• The gentle sound of quick footsteps pounded around the small girl. She looked around hopelessly, her blonde hair whooshing behind her head as it turned. Her pale blue eyes began to tear up. They looked around for something familiar. Nothing looked so. This place was foreign, so very foreign. She wanted to get back to somewhere comfortable.

    “Where am I?” she muttered softly, “Where is this place? Oh no…. I got lost again…”

    She turned to stare at the people. Maybe one of them could help. If only she could bring herself to speak to them. That was the hard part. Talking to them. They were all so normal; it was frightening.

    Men and women of all ages rushed around her going through their daily lives. None of them seemed to notice the young teenager who seemed completely lost. The girl watched everyone pass, wringing her hands nervously. She opened her mouth as a woman approached. “Excuse me-” she started, but was shooed off with a wave of her hand. The girl returned to watching helplessly.

    A boy, around her age, maybe a few years older, seemed to slow down as he came to where she stood. No, that wasn’t right. He DID slow. She nervously looked up at him. He had mysteriously kind, green eyes. He held out a hand. She hesitantly took and shook it.

    He smiled and introduced himself, once, but the girl was still staring nervously at their hands. She’d never touched a guy’s hand before.

    “Guys’ hands are big…” She muttered, “I’m sorry, did you say something? I wasn’t listening.”

    The boy laughed and replied, “Obviously. My name is Alexander Winchester. You can call me Alex though. You?”

    The girl began to giggle, “Your last name’s Windchesthair. That’s funny.”

    Alex laughed, “No, no. Win-chest-er. Nothing about chest hair or wind, I promise.”

    “Oh... okay,” The girl stated with disappointment, “I’m Lily DageKil. You can call me Lily.” She smiled slightly.

    “A dodge killer eh?” Alex smirked, “Sounds fun.”

    “No, no. DageKil.” Lily reiterated, “DageKil. Not dodge killer.”

    Alex laughed again tossing his brown clad head back and closing his green eyes. Lily blinked. She didn’t understand what there was to laugh about. Nothing seemed truly funny at the time, so she simply asked, “What’s so funny?”

    “Nothing.” Alex answered, still laughing, “Don’t worry about it.” He paused to breathe and stop himself from laughing. “Now when I first happened across you, you looked rather lost. Do you need some help?”

    Lily nodded enthusiastically and replied, “Yes. I’m lost. It often happens. I’m supposed to pick up my step-brother from school. He goes to Horton Elementary.”

    Alex chuckled, “I’m sorry to say this, but you’re on the completely wrong side of town.” Lily’s face fell, and Alex stopped laughing. “Please don’t be upset I’ll take you there, though,” he paused and looked at her worriedly, “We’ll have to walk, and I’m pretty hungry seeing as how I’ve had nothing to eat all day. So would you mind us stopping by a café or something along the way?”

    Lily shook her head as she jumped on the boy and grasped him in a tight hug. “Thank you! Thankyouthaknkyouthankyou!” She yelled causing passerby to stare, and Alex to blush.

    He pushed her off and looked down the street to the north. “It’s this way,” he murmured.

    As they walked, Lily watched him curiously. The boy was still blushing. It was funny. ‘Why’d I have that effect on him?’ she wondered. Smiling, she looked up at him and pointed at a small café they were nearing and asked, “Didn’t you say you wanted to eat?”

    Alex jumped and turned where she pointed, nodding. He led her to a table near the back. “Would you like anything? I’ll go order it,” he offered waving a hand in the general direction of the front counter.

    Lily nodded, “Can you get me a tea and a glazed donut?” She reached down to her pocket, only to find she didn’t have her wallet. She frowned and told him so.

    He waved it off and assured, “I’ll pay for you. Don’t worry abut it.” She thanked and hugged him again. She noticed as he walked away that he was blushing again. She shrugged thinking nothing of it.

    When Alex came back with her tea and donut as well as a tea and scone for him, they eat in silence. When they were both finished the stood up and began their walk again. Alex didn’t say a word the entire time.

    They arrived at Horton in a few hours time.

    “Here it is,” Alex announced, “Horton Elementary. Which one is your brother?” He gestured at the few remaining children.

    Lily blinked surprised. “I’m supposed to pick up my brother?” She asked, incredulous.

    Alex laughed lightly and nodded. “That’s what you told me,” he answered.

    Lily blinked and nodded. “Yeah, I guess I was,” she muttered. “Well, thank you.” She added and gave him a last hug before running off.

    “Hold on, Lily!” Alex shouted, a blush spreading on his cheeks. She stopped and turned around.

    “Yes?” She asked.

    “Do you think maybe, we could, you know hang out sometime?” He stumbled over the words as he said them.

    Lily smiled and nodded. “By the way,” she added, “Your cheeks have turned red three times today. How strange is that!?” She turned around and ran up to a boy with blond hair, much like hers. She grabbed his hand, both of them giggling non-stop as they took off down a street called Rose. He watched them until they were out of sight.

    Only then did Alex realize, that they only thing he knew about her was her name and how often she got lost. He sighed and stared at the last spot he’d seen the sweet girl named Lily. He turned and walked back the way the two had arrived from, vanishing into the softening light.