I don't think I've told you this yet, but I have the uncanning ability to daze out and yet absorb everything my teachers say.  So when my math teacher caught my staring out the classroom window and asked "Evan, what's the period of this sine graph?" I glanced at her, and I swore she shuddered a little, and said "4 pi," then looked back outside while she continued with the lesson.  Even the teachers were freaked out by me.  I can see it in their eyes.
  Over my years of being an outcast, I learned how to read what people are thinking just by looking into their eyes.  It's quite simple, really.  I'll have to show you how to do it sometime.
  But back to my daydreaming.
  Everything I thought about, they all went straight back to Marìa.  When she looked at me today, I saw something in her eyes.  It wasn't anger, or fear, or disgust, or confusion that I see when I normally look at people.  It looked like... curiosity.  I think there was a little astonishment too.  Like... flattered astonishment...
  I shook my head clear.  I must've imagined it, I thought a bit sadly.  But then again, what else can I expect?  I've never gotten close to anyone in my whole life.  I'm secluded, and I really don't mind it.  It makes me a stronger person.  I can deal with just myself instead of needed to interact with people.  Everyone in high school is so cliquey anyway.  I'd hate to become one of those jocks or...
  Suddenly a siren wailed loudly.  Fire alarm.  I grumbled, as did the rest of the class as we got up.  I grabbed my red zip up sweater that matched my eyes that was behind my chair before my got up, then put it on.  Either some blockhead pulled the fire alarm or this was another boring fire drill.  The first one would be funnier though...
  "Attention, students," the loudspeaker called.  "There has been a fire on the second level.  Please evacuate the building immediately."
  Oh boy... this was new...

  I know some of you kids out there wish your school would burn to the ground.  Well, it isn't as fun as it sounds, believe me.  We were practically shoved out of the building by our teachers, jumped out of the way as the fire fighters pulled up, then watched as our school was being caught in flames.  I groaned thinking about all the makeup days we'd have to do now.  It was probably Joshua and Coby, the school's pyromaniacs.
  As much as I wanted to wonder off and do something other than watching our educational facility being engulfed with fire, I knew I had to stay with my teacher, as did everyone else.  If someone went missing, all the teachers would panic.  And that would not be a pretty sight.
  "Oh my God!" Mrs. Martinez, the Spanish teacher yelled.  Speaking of which...
  "I'm missing a student!"  She scanned her class, then quickly did a 360.  "Marìa!?  Has anyone seen Marìa?"
  I didn't catch anymore.  I was already running back into the burning building, throwing off my jacket.  I heard some of the fire fighters call out, asking what the hell I was doing.  Truth be told, I had no idea myself.  I was about to risk my life to save a girl who, to my knowledge, had never given me so much as a passing glance.  But I felt like I had to do it.
  I felt like if she didn't, she would die.

  As I broke through the school's glass doors with a good side kick and jumped in, my vision turned orange.  I was surprised how frickin' fast this place caught fire.  It was like this place had been covered in gasoline.
  Ok, I had to think fast.  Thinking slowly now could get me killed.  Mrs. Martinez was the one looking for Marìa.  Mrs. Martinez is the Spanish teacher... her room is on the second floor... in the back of the building.  I should search there first.
  I leapt the stairs two at a time, reaching the top quickly.  I then sprinted down the hall, careful to avoiding the fire.  "Marìa!  I called.  "Marìa where are you?"
  I thought I heard something, like banging, in the direction of the Spanish room.  I turned right and ran that way.  When I got there I saw the door was closed, and it was barred by a fallen piece of wood from the ceiling support system.
  "Marìa!" I called again.
  "Heeelp!"
  It was coming from the room.
  "Hold on, Marìa!"
  The piece of wood was in a diagonal position, so it wasn't a problem for me to kick it to the side.  I quickly patted out the fire that had licked my shoes just as the door flew open.  The next thing I knew, Marìa had threw herself at me and, like, completely bear hugged me.  My face completely flushed.  I can't even remember the last time ANYONE hugged me.  And now, the girl of my dreams hugged me like it was a death grip.
  After I gained enough composure to pat her on the back, I realized she was sobbing into my shoulder.  "Thank you," she breathed, her voice completely tear choked.  "I was trapped... and you saved me... thank you so much, Evan."
  I gulped.  She knew my name!?  That isn't something I see everyday.
  My face flushed a little more as I rubbed her back comfortingly.  "Save your thanks until we get out of here," I said not trying to sound mean.  Marìa let go of me and wiped her eyes on her shoulder, as though completely oblivious to the flames all around us.  She nodded, putting a brave look on her face.
  "Right.  Let's go."
  I nodded, and started running towards the exit with her following closely.
  When we got to the middle of the hall, I suddenly got a bad feeling.  I froze and put my arm out, stopping her too.  A split second later another support fell from the ceiling and landed right were we were about to be.
  Marìa looked at me, completely shocked.  "How did you know that was gonna fall?" she asked.  My mouth hung open a little.  "I don't know..."
  I signaled her to follow again until we got to the middle of the hall.  I swore to myself.  More of the supports had fallen and had destroyed the stairs.  However, that wasn't the worst part.  A lot of support beams had fallen already... meaning that this place could collapse at anytime now.  I looked back to the destroyed stairs.  The gap was pretty big, but...
  Marìa and I looked at each other at the same time.  "Let's go for it," was all I said.  She nodded back, then took my hand with hers.  I did the best to mask my surprise, then got into a runner stance, with Marìa doing the same.
  "One..." I whispered.
  "Two..." she whispered back.
  "Three!" we said together.  With that, hand in hand, we ran to the gap and jumped.
  We barely made it.  Landing on the other side, we stepped down the last few steps.  The feeling of water on my face from the fire fighters was a rewarding one.  I ushered Marìa forward and she went through the broken doors.
  The firefighters were quick to help her.  They gave her one of those re-breathers to help combat the effects of the smoke.  One of the firemen gave me a look that said "sorry, we only have one to spare."  I shrugged.  "She needs it more."  The fireman nodded.  "You're one helluva kid," he said, then went to help with another hose.
  Marìa was taking grateful gulps of air, and I couldn't blame her.  She'd probably been in there a while, so hopefully the smoke hadn't permanently damaged her lungs.  My knees began feeling weak, and I guess it was from putting off all my pain during my rescue mission.  I took a few more steps away from the burning school, then turned back to the girl.  "Hey... Marìa..." I said weakly.  She hadn't taken her eyes off of me since we got out of the building, so she just nodded in acknowledgment.  My light-headedness had really set in now.  "I think the gas is starting to get to me..." my voice trailed off as I fell to my knees, beginning to blackout.  Before I even hit the ground, I heard Marìa calling the fire fighters in panic, asking to give me the re-breather.  Thankfully, the darkness took me before I hit the ground.