A Friend in a High Place

Trying to remember the day I had first transferred here was like picking at an old scab. The more I pick at it, the more it hurts; but sometimes pain is good, especially if you're trying to heal. 

It was a cold Tuesday morning, Dad had dropped me off nearby at a local cafe to let me grab breakfast as he didn't have enough time to make me one; as he was running late to work. 

"Try and make some friends, son. High school is an important time for a young man's life, it's where you'll build who you are for the rest of your life." He told me as he hugged me goodbye, he had picked up extra hours at the waste plant and looked ragged from the overwork. 

"I will, don't worry." I lied to him as I waved goodbye. 

With this exit, I went into the cafe. It had just barely opened at 7 AM and school wouldn't start until 8:30 AM; so I had a lot of time to relax.

As I entered, I was greeted by the barista at the front. It was a pretty middle-aged lady, she had on the cafe's apron and a messy bun tying up her brunette hair; she was probably mildly popular back when she attended high school. 

"Good morning, may I take your order?" She said with a polite smile. But, I could tell what she was really thinking by the look in her eyes as she looked at me.

It was the same for everyone, the curt coldness in their pupils; a look of abject disgust. 

"H-Hi, could I please have a black coffee and a plain bagel?" I asked her, trying my best to not be a bother. 

"Will that be all?" She asked. I could feel that this was a loaded question, as if she was actually saying 'Really? Is that all you want?'.

"No, I'm okay, thank you," I replied quickly, I lowered my eyes as I gave her the money needed for the order. 

I took a seat at the far end of the cafe and idly waited for the order to be done. But as I waited, the door's bell went off; indicating someone else had also come in. 

I looked to see who it was and as I did, I felt my heart tighten like it had never done before. 

It was a girl roughly my age, her hair was like blinding sunlight and her eyes were as blue as the morning sky. She was wearing my new school's uniform, a tan blazer with the emblem of Lockhart embroidered at its lapel. 

"What a cute place, ah, good morning!" She bid the barista, she hadn't seen me yet; I was hoping she wouldn't. 

"Good morning! My, you're such a pretty little thing!" The barista giggled, the schoolgirl's beauty was universal. 

"Thank you! Haha" She let out a little laugh, and my heart felt like it jumped to my throat. 

"May I take your order? I'm just finishing up this one right now," The barista said as she shot a glance in my direction, visibly annoyed that I had the gall to order first before her. 

"Yes, I would like a black coffee and a plain bagel, please!" She asked, she had ordered the same thing as me; I was surprised someone like her would order something so dull. 

"Will do, that will be $8" The barista asked as she set herself up at the register. 

"Okay, hmm..." The girl began to rummage through her purse. 

"That's weird, it looks like I left my wallet at home." She groaned. 

The barista gave her an awkward smile hearing that she couldn't pay for the order. 

"I'm sorry, but-" 

"It's okay, I'll p-pay for it," I spoke up, surprising even myself as I interrupted the barista.

The girl hearing me speak, looked at me. Seeing her look at me made me feel as though I had climbed the highest mountain around; she was smiling. 

"What? Really!? Thank you so much!" She joyfully said, clapping her hands excitedly. 

"N-No problem," I told her as I awkwardly shuffled over to the register, handing the barista the exact change. 

The barista said nothing as she took the money, but the look of disgust she had for me before waned a little.

As I was about to return to my table, I felt a tug at my blazer's cuff; it was the girl who had caught me. 

"Excuse me, what's your name? If I'm not mistaken, this blazer you're wearing means you're also going to Lockhart, yes?" She innocently asked as she let go of my cuff; my throat felt like it was full of sand. 

"L-Lee," I replied, I couldn't bear to look her in the eye or I'd lose all my nerve. 

"Lee? What a nice name!" She cheerfully said. 

"One black coffee and plain bagel ready." The barista spoke, placing the order down at the counter for either one of us to pick up. 

"Ooh! My order's ready, it was nice of you to pay for it! Let's meet again at Lockhart, Lee!" the girl said as she gleefully grabbed the order and rushed out of the cafe. 

The barista and I watched her leave, she then spoke up as the doors closed shut. 

"That was your order," She said in an amusing tone.

"Oh," I replied. 

I hadn't even gotten her name.

Why, why am I remembering this memory? 

The cafe and the barista faded away like murky damp sand as I stood alone in this perpetual darkness. 

Then, I saw them. It was Eric and Ria illuminated in the darkness.

Ria had her lips locked with Eric. She looked irritated, but happy as Eric kept her suspended by her back. 

Eric looked like a gorilla as he kept her in his embrace, he was forcing his tongue into her mouth; she looked uncomfortable as he tried.

Then, they too dissipated like damp sand; I was alone in the dark once again. 

Then, I felt a numbness creep from my forehead down my face. It was cold and wet; it smelled like iron. 

It was blood, I was bleeding profusely from my scalp. 

There was a faint scream in the distance and some muffled shouting. Then the blaring lights of an ambulance.

I could hear my father's voice begging to someone. He was desperate, but I could feel him losing hope. 

Then, there was the slow beep of a machine; it was fading away like the ticking of a clock. 

I was dying and didn't have much time left. 

"What a tragedy," A voice spoke, I couldn't tell where it was coming from. 

"W-What? Who are you?" I asked out to the abyss. 

"Me? I'm unimportant, you, however... " It's voice trailed off. 

"You have a larger role to play," It re-emerged, but this time, I heard it come from behind me. 

As I turned around, the surrounding darkness was instantly replaced by what looked like an empty airplane terminal. 

The last time I ever was in a terminal was when I was six. When my Mother abandoned me as she took her flight. 

It's why I don't fly. 

"What if pigs could fly?" The voice appeared again, but this time I could finally see who was speaking. 

It was a man, no, a woman? It was a being whose face was constantly out of focus as it shifted into different people every time I blinked. 

They were sitting at one of the benches for an unmarked flight, beckoning me to come to them. 

"I don't understand what's going on, am I dead now?" I asked them, but they didn't respond; they were waiting for me to sit down. 

I cautiously took a step forward and sat myself down next to them. I hated sitting next to anyone, as I always felt as though my fat would touch them; I had learned that lesson when I was young. 

"Lee Lozer, seventeen years old, sole son of a waste technician and a deadbeat Mother." They spoke, at least they pronounced my last name right.

"You're currently at the crossroads of life, for many people, they may call this purgatory,"

"If I'm dying, just get it done with already. I don't care anymore," I spoke up, tired of the whole ordeal. 

"Oh no no no," They wagged their finger. 

"That isn't how it's done here, there's a way to this you see," 

"Your death wasn't supposed to happen, you were projected to 'expire' much, much later," They looked at their wrist, on it was a small simple watch; it didn't have any time-keeping hands however.

"So? I was killed by some genius, who cares if I die now and not later?" I retorted as I dug my hands into my pockets. 

"Everything matters, even the seemingly meaningless and worthless; much like you." 

"Thanks, that makes me feel much better." I snapped back at them. 

"Now now, don't get frustrated. I didn't bring you here to bicker, but rather, to give you a-- what do the kids call it nowadays? A 'lucky break'."