The Girl He Didn't See

Chapter 3

You say you love the rain but you use an umbrella to walk under it.
You say you love the sun but when it's shining you seek shade.
You say you love the wind but you close your window when it comes
So that's why I'm scared when you say you love me
~Bob Marley
>
>
River
Zarah had finally opened up to me. It felt great just know that she cares about me still. If I could be truthful, I'd tell her how I feel. I'd tell her that I think she's the most amazing person I've ever known and that when we stopped talking it killed me. But I can't say that. To her I'm merely just a guy in her world that could leave at any moment. I'm a shy person when it comes to my feelings and I'm not going to tell her. If she likes me she'll like me but until then I just have to wait.

Lately though, Zarah has been distant from me. When I walk downstairs to eat she says hi and smiles but immediately gets up. And when I go to the room to go to bed she's asleep. And all I can think is What did I do? Have I hurt her? Please let me in. Let me fix whatever I did.

I walked into the room and she was dancing to the music she was playing. She always did make me laugh with the way she danced but I never noticed how cute it was. I stood in the doorway as she danced until I walked over and she stopped.

She gasped " what are you doing in here?" She ran her fingers through her hair smoothing it out.

"I just came to talk to you but then you were dancing and I thought it was funny." I said still smiling. I sat on the bed and laughed.

"Well glad I could entertain you." She said and I knew she wasn't happy because she turned around and started for the door.

I'm not even going to follow her. I'm just going to let her think out whatever I did and I'll try again later.
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><
I looked around in Zarah's room. It's so different from how it was before. There's no more pink and green. It's all blue and black. No more posters of bands she pulled out of magazines. They were replaced by canvas pictures she had taken before. I never knew she was so talented with photography. I think she just changed. But not for her. I think she changed to impress someone.

She used to do that all the time in middle school. She would curl her hair and wear just a little lip gloss to try and get my attention. Lord knows I didn't give it to her like I should've. She was chasing after me and I never even stopped to let her catch up. I'm such a douche.

I kept looking around and went into her closet. There was a jewelry box and I looked inside. Normal but a bracelet caught my eye. On it, it said your beautiful no matter who likes you. Why did she have to have a bracelet to tell her this. Zarah is so beautiful that she doesn't need anyone to tell her. She was beautiful before and she's beautiful now. He behaviors didn't change so much, it was her interests and the way she held her self up.

I walked out and Zarah was back. "What were you doing in my closet?" She asked with anger in her eyes.

"I was just looking. " I said shyly.

"Whatever. I'm going to go anywhere but here" she said and turned for the door

I walked up and pulled her back gently. "What's with you lately? I thought we were okay." I said still holding on to her.

"Nothing's wrong with me. " she exclaimed and folded her arms.

I mimicked her " doesn't seem like it. Now tell me what I did so I can fix it. " I pulled her and say her on my lap in the tiny bean bag chair in the corner, she tried to get up but I didn't let go.

"Let me up River." She said still folding her arms. Gosh that girl was hard to deal with. She never said what she was feeling.

"No not until you tell me what's wrong." I said holding her tightly.

"River cmon. Let me go." She pushed up trying to get up but still couldn't budge. She need to loosen up so I tickled her. She started laughing and kicking hysterically.

"RIVER !!!! Stop..... HA HA AH..... STOP!!!!" I stopped tickling her. "Tell me Zarah" I looked I her eyes and she looked hurt, I could see so much emotion running through her eyes.

"You know I don't like talking about things that go on in my head." She spoke after catching her breath.

"Well you're going to have to either way so better start talking." I said sternly.

"I've been thinking a lot. About you. " she finally said. What did she mean?

"And what about me? " I said curiously .

"That you are treating me so differently now. In middle school you wouldn't have even given me a second look but now you can't take your eyes off of me." She said and her eyes went dark.

"Zarah. Get up. I want to show you something." I said and she obeyed. I led her to the full length mirror in her closet.

She looked at us in the mirror and tilted her head in confusion." Okay what?"

"What do you see?" I asked. " I see me and you in the mirror." She said and I rolled my eyes.

"Think deeper."

"I see a girl who is feels a constant pain in her heart because she has been through a lot. And I see a guy who is trying to change." She said. That's exactly the answer I wanted.

"What do you see?" She asked me and I smiled.

"I see my universe, my sun, the moon, the stars. I see that in you. I don't see why such a gorgeous face can be rotten with such a great deal of sadnesses." Her head was hung low in a salty river of tears and I wrapped my arms around her.

"What I see in the mirror is us, it's just me and you. And we can paint the canvas whatever color you want." I said and she stopped crying and smiled that beautiful smile I love. I kissed her cheek and she pulled me into another hug. We may not be together now and we may not be together for a while but I'm glad I'm here to at least be with her. Because being with her is better than being without her.

Besides, who really believes in love at first sight? Love is developed over time and it's developed because two people have found a likeness in each others faults and perfections.