See You Next Saturday

Hidden Sanctuaries

There she sat, a world on her own. Most required a pedestal, she avoided it. Little did she know, she didn't need it—not in the eyes of her audience, anyway.

Alex boasted an uncanny ability to avoid the crowd and an innate talent for blending into the background, even when surrounded by a sea of vultures.

Ezra wondered about her. Why she always seemed to prefer the back corner of the classroom.

While her peers sought the spotlight and reveled in the energy of social gatherings, she found solace in solitude. She sought out quiet corners and tucked herself away in them.

Most girls their age would give anything to meet his eyes, if only for a second—but she couldn't care for his existence. She could see him watching, but she cared not to engage.

He realized that was not the only thing that made him curious about her.

Her captivating hazels danced with deep sorrow, indicating a possibly traumatic past. He couldn't explain why, but he suddenly wanted more than anything to witness a smile on her flawless face.

So that day, much like the Saturdays before, he sought her in her hidden sanctuary—a place their peers avoided as they knew who occupied it. Nobody wanted to be around the sad girl.

He made a few turns from the campus, navigating the familiar path to a place that had become his favorite on campus. It was a place he had come to associate with her—the one spot where she seemed at ease, away from the judgmental eyes of their peers.

The sanctuary was a small, secluded garden on the far edge of the school grounds. It was surrounded by a dense thicket of trees, their branches interlocking to form a natural canopy that provided comforting shade.

The air was cooler here, filled with the earthy scent of damp soil and the faint fragrance of wildflowers that grew in scattered clusters.

A narrow, winding path led to a small clearing where a weathered wooden bench stood, partially hidden by overgrown ivy. The bench faced a tiny, babbling brook that meandered through the garden, its gentle murmur adding a soothing soundtrack to the serene environment.

Beside the bench was an old stone birdbath, its surface mottled with moss and age, adding to the timeless, untouched feel of the place.

Alex was there, as always, sitting on the bench with a book in hand. She seemed at one with her surroundings, a quiet presence in a world that moved too fast.

Her dark hair caught the dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves, creating a halo effect around her head. She wore a loose, comfortable sweater and jeans, her feet tucked beneath her, completely absorbed in her reading.

In a world where everyone, including himself, wanted to be liked and accepted, she was the anomaly, and he envied that.

He'd only recently started Saturday school as a result of his consistently bad grades, and if it weren't for the expulsion threat he got from his high school, he would've skipped it, much like he skipped most of his classes.

But he was glad he didn't decide against going, even though he was tempted to. He suddenly looked forward to going to school, a rare occurrence for him.