The Bright Colours of Misery [COMPLETED]

𝙲𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚂𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽𝚃𝙴𝙴𝙽 -Tilda-

Frau Huber barley knew what to say anymore. The girl in braids had silenced her. I didn't exactly know why at the time, but let me tell you it all came down to power. This girl didn't have ordinary parents, and she was well aware of it. Although she didn't like it much at times, she knew how it could be used to her advantage, and to the advantage of others.

"Matilda Krause." The teacher said rather calmly, but I swear I saw her hands shake with stress as she spoke. "Please, sit back down."

The young girl almost did. She hesitated for a moment, but then straightened her posture and disobeyed her orders with a polite smile.

"It's Tilda. Matilda is my mother's name." She stated simply. "I think it's only fair that you let Heidi be now that you know  why her letters aren't aligned."

Tilda

The name resonated in Heidi's mind like a soft echo, not only was she the most well spoken and articulate girl she'd ever met but she had also defended her. Defended her and left the class at a loss for words.  Heidi wanted to thank her later, and she was determined to pluck up the courage to do so. The lesson went on, Heidi's eyes remained fixated on those two perfect braids hanging behind Tilda's back. It was the only thing about her that Heidi could properly see then and there.

She wanted to get to know her, but many things weren't in favour of that, starting by the fact Tilda had very few friends, she preferred sitting in the school yard alone, looking up at the birds, or even talking to the others teacher sometimes (but never Frau Huber of course) and Heidi never had the stomach to just go up to her and talk. She seemed sort of unapproachable for some reason.

In a way she sort of was, her mother Frau Matilda Krause would pick her up everyday at the end of class. Turns out the mayor of town and his wife were rather protective of their only daughter. Alexander had a whole talk with Heidi one day in late october about how rich Tilda was compared to them, and why that had something to do with the fact she never played with any of the other kids.

He somehow failed to mention she was the mayor's daughter, everyone knew it except her.

Yet that didn't stop Heidi from planning and thinking of the day she would ask her to play. She really didn't wish this girl to be as lonely as she used to be.

It wouldn't happen for a while, she lacked some bravery in the social department.

Her first weeks of school were filled with discovery, and although sometimes other kids were a bit mean, and Frau Huber always was, she could manage, Tilda had somehow—without even trying that hard—created a protection against bullying for Heidi. No one even tried to mess with Heidi, although sometimes I did find them whispering mean things about her, but I made sure Heidi never heard any of it.

"Do you think her parents are evil or something?" Heidi asked Alexander one day, as they sat in their treehouse, their feet dangling in the air.

The boy shrugged and looked over at his friend slowly.

"All I know is that she probably wants to play with the others but she isn't allowed." He finally answered, taking another bite of his cinnamon roll.

"That's sad." She said as more of a reaction than an answer.

Alexander nodded, but instead of pursuing a conversation about this girl neither he or Heidi knew in any way, he jumped out of the treehouse and reached for the bike.

"We should get home, mädchen" he said, gesturing for her to join him. Heidi took one quick look at the peaceful forest behind her for the last time of the day and then joined her friend on the back of the bike.

She wrapped her arms around him to make sure she wouldn't fall off and hurt herself. I would have smiled at them both if I could.

She felt so safe around Alexander and she hoped that everyone had someone like him in their lives, even Frieda.

She hoped Tilda–the young girl in braids–would one day have a friend like Alexander.