Where Do We Go From Here?

Hello Stranger

I was seven when it happened.

I was enjoying my day in the playground. My special, little kingdom of bravery. I wasn’t really those tough kids who’d climb to the top of the jungle gym and not cry. I was shy then and, as they say, gave this leave-me-alone aura to people. No kid really bothered to come near me, didn’t really offer me to join them when they would play a game of catch or make a cat-puke looking castle in the sandbox, they said they might catch the “stupid” flu . . .  Except one girl. She was not like them. She didn’t care what the other kids told her about me. She was . . . different.

“Who’s that kid from the swing?” she asked Henry one day. I know she knows me. We were partners in art class, though we weren’t really talking. I caught her several times trying to talk to me but the act didn’t really come through so I didn’t really bother.

“Oh. That’s Sterling Valentine,” he said in an irritated tone. “You shouldn’t get close to him. He’s a walking disaster,” he added.

“How so?” she asked suddenly her tone irritated that it caught Henry off-guard.

” The other day, Josephine was playing at the dinosaur slide and Sterling was watching her at the end of the slide and by the time she reached the ground, her left knee got bruised by a sudden fall. There weren’t any rocks nearby or any damages on the slide that could cause the fall. She didn’t trip or wasn’t even close to tripping. She cried oh-so-loud the whole school heard it.” He said matter-of-factly. Henry was a huge nerd who worshipped Sherlock Homes and adored the anime Detective Conan. He thinks talking like a Detective was like his superpower. Not.

“Or she was just a total klutz,” she said in my defense, annoyed. I chuckled while making another huge push. I peeked at the corner of my eye. She looked my way and smiled. I wasn’t close to them. I’ve always have this ability to hear people eight to twelve feet away from me. I must have some super powers or something. Nah. There were just a few kids around. Curious Henry, wanting to see who she was looking at, found my eyes staring at her.

He gave a low grump and grabbed her wrist and walked at the direction to the classroom. She gave me a weak wave and winked.

Why would she wink at someone like me? Why would she defend someone like me? Someone who no one likes? Someone who walks around and causes chaos to people around him? Why? I didn’t realize that I have stopped swinging and was just simply sat, clutching the rope. I felt my cheeks blush as the thought of her wanting to have me as a friend entered my mind.

She doesn’t want you. A voice in the back of my mind said.

Nobody wants you. You’re a disaster. How can you even believe that someone wants to actually be your friend? She pities you. It continued.

Those being said hurts me a lot. I felt my chest being dragged down to the core of the earth as I slowly fade. What’s that annoying sound? I didn’t notice that I was crying until I saw tears dripping down to my pants, making it a little saggy. Why am I crying? I have to stop this foolishness until someone sees me and bullies me. I quickly wiped my tears away and stared up at the sky, blinking continuously to prevent the tears from falling.

After a while, I hear the back door opening and closing. I didn’t bother looking; it probably was one of my classmates leaving me because they didn’t want to be alone with the “kid”. A heavy sigh escaped my lips as I closed my eyes and leaned my head by the rope.

“Hey,” a voice said cheerfully. My eyes popped out when I saw a very angelic-looking girl in front of me. She was wearing a white knee-lengthened dress with ruffles at the end of the skirt and a pair of white sneakers on. She cocked her head to the side whilst she waited for my answer.

“Uh, I-uh . . . Mm,” I stammered, obviously surprised. I can’t believe she’s talking to me right now! How can this be happening?! I watched as her hazel eyes sparkled and a huge grin formed on her face.

“Good. You talk. I thought you were mute or something,” she joked.

I frowned at her. I didn’t like it when people assume stuff like that. It makes me want to strangle them. But I’m not a violent person, I hope I’m not. I don’t really lose control of my emotions when I’m around others, it makes me look weak and I wouldn’t want that.

“Yeah,” I said lamely.

“Mrs. Kohpler said that we could go home now.”

“Why?” I questioned too fast.

“She came up with her family. She said that her little brother got sick and no one would take care of him. So, yeah. You know what happens next.” She said, kicking the sand beneath her as if the story was boring to her.

“Oh,” I didn’t like going home this early. Albeit this is the first time that she let us go at this hour, I just know that my father is at home doing . . . something. So I grabbed my bag and left her by the swing. “Bye,” I called to her, reached my hand to the sky and gave an awkward wave to her. She responded by simply smiling aback at me, tucking her chocolate-colored hair behind her ear.

I’ve never seen anybody so . . . beautiful. I turned around in a rush, causing my vision to spin a little, and ran towards the park. I would stay there until the sun comes down and let the darkness swallow me in.