I was in a daze of beautiful fantasy. I dreamt of clear blue skies, crystal clear waters and sand white as snow. There we were, playing blissfully under the warm comforting sun, having the time of our lives. Free from adults, free from control, free from rules. I became more relaxed and let myself fall deeper into my dream. The sound of waves crashing against the rocks slowly empowered the noisy ambience of the cafeteria. In my dream I heard laughter, one that comes from someone sweet, Ryan. The sweat that glistened off his matured face complimented his machoism. His laughter was joined by four others, a boy and three girls including my own. Then later in the evening there would be the setting of the sun on the horizon, yielding its glorious radiance to the darkness of night. We would be sitting down exchanging stories while watching the sunset. I looked at Ryan and smiled. He smiled back at me and my heart leapt. Suddenly, his face turned into something horrid and ugly. He opened his mouth and started to converse in a high-pitched voice. My thoughts were disrupted. My dream was disturbed. My fantasy was crumbled by a reality factor that my brain could not ignore, Melissa.

Short, average looking and full of pimples, she was everything that I disliked in this world. Her face was an eyesore to me every day. Worst of all, she had this gigantic glasses which could win her the ‘Ultimate Bookworm Award’. There it was again, that same high-pitched squeaky voice which I dread to hear every time in class.

"Hey, Julie! I was wondering whether you would be interested in some volunteering work. You see, every Sunday afternoon, the Social Club goes to this community centre where the homeless get free food and shelter. We help out by bringing in supplies and cleaning up the place. We also try to motivate them to find decent jobs and support themselves. You, being such a public figure, I wondered if...", her annoying voice trailed off when she finally noticed my menacing glare.

I was really irritated and furious. I was only a few seconds away from giving her a slap when she very wisely apologised and scampered away. I let out an irritated sigh and gathered my books.

"Of all the times, she had to annoy me just as I was having such a perfect dream", I thought as I walked briskly to class.

While walking home, Sharon, my best friend, caught up with me.

"Why the sour face? You look as if you got lower marks than Melissa", Sharon joked.

"Oh shut up, it was her again today", I grumbled.

Sharon sighed. "You should really give her a break you know? She's only asking for help", Sharon said.

I mimicked her with Melissa's squeaky voice.

"Oh, come on, why do hate her so much anyway?" she asked.

"Come to think of it, I don't know and I don't care. Maybe I was born to hate her", I shrugged.

"Let's just forget about it and get some ice cream", Sharon suggested.

"Ugh, how fattening", I replied in disgust.

"Don't you remember?" she asked. "You're already fat", she joked as she ran from me.

I gave up chasing her after she turned at the corner knowing that she's an athlete. As I caught my breath, I looked up and let the warmness of the sun blanket my face. "It's going to be alright. Twenty-four more hours and it'll all be forgotten", I thought as I smiled at the sun like a fool.

I let out a cry of joy. I stood up and surrendered my precious hair to the winds. I urged Ryan to drive faster. He responded by pushing the accelerator to the maximum. I let out another cry of joy as my body jolted and the winds grew stronger. I couldn't stop smiling. The time was finally here! My dream would finally come true! No adults, no rules, no Melissa! I rested my elbows on the hood of the car. Even though Ryan was busy speeding and controlling the car, he still had time to turn around and joke with us. From my point of view it made him look very attractive. I leaned my head back and recalled my dream. Another five more minutes and we would be having a nice picnic, splashing in the blue sea and treading on soft white sand. As history repeats itself, my thoughts were interrupted. Not by a person this time. But by screeching brakes and the force that made me fly out of the car.

Almost flew actually. If it weren't for my hands, my head would have been smashed by the hood. Despite my heart thumping rapidly at my throat, I could hear my friends laughing at me.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. You were so dreamy and blur", Ryan chuckled.

I nearly could have gotten hurt and there he was laughing at me. If I did not like him, I would have wiped the smile off his face with one smack. But his charming looks melted my heart and made me forgive him. I realised that we finally reached our destination. I gaped at the scenery with awe. It was almost exactly as I had dreamt it to be.

Clear blue skies, crystal clear waters and sand white as snow. I ran out of the car and ignored my friends' calls for me to help unpack the things. The soft white sand made me feel as if I was walking on heavenly clouds. The sound of waves was music to my ears. Nothing in the world could spoil the day. Except, for the lurking death that was approaching.

Everything went as I had imagined it would be. I never felt so relaxed, calm and happy for a long time. Ryan was the one giving me the most joy. His cool gentle smiles made my day. As the sun set, it illuminated a crimson red on our faces. Our shadows were casted long and gloomy along the now reddish sand. After talking about our lives in high school, my friends decided to call it a day. I didn't want it to end so I stubbornly headed for the waves while they groaned. I dived in and swam away from the beach. I teased my friends from afar, hoping they would join me in the water one last time. To my disappointment, they ran back to the car and made themselves cozy. I laid back and stared emptily into the red sky. I felt so relaxed being afloat on the sea. I took in a deep breath, the same time as a wave overcame me. Salt water filled my nostrils and I started to cough. After coughing I tried to gasp for air but all I got was another wave of salty death. I started to choke and panic at the same time. I started to paddle and kick hastily to keep myself afloat, to gasp in air but the waves had no mercy on me. I started to feel dizzy, my arms and legs refused to move. I began to sink. As the sea enveloped me, I lost consciousness. I was going to die.

I opened my eyes, coughing salt water out onto myself. I gasped for air to replenish my lungs. When I became sober enough, I finally noticed the silhouette of a well-built man looming over me. I took his outstretched arm and helped myself up. The first thing that hit me was the smell. He smelled fishy and like he hadn't bathed for a long time. The second was his toothy grin. His teeth looked as if they were beyond the repair of braces. But all that didn't matter to me; he was the man who saved my life. I returned his smile and we introduced ourselves. After finding out that he lives in a shoddy looking shack nearby and lives on fish and homegrown plants, I asked him how much did he want in return for saving my life.

He refused to accept any amount and simply said, "If you want to show me gratitude, if you see others in need, just remember to lend a helping hand."

Finally, after thanking him many times, we said our goodbyes and I made my way back to the car.

The cafeteria was chaotic. Everyone was pushing for food. Nobody bothered to line up. The bullies cut the queue and shoved the weaker ones away, as usual. Amidst the chaos and the noisy ambience, I couldn't help but notice an extraordinary individual, Melissa. There she was, handing out leaflets trying to convince people. I finally understood the true beauty of her. The only reason why I hated her was because she reminded me of my old self. I used to be short, immature looking and kind. I gave up my kindness for what? Ryan, of course. He didn't like soft girls. He wants girls who are rough and love to swear. He was the only thing I cared about. I was so selfish. I lost my true identity just for a deceptively good-looking boy. I took off my contact lenses and put on my old glasses. Melissa's jaw dropped wide open when she saw me walking towards her.

"Julie, Hi! I didn't expect you to be here! I'm really glad that.…" I cut her stammering short by giving her a long hug. I winked at her and said, "Just lending a helping hand”.

We both then smiled at each other and even though there were no words exchanged, we both knew the value of our friendship and it all started with a helping hand.