MY STEPBROTHER, MY RUIN

CHAPTER 009: MR. KIND STRANGER

The sole of my right sneaker suddenly pulled loose with a loud rip, flapping under my foot like a broken tongue. Ouch! I felt a rip across my heart.

I stumbled forward, arms flailing for balance, I grabbed a stool and steadied myself. My hair let loose with the jolt, covering my face.

A few students already in the classroom burst out laughing. The sound echoed off the walls.

“Look at that!”

“Meanie girl can’t even walk straight… Did she wear a bad shoe to Uni?”

More whispers flew around the room, louder now. “Meanie… meanie…”

I buried my face toward the floor, cheeks burning hotter than fire. I could only thank my hair for covering my shame a little. I didn't know what best to do. Turn and go back to the door, limping? Or limp to a seat and have their mean words leech me to death?

I pulled off the bad shoe. My hands tightened hard around it. It was the cause of my even bigger misfortune today. I shook as I tried to fix the shoe, but it was no use. The sole hung half off, and would make every step awkward and embarrassing. I tossed it back to the floor, forcing my foot into it.

I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. Tears pricked the backs of my eyes, but I blinked them away hard. Not here. Not in front of all of them. I feared looking up and staring into Ronan’s eyes.

Then a calm voice cut through the noise.

“Hey.” It sounded too close. Only then did I see his shoes a few feet before me.

I slowly lifted my face. It was the boy I had noticed earlier, the one sitting at the far end with his face buried deep in a thick book when I first walked in.

He was tall, with broad shoulders that filled out his shimmering black T-shirt nicely. His smile was warm and bright, one of the nicest I had ever seen. It reached his eyes and made little crinkles at the corners.

The noise in the classroom quieted down a bit. All eyes turned to us. For a split second, I caught Ronan’s expression, I was finally able to look his way. His usual smirk had disappeared. His eyes looked darker, almost dim, as he watched the boy standing before me.

Ronan’s jaw tightened. His fist curled a little on top of his desk, his mouth pouting so hard.

I managed a small smile back at the new boy, even though my insides felt shaky. I wasn’t sure about him yet, but anything was better than standing here alone while every other person laughed and whispered “meanie.”

Before I could say a single word, the boy stepped closer. In one smooth move, he bent down and lifted me right off the floor, one arm under my knees, the other supporting my back. I let out a tiny gasp, hands flying to his shoulders for balance. The whole class cheered again, louder this time, clapping and whistling.

He walked slowly through the aisle, carrying me like I weighed nothing. My heart raced so fast I could barely breathe. Up close, he smelled clean, like he had just walked out of the shower. He paused for a while, like he could read the confusion on my face.

“I’ve got you,” his lips parted warmly in a smile, the kind that whispers ‘I’m not harmful’. Then he moved, slowly and carefully, like he was carrying a box of eggs.

We reached the two empty seats at the back. He stopped right in front of them and lowered me gently onto the chair, as if I were something delicate that might break, or some ceramic ware on the shelf in a supermarket tagged “handle with care,”

I sat there, stunned, my broken sneaker still flapping on my foot. Ronan had twisted his head enough to watch every second. His fist stayed clenched on the desk. Something I couldn’t explain sat in his eyes. Was that disappointment? Oh, he had waited to watch me limp. Joke's on him!

But the boy wasn’t finished. He crouched down in front of me, right there in the classroom. The room had gone almost completely silent now, everyone staring. He carefully took off my damaged sneaker, holding my foot gently in his big hand. His touch was warm and steady. Then he looked up at me with that same kind smile.

“I’ll be right back,” he said softly, voice calm and reassuring.

He stood up, still holding my broken shoe, and walked out of the classroom like it was the most normal thing in the world. By the time I tried to look around again, the entire hall had gone mute. Ronan had turned to face the front, but every other eye in the room stayed glued on me. Whispers had stopped, replaced by curious stares and subtle murmurs.

My cheeks still felt hot. My chest tightening, but no longer from embarrassment. I quickly pulled out my notebook from my bag and opened it on the desk, pretending to read something important. Anything to keep my eyes from wandering around and falling on any of those darting eyes.

A few minutes later, the kind boy walked back in. I saw Ronan’s eyes follow him back to his seat. The boy’s brows were pulled together. The bad shoe still in his hand, sole flapping.

“You… weren’t able to fix… fix it?” I said lowly, voice breaking.

“Yeah,” he muttered. Stretching forth both hands.

I managed a smile. At least, he had silenced voices that were ready to roast me. Meeting people like him isn’t something that happens every day.

“Thank you… You’ve really done enough for me,” I could tell my eyes were glistening at this point. Such a crazy habit. “I’ll find a way to fix it… after classes.”

He nodded slightly. “I couldn’t fix it because the cobbler said it wouldn’t last still… So, I got you this,” he brought out a wrap from his back pocket.

Oh my God! This boy got me a new pair of sneakers from the mini-mart right after the school library. No, this was too much of an offer from someone I barely knew.

I pushed it back, refusing to accept it. It looked quite… expensive, especially buying it in somewhere like this school, where everyone smelled like they slept and woke up on money. There was no way I could accept that.

“If you don’t take it, I’ll take it as you do not like that I got involved. Moreover, I can’t take it back, and it would be a waste of money. I’m sure you don’t want that.” He insisted, his eyes dimming a little.

I saw it, he would definitely feel bad, and not like I had extra cash on me, except I had planned to trek home after fixing the shoe.

“Thank you, Mr. Kind Stranger,” my lips parted coyly. I watched all the students shudder and started getting busy with some other productive things.

His throat gave out a small laugh as he walked to the seat beside me.

“I’m Matthew Bradford,” he lowered onto the seat. “Just call me Matt,’ his lips beamed.

I nodded, still admiring my new pair of sneakers. “I’m June… June Rourke,”

I had wanted to ask if he was usually this kind. I mean, buying things for people at their slightest discomfort? But then, the classroom door was pushed open, the lecturer, a middle-aged man, walked in.