it has got to be him.

"Why are you looking at me like--- Oh no. Wait, you're the girl who---" he was about to reveal our little secret but lucky for me, my two hands are very functional in terms of keeping people quiet. I throw the bag of stationery at his face. The bag was very light so I'm sure it didn't hurt him but it did catch him by surprise.

"Oops. There was a spider." I giggle sarcastically but he just rolls his eyes and gives me a smug look. I assume he gets the idea that I am trying to tell him.

"Thank you for saving her life, Hickey von Tramp," I say to him, whispering the name part. It irks me a bit because I couldn't throw a fit at him for what he did on the field.

"I'm no hero. I'm just an expert in the right place at the right time." He winks at me and I couldn't stop myself from rolling my eyes.

"I'm really tired, Fie. Could we please go home?" Santhy is too freaked out and exhausted to walk home. I'm a bit shaken up too. I don't think I would be able to carry her on my own.

"We are not exactly strangers and there is a kid involved so I think it wouldn't be weird if I assist you guys, if you want me to I mean?" Hickey reads our energy and as much as I hate him, I know I can't do this alone.

 "Please?" Santhy looks at me waiting for my approval. I look into her twinkling sad eyes again, how can I say no to that face? I nod with a heavy heart. Hickey kneels and lets Santhy get on his back.

"You okay?" He asks and she nods. They look back, smiling at me as we walk out of the park.

"It's about a 20-minute walk home. Are you sure that we aren't going to take too much of your time?" I ask, seeing how tired he looks from his prior activities.

"Not really, I was about to go home anyway, so it's alright." We walked for 5 minutes on foot and he didn't complain.

"Kid, are you doing good up there?" He checks on her again but it appears Santhy has already fallen asleep.

"I think she dozed off." I'm quite skeptical because she doesn't know this dude but she felt comfortable enough with him to sleep on his back. I can feel something fishy going on but I can't put my finger on it.

Another awkward 5 minutes of complete silence from the three of us have passed and I am about to break the ice but to my surprise, he initiates the conversation.

"Listen, I was a huge jerk when we first met and I'm not like that--- it's just that---" he struggles to finish his sentence. I almost feel bad for him.

"Some fans usually do crazy things to get me to notice them and I automatically thought that maybe you were one of them. Well, I have no proof that you don't know me but I will give you points for thinking outside the box with the stunt you pulled. You are crazy as you were unforgettable so I would be happy to go out with you sometime." He smiles at me as if he announced that I won a million in cash.

"You still think it was intentional? Are you high? What is wrong with you? I don't even know you." I check his eyes for any sign of redness to make sure he isn't on something. I have never cringed so hard in my life, not since mom introduced Rick to me.