Girls Blossom Up Like Flowers

Buds: The Peony-chapter 1

                                                                                                   1

In childhood, we often see things as they aren't. The world seems pure, sweet like the nectar of a honeysuckle, simple yet divine. But as we get older life gets more complex, our views metamorphose into dark shades of grey. Our idols seem darker than we remember, our entire world collapses in front of us. From the pieces, we take one and try to build it all up again, but no matter what we do and try they still crumble. Slowly we try to solve an impossible puzzle . Missing pieces and poor fitting ones all together in one huge conundrum. At least that's what I think teen hood is like. Trying to figure out what life is like.

Of course, I wouldn't be having this weird internal monologue if it wasn't  my first day of high school. Whoever decided what a bunch of emotional, insecure teenagers need in life is to be locked up for 7 hours a day in an institution clearly needs to roast in hell. Middle school was already chaos, I'm already breaking into a cold sweat thinking what it could be like to go through that nightmare again. Every morning feels the same, wake up, shower, eat, brush, pack my stuff up and leave for the bus stop. In life there's little room for variation, same alarm clock at 6.00, same wait on the chilly bus stop at 7.00, the only thing that ever changes is breakfast.

The cool breeze swims over me as the sun's warm, soft fingers embrace me. The post of the stop sign glimmered in the sun. As the shiny twinkles dance in the sunlight, the soft hum of the bus can be heard in the distance. The same bus that will take me to another realm of unsurety and worry. The soft hum slowly turns into a humble hrrr as the bus stops. As I step in I hear a familiar voice, one that I will remember for the rest of my life

"hey, over here, Zawadi" Isabelle screams from the front, as per usual. I walk over to her and sit by the window. It feels the same as the first day of middle school "this can't go right"

I sat right next to Aubrey, who was staring at her reflection looking for flaws, brushing her long blonde tresses aside. "hey" she said closing her compact quickly and peering at me with her bright green eyes. "How was your summer?" she queried. Aubrey in middle school was super popular, one can only wonder why she stayed with us. By us i mean Kyle, Isabelle and I. She's always been one of the most caring people I've ever known. Her heart is a white, soft feather. Delicate but gentle.

"Hey" Kyle stated from behind rather sleepily, "lemme guess, didn't sleep well last night?" Isabelle asked. "Yea, stayed up playing games" he said dully. Isabelle talking to Kyle reminded me how talkative she is. To some its annoying, but to me its interesting, every single aspect of her is odd maybe even peculiar. That's what attracts her to me, she's not afraid to show who she truly is. The drive to Lake city high was long and perilous. A drive headfirst into a new realm.

I still remember the time I first met Kyle, it was the first day of middle school. As I walked to the seats, he was the only one who let me sit next to him. A cool autumn breeze filled the bus and I forgot my jacket at home, I shivered from the chill as a sudden warm comfort wrapped around me. "try not to die of frostbite, ok?" he calmly joked. I could tell he was cold too, but relentlessly he still let me, a complete stranger, keep his thick, soft smelling jacket.

"what's your name?" I asked. "Kyle, and yours?-" he said, "Zawadi" I responded, shyly burying myself in his jackets warmth. He always had this kindness in him, one I don't see in people often. He has the darkest jett black hair that fell over his face and midnight blue eyes that endear to my soul, caged in a pair of clear glasses. I'll forever remember this coincidence, he then introduced me to Isabelle and Aubrey came along later. Maybe, in hell we find solace in being in the same tortured tale as others. Sharing the same feelings and suffering makes us feel somewhat comforted, maybe I might enjoy 9th grade.