"The names Marshal, Daniel Marshal." He said imitating that famous line from James Bond.

"What? Daniel!" I shouted. It was all beginning to come back to me.

"So I'm guessing you remember now." He smirked.

It was all really clear now, it was such a long time ago since we ever spoke I didn't even recognize him. And the more I thought about it, it was really surprising that he even remembered my name.

*** 

2 year earlier

Daniel Marshal. My first and only encounter with him was when I was starting out at my current school, Colfield Manor High School. I had been there about three months and I had already claimed the title of loner which actually wasn't bad once you got used to it and it wasn't like I wasn't expecting it, with all the divorce drama at home.

I had virtually no friends, so I just moped around the school at break and lunch. I even managed to find a quiet place near the roof of the building which I christened "the chill out spot," not very original, but I was young and it was the best I could come up with. I went to it at every opportunity I got. It was a way for me to shut out the troubles of reality and just, relax. A place I could run to if life was being more of a bitch than usual, it was always very calm and confined from the noisiness of the school hallways, the chatter of the children and I liked it that way. Quiet.

But like all good hiding spots, it didn't stay a secret for long. It was a warm but slightly breezy spring afternoon. I had grabbed some lunch and made my way down the hall, left, up the fight of stairs, and then right to the chill out spot. An old and seemingly abandoned classroom filled with a bunch of outdated tables and chairs. I as per usual moved them out the way and entered. Instantly I was greeted by that familiar scent of dust, dampness and mildew and I, as usual, broke out into a fit of coughs and sneezes. 

When it ended I parked my butt down on the seat by the open window, I ate enjoying the cool spring breeze on my face. I had a great view of the field and trees from up there and right on cue, I heard the laughter and cries of students. It was mainly the guys, though, there were some girls too, playing football and messing about. It was now part of my lunchtime routine to watch them as they always seemed to be out there everyday without fail. Creepy, I know, but I had nothing better to do.

I was in the middle of watching their little football match when I heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, I panicked a bit thinking it was a teacher, I tried desperately to pack my lunch away and leave. I was just stuffing the last of my lunch content into my bag when the door opened. Standing in front of me was a pale skin boy about the same height as me if not taller, he had chestnut brown eyes just like me and his brown hair was neatly fixed. His nose was quite small like a button and his ears looked slightly pointy, and elf-like. The one thing that stood out to me the most though was his surprisingly rosy cheeks and he was panting as he gave me a puzzled stare. 

There was a long awkward silence with both of us eyeing each other up.

"Who are you?" He panted after the moment silence.

"I could ask you the same thing," I answered back.

"Yeah, but I asked you first." He said.

He was pretty persistent about it, I didn't really like giving out my name because that only added to the list of people who would probably avoid me after hearing the rumors. But I was bored and wasn't thinking about that then.

"Josh," I mumbled.

"Last name?"

I gave him one of those don't push your luck looks.

"OK, OK I get it." He replied.

He entered in a bit further until he was right up next to me and I could see his facial features more clearly now. He was giving me a friendly smile and I wasn't sure what I made of that.

"So what are you doing up here then?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Oh, me and my friends were messing about and they took off suddenly. I chased em but it looks like I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up here."

I didn't reply, he was just another one of them, those lucky people who had friends and lived a carefree life not having to come to terms with family issues like I did. Getting whatever they wanted handed to them on a silver platter, while I barely had a phone that worked. Not realising the words they said affected people, taking the little things for granted. Just like the rest of them.

"So are you not gonna tell me what you're doing here, I'm pretty sure this place is off limits. Don't you have any friends to hang with?"

"I don't have friends, I don't want any either." I snapped.

That word, friend, I hated it at the time. I knew I would never have one, so what was the point? Friendship didn't exist to me and I had given up on ever trying to make some quite a while ago. It soon became obvious that no one was going to hang around with a poor kid from a broken home. Though I tried my hardest, all the people I tried to get close to either told me to go away, used me or bullied me instead. 

I hated people with friends, they had something I so desperately wanted. Something I couldn't ever have, I'd watch the kids mucking about with their mates while I sat on a bench in the playground as if they were mocking me, taunting me. Forever letting me know I wasn't good enough for them, and I would never be.

"You tramp."

"Mummies boy!"

"Your mums crazy, no wonder your dad left you!"

"Lanky piece of shit."

Yes, I remembered all the name calling from people like him, the beatings up, the laughs. That's what I got for trying to fit in. Lead a normal life. Friendship was a luxury I was just not fortunate enough to have, so friendship was dead to me.

He sighed "You're sure grumpy."

"Do you think you can leave now, your friends aren't here so you don't have to stay," I said bitterly.

"No, I like it up here, as weird as that sounds, and you look like you could use someone to talk too." He then came and sat down next to me.

It was silent for a while I didn't look or speak to him, I wanted him to go and leave me alone and I was half expecting him to start with the insults.

"Do you come here often?" He asked, after a while.

"No," I replied still looking out the window. There was another long pause.

"Why are you still here?" I asked wondering when he was going to go.

He smiled. "Mmm, no real reason actually, I just don't like what you said, it bugs me."

"What are you on about?"

"What you said about friendship, it being a waste of time, a whole piece of crap, worthless." He trailed off. 

"Your point?" I said. 

"To put it in other words, I think you were talking a whole load of bollocks when you spoke about friendship and I didn't like it. You've obviously been through a lot and not had many friends have you, cause no person I know would say something so, pessimistic."

I looked at him for a second, was he really not going to leave alone was he? Why did it even matter to him what I thought, it wouldn't do him any good. Plus his happy-go-lucky attitude was really starting to bug me. 

"Didn't you hear the first time, I said I don't need nor do I want any friends. What's so good about friendship anyway, I've tried and it doesn't get you anywhere." I grumbled.

"Yeah well, what's so bad about it? You have people to back you up when things get hard, mates that will always stick up for you when you're in a bit of trouble. Someone to be there to pick you up when you fall."

I let out a chuckle "Well the friends I've made so far have all either, picked on me, looked down on me or used my hair as a floor mop so I think I'll pass on the whole friends stick together thing."

"Then those people weren't your friends, simple." He folded his arms.

"You make it sound as if it's actually that simple, you haven't been what I been through." I snorted.

"Oh really, try me." He raised his eyebrow at me.

So I began with my long story, I told him everything that I had kept bent up, the divorce, Mum drinking, the whole thing. I didn't know why I had wanted to tell him, I just did. It was quite refreshing to just talk about it to be honest. It was like a heavy weight had just been lifted off of me when I was done and I already felt ten times lighter.

"...I didn't know, I'm sorry I brought it up," he said when I had finished, hanging his head.

"Don't sweat it, I decided to tell you in the first place." I sighed.

"Yeah well I still feel..."

"Save it, I've been here before. Isn't this the part when you say sappy stuff to try and make me feel better? Yeah, it doesn't work so save your breath will you."

He laughed. "Look, I can tell your putting on a brave face and that's good, but I personally don't think shutting yourself from the world is the answer to your problems." He rested his chin in his palm, staring out the window as the wind made his hair sway gently.

I didn't reply.

"You don't have to take it from me, we all have bad times in our lives, but it's up to us whether we face them head on or give up. The strong-willed usually overcome it and move on no matter how big the task. I can relate, I was close to my mum, like really close to her." There was a glimpse of sadness behind those usually cheerful eyes of his. This was obviously a hard subject for him. "One day she developed strange symptoms, rashes, small lumps in her chest, swelling." He paused for a bit as if he was taking him mind back to those times.

"...And when we went to the doctors we found out it was breast cancer. They tried everything, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, breast reconstruction, surgery but in the end, nothing worked. As much as we tried to help, the cancer cell were too strong and she..." He trailed off then began wiped his eyes, "Sorry just got something in my eye..." He laughed.

"You don't have to say anymore, I understand..." This time is was my turn to hang my head.

"Yeah..." He let out the saddest smile I'd ever seen and probably ever see him wear. "Anyway, if I can move on from something like that then who's to say you can't?" He replied.

I looked at him for a second and started to regret what I had thought about him at first.

I was wrong about him. I thought he was just another guy, he'd been through so much more than me, both my parent were still alive, but he didn't have a mum anymore. I felt bad that I had judged him so quickly he must have been through way more than I'd been, yet he seemed so cheerful, so happy all the time. How could someone who had been through so much still keep going?

There was yet again another long silence between us. Not a word was said and I think that was a good thing, we didn't need words to communicate. Somewhere in the middle of all that, we both heard the bell ring.

"Oh fuck, the time!" He cried and without saying anything more he jumped out of his seat and made a run for the door.

"Wait!" I shouted just before he left "Who are you?"

"Oh, yeah I almost forgot, the names Daniel, Daniel Marshal." He shouted.

"Daniel...Marshal?"

"That's the one!" He smiled "Anyway I got to go, oh and a tip, take my advice, you're not gonna get anywhere sitting around or your ass all day. This world's huge go outside more I promise one day, things will start to look up. Oh and try not to forget me OK, cause when your out there having fun, messing about and having a good time you can look back and say it was all thanks to that weird kid I met one day."

With that, he darted out the door before I could say another word, like an unexpected hail storm he left just a quickly as he came. And I was once again the only one in that damp, abandoned room.

I didn't think I would ever forget that name, Daniel Marshal. If it weren't for him I wouldn't be the person I am today I don't think, he opened my eyes a bit to see the world in a whole new light. He didn't fix my problems at home or at school, but he did give me something very important, hope. Hope that one day something would happen to change my life to make it better, and he kept to his word.

I took his advice and went out a bit more. From that day forth I stopped going to the chill out spot, there would no longer be a boy looking out from the top floor window at the happy people below, there would no longer be a Josh that hid from his problems. A new me was born you could say, it wasn't much different from the old me and yet it was.

Up till now I'd never seen Daniel again, it was a bit weird since we went to the same school. I'd tried looking for him a few times to thank him but, I couldn't find him and after a while, he just left my mind completely. I still don't even know if the chill out spot is completely inaccessible now or if it hasn't changed since those times. All I did know is that I would always be in debt to the random guy who stumbled across me one day,

Daniel Marshal.

.........Keep reading for the next chapter

Chapter 13- Let off easy?