Saint Ambrose Academy: Unlikelies

14

NOVA

I sit here feeling at peace, which I know is odd because it is still a cemetery, but I don't feel any of the poor souls here want to harm me, the living are so much more dangerous in my opinion. The world feels quiet and even though it's a little cold this night, I feel a sense of content. I tell my parents only the good things, I tell them about my training, about my plans for college, I tell them about the farm Sanctuary I volunteer at, and about my new friend Kai. I don't know if they're watching over me, but I don't want them to know how bad things really are for me. I want them to feel at peace in death, they shouldn't have to worry about me anymore.

Eventually, I fall asleep, curled up beneath the headstone, huddled in blankets trying to stay warm. 

~

I was woken by the sound of shoes disturbing the earth. Twigs break and leaves crunch as the footsteps near me. The sun just started to rise, so figuring it's the cemetery security, I sit up, my fingers numb, my breath visible in the early morning light.

"Hey" I haven't turned around yet, I'm watching the final moments of the sunrise, when it occurs to me, that I recognize this voice. It's Enzo.

"What are you doing here?" I ask it barely above a whisper my voice is thick with sleep.

"I was visiting someone, and needed to clear my head when I saw someone laying over here, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay," he says nonchalantly then takes a seat on the blanket next to me without asking my permission, his face illuminated by the rising rays of sunshine.

I scoot away from him a bit, "I'm fine, you don't have to stay."

"I know but I actually had something I wanted to talk to you about if that's okay?" He sounds unsure of the words as they leave his mouth.

"Uh s-sure," My nerves get the better of me and I start to stutter.

"Why didn't you tell?" This question confuses me, and I look at him trying to find the answers in his face.

He sighs and takes his bracelets off, "Why didn't you tell anyone?" He asks as he shows me the scars. There are a lot more of them now, and they look even more painful than the glimpse I caught of them that day. I relax at the realization that his question is not threatening, in fact, he doesn't meet my eyes, and I notice the way his hands slightly tremble at the risk he's taken in assuming I saw. I did see, but he had no way of knowing for sure until this moment.

I shrug, "I guess it wasn't my story to tell, can I ask you something now, do you want to die?" I play with my hair and look him in the face, he simply nods, probably guessing where this was going.

"Why? Every life is precious, and you have everything going for you. So why do you always have such a sad aura to you, why do you harm yourself?" He breaks eye contact with me and looks out over the pond.

He laughs dryly, "That's a loaded 'why'." He says breathily as if connected to the dishumored laugh before, then pauses looking uncomfortable under the spotlight the question has put him under.

"Can we take a walk? It's still pretty cold out and I'd like to buy you a coffee before we have this discussion." He stands up and offers his hand to mine so he can help me up, I question his motives briefly but accept. He helps me pack up the blankets and we walk over to his car, I guess he drove himself here.

Once in the car he turns the heat on full blast and asks if I have any cafes in mind. I tell him I don't and he takes us to the Mariotti diner. The food is amazing, but no one from our school would go here, the prices aren't high enough to brag about, it makes this the perfect place for the two of us to talk.