Broken but Not Shattered

one

I sat on the edge of the roof of Riverside high school swinging my legs during lunch break bittersweet memories of my father but I never could quite see his face since he had died in a car accident when I was four years old the same that left the burn scars on my left arm from my hand all the way up my shoulder wrapping around my collarbone and shoulder blade and up the side of my neck and jaw I still haven't regained full function of my left arm but I always hid it under long sleeves that cover my hands and a black face mask I watch silently as a tall boy from my senior class walks over to the side opposite mine after a while of him stealing glances at me he tilts his head taking a drag from his cigarette "Hey…" He says in a quiet voice looking at me with curious eyes wondering why I'm wearing the mask "You doing alright?" he asks I nod not knowing what else to do or say no one had ever cared enough to ask if I was okay he raises an eyebrow his eyes brown narrow as he blows out some smoke he sighs softly and looks up at the sky "Why are you wearing a mask? You sick or something?" He asks turning his head to look at me again "no" I mumble quietly not wanting to elaborate due to the fact he probably doesn't even know I'm in his class he looks at me his eyes softening a little he takes another drag from his cigarette flicking the ash off the edge of the roof "You don't have to hide your face if you don't want to" He says gently I don't say anything looking down at the normal people talking in the courtyard eating he stares trying to read my face he blows out some more smoke "What's your name?" I don't turn to look at "Nyx" I mumble "are you new here? I'm Leo" and wow what a surprise I was right about him not knowing I was in his class "no I don't like to draw attention to myself." he tilts his head taking a second to think about that "But you're not worried about being up here on the roof alone?" "No." I reply simply Leo nods slowly taking he blows out some more smoke shifting his weight to the other foot as he leans back against the wall "Can I ask you something?" I stay silent Leo looks over at me as if waiting for an answer which I wasn't going to give because it depends on the question whether I will answer or not "Why do you cover your face?" Leo asks quietly. I look away he seemed to care but I didn't want to risk it he sighs softly and leans back watching me for a moment taking another drag from his cigarette "You don't have to answer if you don't want to." he says softly I nod slightly knowing I was going whether he said I could or not Leo looks over at me waiting for me to say something "You're really good at not talking, you know that?" he jokes with a small smile I raise one of me dark arched eyebrows "What's it like always being so quiet? Do you ever get tired of not saying anything?" Leo asks with a small smirk I shrug but only my right shoulder cooperates hoping he didn't notice "I don't think I've ever met anyone as quiet as you why are you so quiet?" his eyes searching my narrow dark grey eyes "people don't listen so I have no reason to" I say my voice harsher than I meant it to sound Leo "Well, I'll listen to you if you want to talk I don't mind listening" he watches me for a moment "Do you mind if I sit next to you?" I shake my head he smiles softly walking over then sits down next to me leaning his back against the wall "It's a nice day out, isn't it?" "I suppose..." I say starting to think he wasn't half bad Leo smirks playfully saying "you aren't very good at having a conversation are you?" "I've been told I'm not" I say leaning back looking at the clouds "so do you have any friends?" Leo asks following my gaze looking up as well "no" I reply still looking up "well now you have me" Leo says with a grin he leans back closing his eyes and breathing in the fresh air "Why do you hide your face?" He asks again, opening his eyes to look at me when no answer came "Is it because you're embarrassed about how you look?" Leo asks raising an eyebrow "something like that" I mumble "well I think you're beautiful" I stare at him after a while of awkward silence Leo sighs "you don't believe me do you?" "how if you don't know what my face looks like...?" he looks at her again, taking a second to think about what to say. "I don't need to see your face to think that you're beautiful you have a really pretty voice too by the way" I raise a arch dark eyebrow knowing full well I didn't have a 'pretty voice' mine was unusually low for a girl and didn't express much emotion "what I'm not allowed to compliment you?" I shrug then Leo asks glancing down at my arms frowns slightly. "Is there any reason you always wear long sleeves?"