Of Love and Defiance

He stared defiantly into the man’s crazed eyes. The rest of the class watched in horror and fear.

“You’ll have to kill me first.” The boy said. His arms were stretched out wide from his body, as if he was trying to fly. He stood in front of a girl around his age. She was cowering behind him, the fear evident in her eyes. She was backed against the wall, her arms pulled tightly to her chest.

“Apollo,” She whispered. “Please…” Her voice trailed off. The boys form wavered slightly. However, he did not move from his position, for he was determined to protect her. The crazed man watched the exchange, happiness showing in his cloudy eyes.

“Well,” The crazed man said his voice soft. He was smiling. That was the terrifying part. Every single one of his crooked, yellowing teeth looked threatening. The man lifted his gun to the boys head.

“I guess I’ll have to kill you then.” The girl let out a squeal. Her body was shaking. The magnitude of the situation making her unstable on her feet.

She slowly tumbled forward towards the boy in front of her. The rest of the class still stared on. Many people had managed to pull their phones out. The police department received many hushed, fearful calls through a short period of about two minutes. The girl slowly wrapped her arms around the boy. She was still behind him, but she still felt him relax at her touch.

“If we fall…” she whispered in his ear, “we fall together.” No one else heard the exchange. Not even the crazed gunman that was watching intently, as if enjoying dragging it out. He had lowered his gun slightly while he was watching. It was almost a subconscious act, but it didn’t go unnoticed to the boy standing at gunpoint.

“Nina……” the boy started, but he was too choked up to continue. “I…. I love you.” The girl’s eyes widened at the sudden confession. But she didn’t back away. In fact, she pulled closer.

“Apollo,” the girl said, dragging out each syllable on her tongue, as if trying to catch it, and not let it escape her lips. “I love you too.” The boys slight not was all she needed. The boy suddenly turned around, and pulled her into him. They phased into one. It lasted for only a few seconds, but it was loving, and desperate. When they pulled apart, there were tears in the boy’s intriguing hazel eyes.

“I love you Nina. Don’t ever forget that. Ok?” He asked. The girl was shaking. No, no. She thought.

“No,” she said out loud. The boy looked confused for a second but before he could speak, the girl continued.

“What are you talking about forgetting?” She asked, desperately. “Please…. No. You have to stay with me.” The boy smiled. It was a sad, excruciating smile.

“I’m sorry.” The boy said. They were completing oblivious to the gunman and their class watching. But the gunman was getting impatient. As the gunman raised his gun again, the boy said his final words.

“Just promise me one thing.” The girl was tearing up at this point, despair in her wild blue eyes. She nodded. “I’ll never stop loving you. Don’t forget me. Live.” And with that, he turned around and stared death in the face. Then the boy directly addressed the gunman.

“I have accepted death. I am no longer afraid. So therefore, as long as I am still living and breathing, I will never let you hurt anyone.” His eyes quickly flicked behind him. The girl was silently crying, still holding on to him tightly. “If I must die, then so be it. I die with my head high. I’ll never let you harm Nina…” The boy trailed off slightly. Then he continued more quietly, but his words were as clear as crystal.

“My Nina” The gunman smiled his crazed smile at the display of defiance. The gunman despised one thing above others. That was love. So when he saw this display, he wanted to see it through. It would be more enjoyable to violently tear apart. The way they would scream….

The crazed man only lusted after one thing. And that was death. So as his finger squeezed the trigger, he had no regrets.

A shot rang out across the school ground. Then there was silence. Nothing.