Stranger to Me

~Twenty-Eight~

Sajana's P.O.V.

"What?" was all I could spit out. My entire world seemed to go shaky and I put a hand on the fence in front of me to steady myself. Holden dropped the shovel and the weed and pulled off his garden gloves. He came out of the gate and grabbed my hands. I'm not sure why. Perhaps it was because he was trying to steady me. Or maybe he had an ulterior motive...

"I really like you," Holden repeated. His voice seemed to have gained some confidence, but he still stared down at his shoes. His palms seemed unusually sweaty.

"Why?" I asked, genuinely confused. "Everyone at school hates me!"

"I know that," he said, finally looking up at me. "But I don't."

I searched his eyes for a sign of humour. I detected none. He was dead serious. He liked me.

"But I'm so...so...so-"

"Beautiful?" Holden finished my sentence. He gave me a small smile, which I returned.

"Not really," I replied. I knew that I wasn't really much to look at. My mother used to tell me I was beautiful. And she used to tell me every day. She doesn't do that anymore.

"No," he said rather strongly," You are an amazing girl."

His eyes were fixed on mine, and it made me feel a little bit uncomfortable. I mean, I liked him too, but this all felt like a dream. Suddenly, everything felt even more surreal, like I was dreaming. This didn't happen in real life, it only happened in stories. In movies. In books.

I pulled my hands out of his and pinched myself on my arm - hard. I did so while staring at Holden right in the eye. Tears had built up under my own eyes, tears that were threatening to fall if I didn't turn and run right now.

So I did.