Please Mind The Gap #1

10: Please mind Saint Teddy

10: Please mind Saint Teddy

--- pic of Teddy in the media section ---

"I feel like a saint now!" Teddy said enthusiastically, hefting the large sack of canned food she was carrying. They were waiting to cross the road with the other volunteers, watching the cars zoom by in streaks of metal and light.

"Kudos," Nathan said, peeking his head over the large box he was heaving. "I can't see around this damn thing!" he said frustratedly. "I hate this box!" The huge brown box he was holding was full of the old clothes he had prepared from the day before. "I hate you, Box," he directed to his cargo.

"As if boxes can understand you," Teddy scoffed. He looked at her, and she took in his dark green eyes, their steady gaze on her. She bit her lip and glanced away, focusing her gaze back on the busy road, refusing to blush. Yesterday, he had said she was extraordinary and he'd called her Teddy. Teddy, not Ted. And he'd stared at her, oblivious to anything else but her...

When she'd gone to the bathroom to change out of the dress, she caught her reflection in the mirror, all wide eyed and pink. Teddy had shaken her head and splashed water on her face, drying it off on a towel to clear her thoughts. "Nathan..." she trailed off now.

"Yeah?" He said absently. Then he sighed impatiently. "Can we cross the road now?"

Why did the chicken cross the road? Teddy was about to retort, because it was an idiot, that's why. So no, you impatient git. But then some girl volunteers beside them about their age were conversing as well, and one said "yes" to whatever question the other volunteers were asking. Nathan, thinking the "yes" was directed to him, took a step forward and started crossing the road.

"NATHAN!" Teddy shrieked, terrified. She forgot about the sack she was carrying, forgot about the cars, and lunged towards him. She clamped her fingers around Nathan's arm and pulled as hard as she could. He stumbled backwards, back onto the sidewalk, just as a motorcycle rushed past them, nearly running over them.

Nathan (and the box) were still miraculously intact. He was breathing hard, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Teddy's hand was still wrapped around his arm, his skin was warm and soft under hers.

"You complete idiot," Teddy gasped out. They were inches apart, so close that she could see the light brown freckles dotting the bridge of his nose. "Why did you... What the bloody...?"

"Someone said yes," Nathan reasoned feebly.

"Not to you!" Teddy turned to the group of girl volunteers that were conversing earlier. "Oi!" she barked. "You. Yes, you. What did you say yes to a while ago?"

The volunteers looked terrified. "They were asking if Sponge Bob could be possibly bisexual," one squeaked. "Also we all think your boyfriend is cute."

"See?" Teddy said to Nathan. "And he's not my boyfriend," she added to the group of girls. Belatedly realizing she was still holding Nathan's arm tightly in her fingers, she let go quickly. Her grip had left red fingermarks on his skin, showing how tightly she was holding him.

The cars stopped and after Teddy picked up her sack, they crossed the road. Nathan was still a little in shock, Teddy noted, seeing his face and his huge green eyes.

"Alright, volunteers!" the head yelled in front of them and they all stopped. "This is where we'll be handing out the donations!"

Teddy peered behind the girl and saw a bridge. Underneath was a dark gloom of shadows and hiding in the darkness were shapeless lumps clustered together...people. Her heart contracted when a small girl, only about five years old, crawled out of the shade and looked at the group of volunteers. The girl had choppy blond hair, and torn, grimy clothes. The child started to the volunteers when someone called out something incomprehensible-probably the child's name-and the girl wobbled back under the bridge.

"Nathan..." she said and her voice cracked. And for once, she didn't feel like being snarky or rude. She just felt sorry, sorry for these unfortunate people hiding from the world under this bridge. "There was a little girl..."

"I know," he replied. The shock was gone from his eyes and was replaced with pity. "I saw."

The small girl had started crying from underneath the bridge and ran out into the sunlight again. Teddy couldn't help herself. She ran towards the girl, whose pale face was red and swollen, tears streaking down her face. The head volunteer called out for Teddy from behind and so did Nathan, but she ignored them. She crouched down in front of the little girl and almost urgently pressed the sack of food into the little girl's hands.

"There," Teddy whispered, smiling. The girl was looking at her in shock and awe. "Hello," Teddy said gently. "I'm Teddy. What's your name?"

The kid bit her lip and smiled shyly at Teddy. Her front tooth was missing. "Eline," she replied through the gap in her gums.

"Hi, Eline." Teddy pointed to the sack. "Do you know what's inside?"

Eline nodded vigorously. "Food. Now Daddy doesn't have to go through the garbage for McDonald's."

Oh, Teddy thought, pitying Eline's father. "Eline, I want you to save all that food and eat it to grow strong and healthy and beautiful, okay?" The young girl nodded again. "Go on," Teddy urged, pushing the girl back to her family gently. "Go."

"Thank you," Eline said and grinned a toothy grin. Her tears had vanished and her face was no longer red from crying. Then she took off and ran back to the bridge. A few cheers filled the air and then laughter. It was a miracle how a simple thing like food could change a person's life. Teddy decided to appreciate her life more, from then on. She was so lucky, so privileged...

"Ted!" And then Nathan was jogging over to her. "Ted, what's going on?"

"Eline," she started, then realized Nathan didn't know the girl's name. "The little girl who was crying earlier. Eline. I gave her the food."

"The head," Nathan began, "the head said..."

"Screw the head," Teddy said with conviction. "I just helped a little girl whose father raids the garbage for leftover fast food. I don't care for the head."

"Well, if you put it that way," Nathan said, amused. "I like you like this."

Teddy stopped. "Like me like what?"

"You're so passionate. You have this hidden side to you, a softer one."

Her lips quirked up into a smile. "Thanks."

"Oh, and thanks for saving me in down in the street earlier. I didn't think you would've cared."

"Of course I care!" she exclaimed. "I don't want you to die."

Nathan snickered but was grinning. "Aww."

"Oh, be quiet," Teddy said, but she was smiling as well.