Chapter 1
I’ve always been someone who watches from the sidelines. I don’t like the attention of too many people. I don’t like people watching me. As I grew older, getting attention has been a bit of a necessity. You will have to face people; in class, in a presentation, in a campaign, when you go out to buy something, that sort of thing.
I’ve been disinterested in most things. As a college student, my purpose is to learn well and graduate. Despite what everyone else is preoccupied about, I do my own thing. I don’t mind going solo. I actually prefer it. The noise… I have my limits at tolerating those things.
It was a Saturday afternoon when I first saw her. I was staying at school, studying someplace after borrowing new bo oks from the library. When I looked back on it, I was very embarrassed.
She was alone then, too. I might have glanced at her as I was walking and didn’t realize the stairsteps were close. I slipped and hurt my ankle. I momentarily blacked out. I’m sure I thought I was going to pass out. She helped me, then. I couldn’t see her nor hear her. It was a blur to me. I sat on the floor, grunting in pain, as she leaned over me.
“Here, have a candy.” When I returned to my senses, that’s the first sentence I heard and she slipped the little yellow ball into my mouth. I’m not sure if that cleared my mind better, but the sugar must have helped.
“Are you feeling better?” She asked and I managed to say yes.
I must have sweated a lot as she wiped my face and neck with her own handkerchief.
“Can you stand?” She helped me to do just that. I wriggled my left ankle and it didn’t seem painful. I saw her smile as I took two steps.
“Here, you’re fine. I gotta run and catch my professor. Watch your steps in the future.” With that she left me with her handkerchief and a wave.
