Darling

(2) Not On My Watch

Chapter 2

-Kimi-

I woke up and did my normal routine; brush my teeth, wash my face, shower, and eat breakfast. I finished breakfast and turned on the TV. It was almost mute, but I wasn't interested in the program enough to turn it up. I finished planning my job for next week and didn't have any jobs to do today. I guess I can just chill out here. I made some tea and looked out of the window. It's a pretty decent view. You can see the sun rising and setting, but you can also see the bare roofs of the buildings next door. It was different today though. Today the roofs weren't completely deserted. There was kid, couldn't be older than me, standing on the edge of the roof. He was going to jump.

But not on my watch

I quickly made my way up to the roof and gracefully leaped over to the one he was currently standing on. When he saw me he backed away from the edge. I stopped just a few feet away from him in fear he might be scared enough to jump.

"What are you doing?" I asked him. He looked at the ground below and frowned even more than he already was. I took my chances and and inched closer to him. He didn't look afraid, he looked like someone who could use some comforting words and a hug. Both of which I had no real experince with

"Whats your name?" I asked him. Maybe getting him off the subject of death would get him off the roof and onto the ground without that one step trip.

"Dustin." He said quietly. Well it's a start.

"I'm Kayla," I said making a quick decision. I really shouldn't have told a suicidal boy a fake name. Especially if he had trust issues. The boy finally looked up at me. He brushed his shaggy blond hair out of his face with his hand and gave me a blank face.

"What are you doing up here Dustin?" I asked. I was now standing in front of him. He was about half a foot shorter than me, but in a few years he'd be much taller. Hopefully I can get him to live that long.

"I was gonna jump," He said honestly. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes before looking at him again. I made sure not to look disappointed or even sad. Those kinda looks can really get to you.

"Why?" I asked. He looked away before he answered.

"The other people at school... they said I should. That the world would be better off without me." Today is a Monday which means there is school today. Guess he's skipping.

"And do you believe that?" He sighed and didn't answer.

"They bully me for no reason. I'd really like to know why." He said almost angrily. Can't do that if you're dead.

"Dustin can I give you some advice?" He nodded. "If people don't like you for no reason, you can give them a reason... or you can just end it here and now...or you can come stay with me for the rest of the day and I'll help you figure it out." I suggested. Not the best of options but at least he knows he has options. "You can come with me. I don't bite" I said. Honestly I wish he'd come with me. I don't mind the company. Plus, the innocent won't die on my watch. Especially not by their own hand. He shoved his hands in his pockets as a breeze blew. I took the time to notice that I was only in a green sweater and leggings with some slippers. Not the warmest clothes.

"I'm sorry, but I have to do this," He said. My heart dropped to my stomach. He was honestly gonna kill himself and he wasn't going to let me stop him. "I need to do this."

"Wrong answer." I tazed him with the lowest voltage that could still making him pass out. "Congrats kid you've just been tased by an assassin!" I said sarcastically to no one.

|*|

I sat in my favorite chair and sipped my hot chocolate as I watched Dustin's eyes flutter open. His brilliant blue eyes had been filled with daze... then confusion... then realization... then a look a found most familiar; panic.

"Its alright Dustin, you're at my place." I said calmly. I didn't want to scare him so I stayed where I was. By this point I'm pretty much a kidnapper.

"What am I doing here? Why-why am I here?" He stuttered and his reaction wasn't new to me. Though its quite different since he isn't tied up or begging for his life...

"I wasn't gonna let you jump no matter how crappy your life is," I told him. "Now, Dustin, would you like something to eat?"

|*|

Dustin and I talked and I learned a lot more about him. He was only 12, only 3 years younger than I am, and a freshman in high school. He said he skipped two grades because of how smart he was. I didn't believe it at first, but then I asked him questions that shouldn't even be questions.

We came to an agreement. He would try his hardest not to let the bullies get to him and I would make sure the bullies didn't get to him. We also agreed that there would be no colorful words used. I made no promises on that one, but I would try for his sake. It was the end of the school day and his aunt was gonna be expecting him soon, so I offered to walk him back. Plus I wanna get a good look at these bullies.

We had to walk past the school to get to his house and it worked out okay. I mean depending on the definition of okay.

"Well if it isn't little Alexander," Dustin's full name is Dustin Alexander I get that, but isnt that line a little overused?

"Back off Derek," Dustin replied. So this was Derek Dote. The 11th grader. The big bad bully.

"Did you find a roof to jump off of yet?" Derek teased. Dustin tensed and didn't respond. When the bully moved in to hit him I just barely caught his hand before it made contact.

"He said to back off," I said speaking up. The shaggy haired brunette eyed me from head to toe, but I didnt give him the satisfaction of my discomfort.

"You must be new. This kid is just another wimp who needs a little push. You don't know the Alexander kid," He said his last sentence with disgust in his voice. As much as I want to break every bone in his body, I can break him just as easily with my words.

"You must not have heard him because he said to back off and I don't like repeating myself. So before I get angry, I suggest you go home," I said threatningly. He only chuckled and the rest of his followers joined in.

"Oh please," He grabbed me and pulled me close to him by my waist. If he was anyone else, anywhere else, with a bunch of blood on his hands, he'd already have his neck snapped. So to be nice I decided to distribute pain without killing him. I drew my head back and threw it forward hitting the bully on his forehead. I'm what someone might call 'hard headed' so that trick doesn't hurt like it should. I side-stepped the now whining bully on the sidewalk and Dustin and I continued walking.

"How'd you do that?" he asked.

"Do what? Threaten him or make him cry?" I asked trying to clarify.

"Both?" I almost chuckled at him.

"I'm pretty strong willed," I said avoiding the unsubtle answer that I'm an assassin.

____