She Will Be Loved

The day my life changed began like any other. I had survived yet another day of torture in school, most likely flunked another test, and was on my way to my dad's hospital. Heavy rain drops were falling all over the place, which made me regret the fact I'd chosen to walk to school today. 

My hands were jammed into my front jean pockets and my hood was flipped up so the rain wouldn't get me as wet. I kept silently cursing myself for deciding not to take my jet black mustang to school. I mean, I was freaking rich for crying out loud! Normal rich people were usually obsessed with their cars and wouldn't ever willingly walk to school. Then again, who ever said I was a normal rich guy? 

For one thing, I wasn't self-centered like the rich kids on TV. They're all like Oh my god, my parents have money. I'm gonna buy all my friends! Well...Kind of. I was...Well, I was just a normal kid, basically.

My whole world changed when I heard a scream coming from near by. I quickened my pace as I walked toward where the shriek came from. I stopped dead in my tracks as I passed by an alley. I glanced down it, squinting through the rain. I saw a bunch of shadowy figures surrounding what looked like a teenage girl. 

Naturally, I did the stupid thing.

I yelled, "Hey!" That got the gang's attention. They looked over at me. I could only see fragments of their faces in the shadows of the building. I walked closer to them. It probably wasn't the best idea...But I was known as a troublemaker. I usually didn't look for trouble. Trouble always seemed to find me. Anyway, I stopped when I was only one or two feet away from the crowd of obviously drunk idiots.

The leader of the retards, I assumed, stepped closer to me and slurred, "What'cha gonna do, big boy? You think you can beat us?" I could smell the liquor that rolled off his tongue. I scowled and glanced at the girl they were surrounding. Her jeans were torn and the bottom of her shirt had been ripped off. What the heck have they been doing to this chick?

I looked back at the man who spoke to me, "Leave her alone."

"Or what, huh?"

So I let my impulses take over. I pulled my arm back, then snapped it forward in one quick jab. The guy stumbled back and groaned, clutching his jaw. The teenager tried making a run for it, but one of the gang members pushed her back against the brick wall. She slid down it, tears streaming down her face. 

I kicked the guy who hit her where it hurts, then shoved him at another of the idiots. Thankfully, the other got the idea. They helped their friends off then ran off, cussing me out until they were out of earshot.

I glanced down at the teenage girl. Her black hair was matted to her forehead by sweat and her brown eyes look glassy, like she was trying not to faint. 

I was going to the hospital anyways, so I figured, What the heck? I gathered her body into my arms carefully. She sighed heavily and tried regaining focus.

Beginning to make my way to the hospital, I whispered. "It's okay."

In a matter of minutes, I was standing in the lobby of the hospital, walking over to the front counter with the girl still in my arms. 

I said to the lady at the front desk, "Hey, Ms. Smith, is my dad busy?"

Ms. Smith looked up at me, "No...Oh my god, what happened?"

"I saved her from this gang in the alley three blocks away. She's probably gonna be fine. My dad wanted me to drop by anyways, so I figured I'd have him check if anything's broken or something."

As if on cue, my dad walked into the lobby, wiping his hands on his lab coat type thing. He frowned as he saw the sleeping girl in my arms.

He mumbled, "Oh crap..." Then he spoke louder, "Tristian, take her to my office. I'll call her parents."

A look of confusion crossed my face, "You....You know her?"

Dad nodded, "Yes."

Ms. Smith said, "Go on, Tristian. I'll tell your father what happened."

After nodding once, I hurried to Dad's office and set her on the bed-type thing I'd never bother to learn the name of. I'd been to Dad's office a bajillion times, so I knew it better than I knew my high school. Then again, I'd been visiting his office since I was five and I'd only been in high school for 3 and a half years (Meaning I'm a senior!) 

The girl groaned slightly and opened her eyes. She looked around, clutching her head.