Young Writers Society

I woke up with cold-beaded sweat running down my face. I looked around and tried to find my bearings with two wondering questions in my mind: where am I and how did I get here. Then, like I was doused with cold water, it came rushing to me.

I was at my high school, running in the blue track trying to ace my mile test. Next to me was the great green football field with the football players doing their routine practice. My gym teacher, Coach Dole, was nowhere in sight, which I thought was odd because he was supposed to be timing me.

I was a the point of panting and I hadn't even finished my second lap. It was windy, which cooled me off from the hot summer sun.

Soon after the panting was over, I started wheezing. "Wheezing is a very bad sign, Abby." My mother had always said, although I never could remember why. Then I felt it. My air way was closing leaving my body and lungs deprived of precious oxygen.

I slowed to a stop and tried to scream for help, but it wouldn't go passed my throat. I fell to the ground on my now scrapped up knees, and started seeing little black spots slowly but surely claim my vision. At that point I knew exactly what was going on: I was having an asthma attack.

As the black spots were eating through my vision, two hands touched my back, and a voice asked if I was okay. I shook my head with such intensity that it made me dizzy. The hands picked me up and started running. It was then I realize that the voice that was telling me not to close my eyes was the star football player. Even though I could only see the right side of his face, I could still picture his beautiful sun-kissed face and bright green eyes covered by the dark brown from his hair. When I couldn't bear the weight of my eye lids anymore, I blacked out.

"Hey,sugar. You sure caused one heck of a riot out there today. How a feeling, sweetie?" Miss Rae was a registered nurse and the sweetest neighbor I have ever had. She walked in and handed me a tall glass of water, then went around checking the machines I was hooked up to.

"I didn't mean to. Miss Rae, how did I get here?" I asked after I took a long drink of my water.

"Well, I heard through the grapevine that that sweet boy of yours carried you all the way to the nurse's office. By that time, someone had called the EMT. Apparently, they administered your inhaler medicine, but worried when you hadn't woken up." She moved to the end of my bed. "So they handed you off to the paramedics and they in turn handed you off to me." She smiled as she got up to checked the needle in my arm.

"Hum, I'll have to remember to thank him when I get out of here." I made a mental note to do exactly that.

She laughed at me and said, "Honey we all know how bad you are at remembering things. Why don't ya just tell him now, I mean he's been here ever since you came in. How about I go get him." She was turning to leave when the heart monitor started beating rapidly in order to keep up with my heart. "I was only kiddin', calm down, Abby. I won't get him until your ready." The beeping was under control now, and I was breathing normally. Why did he stay, I asked myself.

"Miss Rae, you can send him in. I don't mind." I said calmly and smoothly.

"Sure ya don't. Okay, I'll be right back, then" She slipped out the door with a smile on her face.

A few minutes later she came back with Joel Kimmel, the star quarterback and now my hero. When she opened the door she had an excited smile on her face and had the same smile when she closed the door behind Joel.

"Hey, I brought you some flowers, thought they might make you feel better." He pulled a bouquet of beautiful tropical-colored flowers out from behind his back. So this was why Miss Rae was so excited, I thought.

"Thank you so much. They're beautiful. Thanks." I smelled the flowers and stared at how beautiful they were.

Joel took the seat next to me and took my hand in both of his. "You really scared me out there. One minute your running the next you were on the ground." His face had grown serious and he was staring at me with his bright green eyes.

"You were watching me? I thought you were supposed t be playing football?" I asked him, wondering why he was watching me and what would happen if he hadn't.

"Yeah." He pulled up his left sleeve which revealed a giant bruise. "I was more interested in you than the football." He chuckled as he released his shirt and replaced his hands on mine.

"So you suffered a massive bruise so you could watch me? That doesn't seem right." I said reaching for the glass of water.

"Well, then, think about it this way. If I hadn't been watching you, you wouldn't be here right now, and I'd be so depressed." The way he said it made more sense to me then. I had a lot to be grateful for.

I fiddled with the hem of my hospital blanket. "Thank you, Joel. I don't know what would have become of me if you hadn't saved me. I owe you my life." I said. I looked into his eyes and saw them twinkle a bit. A slow, cocky smile spreading across his face said I was in for a long year.

"How about we make a deal? You will not owe me your life if you will go on a date with me." He looked at me with those eyes that nobody can deny.

"Fine. I will go on a date with you." I smiled. I was so excited. I mean, who wouldn't be if the hottest guy in school asked you out.

"Thanks. Hey, listen I gotta go but I'll call you about that date, okay? My mom is probably freaking out right now because I've been gone so long." He got up and walked toward the door.

"Wait, what time is it?" I asked, realizing that nobody had never told me how long I have been out.

"About two o'clock in the morning. See you later, Abby." He walked out the door, but not before he turned and smiled one last time. At that moment I thought, THANK YOU, ASTHMA!!!