Learn to Fly

Dreams of A Lonely Boy

It had been four days since I had started coming to this school. I had attended my classes, hung out with Ralf, and ignored the judgmental looks from several boys in each of my classes.

Ralf was still friends with those boys, so he couldn't spend all of his time with me. He still spent his afternoons before dinner playing chess with those boys, so I had to find something else to do.

I found that there was a nice spot in the grass outside my window that was comfortable. It was in the shade, so I could easily see the girl without being noticed. It's not like she payed attention to me anyway. She was always lost in her own little world, either reading or drawing God knows what.

I really should go talk to her, but I don't know what she'd say to me. She might ask me what exactly I was doing on the girls' side, in which I wasn't allowed, or maybe even why I was talking to her. I sure don't want that kind of confrontation.

The same girl that comes out to the pretty brunette and walks inside the school came out to do just that. It was the same thing every day, so I couldn't care less.

Closing my eyes, I leaned my head back and sighed. It wasn't half as bad as I'd expect. The loneliness was like company in itself, and it was serene. It was almost as if I didn't have a single care in the world.

I felt someone tap my shoulder, forcing my eyes open. I looked up at the person staring down at me, hands on her hips. She was the brunette's friend from the other school. Her face had an intimidating look to it, and her hair was blonde and curly. I didn't know whether to be scared of her or to ignore her. She looked like she meant business.

"Why were you watching my friend over there? You're making her uncomfortable," she said in a hushed voice. The other girl was a ways back, her right hand over her mouth and the other crossed over her stomach. Her sleeves of her uniform covered her hands.

The blonde watched as I looked the other girl, confusion most likely playing on my face, and I looked back at her. "It was only a glance," I said, ready to clear my name, even if it required lying. Frankly, I developed something for her I cannot describe, and I was ashamed of it. I honestly just wanted to be left alone. It was better that way. I sighed and continued at her incredulous glance. "I'm new here, and honestly, I have no one to talk to. For some reason half of the guys in there hate me, so during breaks I come out here, right in front of my window. No harm in that.

"I then see this girl across the lake, and in my loneliness, I think about what would happen if we talked. Just harmless things from a lonely kid."

Her intimidating aura faded as her face softened a little. Her hands fell from her hips, and she sat down next to me. Uggh.... I didn't think she'd stay this long. I thought that we couldn't cross the bridge. We'd get in serious trouble for this if caught.

She held out her hand for me to shake. "My name is Diana," she said, slightly smiling. I shook her hand and frowned. "My name is Richard," I said as I let go of her hand.

Diana started to speak again. "You see, my friend over there is a bit..... different. She's scared of pretty much everything." I looked over at her again. She was sitting on the ground, not facing us, hugging her knees and her head buried in them. Completely unlike the girl I saw before, alone and at peace, reading a book and laughing. Maybe she wasn't all that she seemed.

"Emmie only talks to people she knows. But she doesn't actually say much." Diana sighed. "I've only heard her speak twice, and one of those times wasn't even to me. You'd think she wouldn't have any friends, but she's actually a really nice girl. Plus she shows her friendship in other ways."

I was surprised. I didn't expect this. I thought Diana wanted to stay a while and chat about life, but she was actually warning me, like a friend, of the ways of "Emmie".

She patted my leg and stood up, which was weird, since we just met. Motioning to Emmie, the two walked back over the bridge and disappeared around the side of the school. My curiosity might have gotten the best of me if I didn't know how to control myself, but I think at this point, I've finally figured out why I was so interested in this girl. I'd fallen in love.

I wasn't hungry, so I didn't want to eat dinner today. Maybe it'd give Ralf the chance to hang out with those friends of his. I just sat outside, watching the sun go down. Diana and Emmie didn't come out again, so it was just me, myself, and I.

My mind drifted as the sun drifted below the horizon. She'd hold my hand, look into my eyes, maybe even kiss me...... The dreams sailed on the wind far off into the distance, leaving but a trace of a wish behind, making my heart yearn for more.

I'd wished I had known more about her. She was the type to have a ton of mysteries hiding behind her silence, that was for sure, but what were those secrets? Why was she so scared that she didn't say much? She probably had a beautiful voice to go hand in hand with her physical beauty, so why didn't she show it? Sighing, I pushed myself off the ground, wiped my hands on my pants, and climbed back in through the window before anyone knew I was gone.