The Line Between You And I

Max

We stood silent. She stuttered her words as she could no longer speak. If this is who I believe it is, she is the one woman who I really didn't mean to meet today. I was tired of the silence, so I took a deep breath and asked her the questions I'd always longed to know. 

"Who are you?" Why would I ask her that? I already knew who she was but, before I could process the words they just slipped out of my mouth, "Well, what's your name?

I stared at her. She looked almost taken aback by the question. It seemed as if she didn't think I would ask her that question. I noticed her facial expression change, now it was a fearful face staring right back at me, where had her confidence gone?

"E- Elizabeth Thompson." She talked quietly and slowly as if the air had been knocked right out of her lungs. Before I had the chance to respond she plucked up the courage and began talking again.

"You're welcome to call me Eliza though." Why on earth was she now being nice to me? I couldn't stand here thinking about it and so, I had to think of a quick response.

"I also go by Max, if you wanted to call me that." She looked almost confused. It was probably my thick Italian accent, and so I repeated myself more "English-like" so she could understand me. 

"M..A..X.." I said slowly making sure to emphasize every letter. I knew this time she got what I said because her mouth slowly morphed from a thin frown upon her rosy lips to an "oh" shape in a matter of seconds. 

"Walk with me Max, yeah if you will do me the honors.." She gestured using her left arm. 

"Uh... Sure, I guess?" 

We slowly began to walk through the whispering woods. For a long while there was silence, as I was taking in the breathtaking view of this wondrous scenic sight before me. The trees all winded together to give us an umbrella from the clouds' watchful eye. The only sound to be heard was from the small squirrels with big bushy tails which leaped from tree to tree without a care in the world. Ironically, the one moment I began to feel peace and like a great weight from my shoulders she spoke. 

"So, tell me some stuff about you, and I will be honest with every question you ask me." 

"Deal." I said making sure to not sound too excited. 

"Well, my full name is Max Bianchi. I am 15 years old, and I am half English and half Italian because both of my parents are fully Italian but moved here to have me."

"Do you live on your own?" Clearly, this was a question she was dying to ask because she spent no time thinking before she responded. 

"No. I live with my mum, but after my dad passed it became harder and harder for us to keep being able to pay for the place."

"Oh no," a solemn look began to grow upon her pale manikin-like face, "I'm so sorry. Do you mind me asking what happened? If you don't feel comfortable, you don't have to respond I'm just being intrusive!" She lightly chuckled. 

"No, don't worry about it. Basically, my dad passed away from this horrible disease thing which still wasn't given a title even after his horrendous parting." Normally, I would feel sorrowful when talking about him but with her, it felt almost easy.

"Now shoot. Your turn." I said before it became any more awkward between us two.

"Okay..." 

That's when it started. I think she felt almost bad for me for making me talk about my private life and so, we walked along the inter-winding path and she told me everything from her daily life to even how her mum looked. I am completely astonished by her life preview. To be honest, I kind of feel bad for misjudging them but at the same time, I don't exactly feel bad, they were saying some pretty messed up stuff about us as well. I also felt bad for her mental health, you know? Every single day going and having to act perfectly because anything less than that could easily be pointed out from a mile away. This woman was by far the most interesting and beautiful woman I have ever met. From the way she talks to the way that she lives life so fully and so trapped at the same time. The fact that she knows what it's truly like to feel free, she heard her mum call for her from afar and bid goodbye.

"Wait!", I grabbed her by the hand just so I could say one thing more, "We should meet again." 

She looked almost sad. She took this moment to look deeply into my eyes and whisper...

"We can't... Because there will always be a line between you and I." 

With that, she ran back towards her mansion of home leaving me deserted. 

The things I'd do to see her again...