The Ancient One

Chapter 8

"Kristi!" Sam called out, as she was heading toward their first hour German class.

For the past several days, she'd very adeptly avoided him, and ignored his pleas for her to talk to him. She even proved to be much faster than seemed possible. As long as his legs were, and as fast as he'd always thought he was, he had never managed to catch her, or even come close to catching up with her. Knowing it was a futile effort, he still tried.

Rounding the corner, he found her standing there, waiting. At first, he was shocked, almost running right past her.

"Kristi." Now that he'd finally caught up with her, he was at a momentary loss for what to say.

"Sam," she replied, looking up at him. This time, he could read her expression, with absolute clarity. She was curious, but waiting. She wanted to see what he was going to say. What was he going to say?

"I'm sorry for whatever it was I did to make you upset." He decided to go with the simple, direct approach.

"You do nothing to upset me. You did what you are. That what upset me. I am not good person to know. I sometime mean, what you do call evil."

"I don't believe that," he said, and a small smile formed on her face, as she looked down. It was her usual half smile, which was all he could ever remember her giving, in the way of smiles.

"You not know me much," she said, her voice very soft.

"I want to get to know you better."

"I go to library and study with you," she said, and darted back into the crowd. With her unexpected departure, Sam thought of her being like that really slippery fish when you just pull it out of the water and are trying to hold it. Actually, that might not be quite right, either. She was even more slippery, when she wanted to be.

"Wait," he called, and worked to catch up with her. Amazingly, he did this time. He was pretty sure she'd allowed it, which was still a mystery to him that she could move as fast as she obviously could.

"How are you so fast?" he asked, when he finally caught up.

"I am small. I can move around people more easy than you." He thought about that, and although he knew there was some logic to there, it didn't seem like the entire explanation. She wasn't that small. Sam couldn't think of any other reasonable explanation, though. Images of superheroes floated through his mind, his imagination providing an explanation.

"What about going to the mall and hanging out, instead?"

"You need to study, and I need get better knowing English."

"We can talk at the mall." Moving to the side, with the ease of a gymnast doing a well rehearsed routine, she stopped dead.

"You want girlfriend. I not be that for you, but I will let us be friend, but should not. Sam, you are nice. I like you, but I am not good person to know. Also, I am not from here and one day not long I go home," she said, and again darted off. By the time he caught up with her again, she had made it to their German class.

"I'd like to see Latvia, one day." Her head jerked up and she levelled an intense stare on him.

"What?" He asked, worried he'd messed up again.

"I read people good, know what they think, what they do before they do this. You surprise me...too much. It make me...nervous." This time, he smiled at her, making no effort to hide the smugness he felt. He knew exactly what she was talking about, and felt oddly victorious she felt the same frustration.

He wasn't sure he should, but Sam made a rash decision and asked, "Why did you get upset with me when I tried to defend you?"

"Because it cause me heart hurt. I know you get hurt if little girl's boyfriend get mad at you. I will not let you get hurt, so I hurt him before he do. Also, I not want you hurt by me. People near me get hurt."