The Distance Within

1.

E.

Three years ago - July 2016.

Raking my hand through his soft locks, they get stuck in between my fingers as I watch the long lashes framing his face, the stitched crease between his forehead now smoothed giving him that young, serene effect that I wanted to treasure forever.

I frown lightly remembering how bad his health was when I first came here, his mood revolving around anguish, pain, and stress. Lashing out on everyone, making my life a living hell, the negative mindset he lived within...

September 2016.

"How will I be able to help him?" I asked my professor, fidgeting nervously, it's my first week here and I was already called up to the professor's desk.

"In reading, writing, before exams, or any assignment. You don't have to solve everything for him, he just needs some patience and if you're not up to it it's fine, I know it's a challenge with his clear anger issues. Feel free to talk to me about any obstacle he causes." For a second I wanted to tell her I couldn't but the hopeful look in her eyes made my heart betray my mind.

"Okay," I whisper not sure whether I did the right thing or not.

I later find myself at a big green field almost after thirty minutes later of getting lost or giving myself a tour as I like to call it, a football field staring back at me.

Looking over at the time I notice I had a whole lesson left to spend here, a good fifty minutes all to myself.

I amble over to the bleachers and climb towards the top, the sun hid away behind the heavy white clouds, the breeze cold and refreshing.

Reaching the top, I noticed an extension behind it opening through a small slit that I'd have to enter sideways, where you could sit down with a good chance of falling off.

Deciding it seemed more exciting than here I gradually step into it, the creaking it caused sent timid waves through me yet I decided to ignore it and completely entered the narrow slit.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" A loud crystal voice grunts as I jump back.

"Holy fuck, you scared me. Why would you yell?" I hiss noticing August was seated in front of me with his hands on his knees a cigarette burning in his hand.

"Because you're here uninvited."

"And?" I replied wanting to see how far I can push, it was funny if I'm being honest.

"And leave."

"No." I simply say walking forward and sitting by the wall, grabbing my bag I open the zipper and look for the bag of cookies I bought at the vending machine earlier.

"What do you think you're fucking doing?" He voices out calmly yet harshly.

"Eating my cookies? Want some." I reach them out for him with an innocent smile except he catches me by surprise as he smacks them out of my hand, now that was a red line.

"Heyyyyy!" I whine now pissed at the couple of cookies that fell into the dusty panel, "Why would you do that you asshole?" I crawl closer grabbing the packet with the cookies left in it.

"What did you call me?" He looks at me with narrowed eyes and I notice him setting the camera he had in hand which I didn't pay attention to earlier.

"An asshole."

"You- Actually, just because you're a lady I'll leave." He stands up grabbing the straps of his camera stopping in front of me.

"Or what?" I yell back irritated with his unbearable attitude.