How to Save a Life ✓

VII: In Which She Saves Piper's Life

CHAPTER SEVEN

There's this pond near my house if you go behind the trees and walk for a couple of minutes. Since it's directly behind where I live, no one goes near it, and that's the way that I like it. I discovered it a couple of years ago when we first moved in and I explored the house. My mom didn't pay attention to me so she didn't notice when her five-year-old daughter went missing.

Sometimes I like to go there when I want to be alone. Ducks often frequent the area, so I always bring little pieces of bread to feed to them.

After I told Noah that I didn't want to be his friend, he left me alone. I rarely see him now, but that is the way it's supposed to be. Friends will only equal more hurt in the long run, as counter-intuitive as it sounds. I'm protecting him, even if he didn't realize it.

Taking a couple pictures of the scenery, I began to look at them when a duck waddled towards me. I grab my bag from behind me and then take a piece of bread from the plastic bag. Ripping it up into small pieces, I extend my hand so the duck eat the bread.

A small smile creeps onto my face as more ducks waddle towards me, with the same intent as before. I begin to pet the ducks before going into deep thought.

The next support group meeting was tomorrow and I still wasn't sure if I should go. I didn't want any awkwardness but then there shouldn't any to begin with. We barely knew each other.

Stop thinking about him Kate. It's going to drive you crazy.

After I run out of bread I decide to head back home. My mother is at a bar right now so I still have about an hour or two until she gets home. I look under my bed and took out my small laptop. I know that I should save some money for when I move out of the house, but I need this computer. All my teachers get angry when I don't email my homework assignments and since I get out of work late, going to the library isn't an option. It took a while but I finally devised a plan to hide all my valuables. My mother rarely enters my room, since I lock it, so it's unlikely that she would check under my bed.

Transferring all the photos from my camera to my laptop is taking a while so I go my kitchen to find a snack. I grab the beer bottles on the counter and throw them in the trash. There isn't a lot in the fridge so I grab an apple from the counter and start chewing it.

Time to beg mom for grocery money again.

Knowing that I still have a good hour left before all my photos finish processing, I take my hoodie and my bag and head outside. I figure that I still have time to buy some dinner before my mom came home.

As I start walking, I notice a ten-year-old girl skipping beside me. She seems to be alone and doesn't pay attention to where she is walking as she tosses her doll in the air. I keep an eye on her as I continue to go my own way to the deli on the other side of the block. When she begins to cross the street, I notice an oncoming car approaching. The little girl doesn't notice and continues crossing the street. Panic surges through me and I run up to her, grab her arm and pull her back. The sudden force against her caused her to fall on the floor. I bend down on the floor to reach her level whilst I look at her face. She seems shock about what just recently occurred and then looks at me.

"Are you okay?" I ask her softly, "does anything hurt?"

She swiftly shakes her head and I smile before pulling her up. "What's your name? I should take you home before you get hurt again."

"Piper. Thanks for saving my life."

Well I wouldn't go that far but I still accept her thanks.

"You're absolutely welcome. You have to be more careful though. Why were you walking alone?"

I abandon my previous quest and take her hand before she leads me to the direction of her house.

"My brother's waiting for me at home. My house is a block away."

Although she doesn't answer my question, I could assume that since her house is close by, she always walks alone. I feel a little concerned whether that is actually the best decision for her but I continue walking her to her house. Finally she stops and walks up the stairs to this two story house. It has a nice exterior and you could tell that it's recently painted.

Piper knocked on the door three times before someone answered. Noah smiles when he sees her but then it turns into a look at confusion at my presence.

"Bobba, look! She saved my life today!"

Noah's eyes scrunches in further thought before finally coming to a suitable answer.

"Pipes, why don't you wash your hands? Dinner is going to start soon."

Piper gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before heading inside, leaving Noah at the front door. I bite my tongue for two seconds to make sure she is out of sight before going off on him.

"How could you let a ten-year-old walk home alone? Clearly, she doesn't know how to cross the street. If it wasn't for me, she would've gotten killed!"

"Hey, don't blame the innocent person in this situation. I didn't even know she was even coming here. I thought she went with mom to the movies."

"Well she said that you were waiting for her." I respond swiftly.

"My mom must've said that to her. I didn't know anything."

I decide to believe him because I didn't have the time for this. I still have to pick up my dinner and go back home before my mother.

"Yeah fine. Just make sure this doesn't happen again. She's too beautiful to be in a coffin because of an accident."

He grimaces at my grim example and I start to step down the stairs back onto the sidewalk. I hear him call my name and I turn back around.

"See you tomorrow."

Tomorrow? It's now that I remember that our next group session would be tomorrow. My face lights in recognition and I nodd.

"Tomorrow it is then."

I hear him close his door and I continue walking towards the deli. When I get home, it's near dark and I head to my room. I look over the photos and smile when I see the artistic beauty.

This is certainly a strange day.