| Five Minute Hero- Concluded Coward. Coward, coward. I couldn't force myself to move. I couldn't shove words past the uncertainty lodged in my throat. "Get out!" the girl whimpered, and again she rocked upward to escape and he pushed her back down. What would happen if we left? I knew Amy only waited for me. Once I started walking she would follow, eager to leave it behind. "Let's go," Amy whispered, turning. Another sob came from the car, from the unmoving feet. If not for that sound, they could be lovers stealing one last moment before the bell rang. "Get off!" she cried. Move. MOVE, darnit. My hands itched to grab the boy by his white T-shirt and yank him out of the car myself. Would I be strong enough? Would he just shake me off? I opened my mouth, saying, "Hey, leave her alone." The boy didn't even turn his head. "Come on, leave her alone," I said louder. My heart thudded in my ears. Amy didn't budge, watching me. The girl choked. The boy's shoulders moved. Amy glanced at me. I cleared my throat. "Go get somebody. I'll stay here." She nodded slowly. "Okay." Abruptly the boy sat back, and the girl's face reappeared, puffy-eyed and foreign. "Get out of my car," she shuddered. He stood, stepped back, and she clambered to her feet. They stood there awkwardly. Her eyes never touched mine again- she just stared at the ground. "Are you okay?" I asked. She didn't answer, her arms crossed, red-rimmed gaze fixed on the pavement of the parking lot. I didn't see any bruises. I wanted the girl to say something, wanted her to come with us. Like statues they stood, his eyes on her, her eyes down. He made no move to attack again. He didn't even seem angry. He just stood there. "Are you okay?" I repeated, louder, wishing I could force the girl to look at me by the mere power of my gaze. "Let's just go," Amy mumbled. My yellow heart won. I turned and followed Amy out of the parking lot, glad to see a policeman already heading out to check for stragglers among the cars. The girl's face burned into my brain, so much that I heard her sobs in my head all day. Wondering why I hesitated, standing and gawking like an idiot, instead of screaming for help, pulling the boy away, sending Amy to get help from the beginning; anything but what I did. I thought I might be dreaming when I recognized her walking down the hall at the end of the school day. "Hey," I called, when I caught up to her. "Are you all right?" She looked at me out of the corner of her eye, then began walking faster. "Hey," I repeated, walking after her. "Wait a second." She stopped, impatient, eyes still down. "Leave me alone." "At least tell me what happened after we left." She scowled at me. "Look, this is none of your business." I stepped back. "I guess not," I said, unable to keep my voice from tightening. "Never mind." "But-" she said hesitantly, as I turned to leave, "I wanted to say something.� I looked at her. She almost met my eyes. Almost. "I thought everybody was just going to keep on walking. Thanks for..." she stalled out before she could finish the sentence. I wasn't sure what to do, so I just said, "You're welcome." Sometimes, maybe even a coward can be a hero. |