Extra Warmth

In high school, I was always myself, doing things my way, acting cool.

Until one summer in my senior year, four mean girls surrounded me on the way home from school.

One of them I knew, from a girls' basketball game held on campus. She kept playing dirty tricks but couldn't match my skills. I beat her by thirty points.

She couldn't accept the loss and angrily threatened, "Damn it, just wait and see!"

I flipped her off and walked away.

That day after school, I finished my homework at a friend's house, and that girl with her three lackeys was waiting at the alley entrance.

As soon as I stepped out, they surrounded me.

She lit a cigarette and approached me with a sneer, "You're good at basketball, but you won't give me face?"

I struggled fiercely, but her friends held me down tightly.

"Tsk." She pressed a cigarette against my wrist, causing smoke to rise.

I fought back with determination.

I lifted my foot and kicked.

"Let go of me, get lost."

But my kicks were no match for their numbers.

That scum stood in front of me, smiling wickedly.

"Pin her down on the ground."

"Does it hurt? If you promise to kneel and kowtow to me, I'll let you go."

I spat, "Dream on."

As soon as I finished speaking, I received a slap across the face.

I squinted and saw a boy at the alley entrance. He looked gentle and held a bicycle.

He spoke up.

"What are you doing? Let her go."

The mean girl acted tough, waving the iron rod in her hand as a warning.

"Mind your own business."

Although he was slender, he showed no fear and was about to come help me.

Sirens sounded in the vicinity, and the mean girls didn't dare linger, quickly leaving.

I weakly climbed up from the ground, feeling like my organs had shifted. One of my eyes was swollen shut, leaving only a narrow slit.

He came over and supported me. "I'll call an ambulance, and they'll take you to the hospital."

"No need, it's not that serious."

He looked puzzled, "Not serious?"

"I'm not allowed to call an ambulance anyway. If I have to go, I'll go to the hospital myself."

I'm not a fan of making a big fuss.

"Then let me give you a ride."

He listened obediently, no longer calling for an ambulance. However, he quickly brought his bicycle over and offered to take me to the hospital.

Looking at his unfamiliar cycling skills, I wondered how he planned to take me to the hospital.

It suddenly struck me as amusing.

"Sure."

He took out a tissue from his pocket and wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth.

As I looked at his clean face, my mind went blank.

He looked so fair-skinned.

I knew he was also from our school because he was wearing the ugly school uniform we all had to wear. But for some reason, he looked somewhat handsome in it.

Perhaps he was naturally good-looking. His lips were full, and his nose was straight.

"Hold on tight."

After wiping away the blood, he got on the bicycle and gestured for me to sit down quickly.

Once I sat down, he set off. I could tell that he was trying hard to keep the bicycle moving in a straight line.

"You can go slower, no rush."

He told the truth, "I've only learned to ride a bike for two laps. I'm afraid we might fall later."

He couldn't even ride properly by himself, and now he was carrying me.

He really went through a lot of trouble.

The weather that day was actually quite nice. The sunlight was accompanied by a gentle breeze, tickling my face.

I had no worries. "Ouch!" During the downhill ride, we actually fell.

The bicycle lost control, and we both fell down.

Fortunately, he caught me in time andprotected me from the impact. We tumbled to the ground, and for a moment, we lay there, tangled up with each other.

He quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, are you hurt?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "It's fine, accidents happen."

We disentangled ourselves and stood up. He inspected the bicycle, which had a bent wheel.

"Looks like we'll have to walk the rest of the way."

I nodded in agreement, and we began strolling towards the hospital. Despite the pain and discomfort, I couldn't help but feel a strange warmth in my heart.

As we walked, we chatted about trivial things. He told me about his hobbies, his dreams, and his favorite books. I shared my own interests and aspirations. It felt surprisingly easy to open up to him, as if we had known each other for a long time.

When we arrived at the hospital, he insisted on accompanying me inside. I told him it wasn't necessary, but he insisted, saying he wanted to make sure I was okay. We spent the next couple of hours together, waiting for the doctors and nurses to tend to my injuries.

During that time, we exchanged phone numbers and promised to keep in touch. He even offered to visit me at home and bring me some snacks to cheer me up.

As I lay in the hospital bed, I couldn't help but reflect on the events of the day. Despite the initial confrontation and the unfortunate accident, I felt grateful for this unexpected encounter. I realized that sometimes, in the most difficult moments, we can find kindness and warmth from the people we least expect.

From that day on, he became an important part of my life. We became close friends, supporting and understanding each other through the ups and downs of high school and beyond.

That summer, our friendship blossomed into something more. We found comfort, solace, and love in each other's presence.

The memory of that fateful day, when he stood up for me and offered his help, always warms my heart. It reminds me that even in the face of adversity, there are people who are willing to go the extra mile to show kindness and care.

That day, he brought not only extra warmth to my injured body but also to my soul.