SOUL

long talks & realizations

October 12th, 2014

Leo leaned back against the rough bark of the old tree, staring up at the stars through the branches above him. It had been a long day—longer than usual. He'd broken up with his girlfriend earlier that afternoon, not because of some huge fight, but because of something far worse. He just didn't feel anything. No spark, no connection. She was nice, beautiful, and popular like him, but there was always something missing. They had been together for six months, and the entire time Leo had felt like he was going through the motions, trying to convince himself that he was happy.

But he wasn't.

He'd become the golden boy of the school, the star running back on the football team, the guy everyone liked. He'd been chasing a distraction ever since his mom died, using football and parties to fill the void. Even with all that, he still felt hollow, like a part of him was missing. A part he couldn't seem to find, no matter how hard he tried.

His thoughts drifted as he leaned back against the familiar tree. This place had once been a refuge for him, a sanctuary where he and Marigold would sit and talk about everything, back when life was simpler and his heart wasn't weighed down by grief. He missed that simplicity, missed the way things used to be with her.

And then, as if summoned by his thoughts, he saw her.

Marigold.

She was climbing up to her old spot, moving with the same quiet grace she always had. Her red hair glowed like embers in the dim light of the evening, catching the fading sun. She hadn't seen him yet, and Leo found himself frozen, unsure of what to do. It had been so long since they'd actually talked—really talked—and the distance between them now felt vast. But the sight of her stirred something inside him, something warm and familiar, something he'd tried to bury over the years.

When Marigold finally noticed him, her eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, they just stared at each other in the dim light.

"Oh," she breathed softly, her voice catching the stillness of the evening. "I didn't know you were here... I'll go."

Leo shook his head quickly, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "No, stay," he said, his voice a little too eager. He cleared his throat, trying to relax. "It's our spot, right?"

Marigold hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. She climbed up to her usual place in the tree, sitting across from him like they used to when they were kids. Her presence, though familiar, felt different now. They weren't the same kids who used to climb up here to escape the world. Too much had happened, too much time had passed.

"How've you been?" Leo asked, the words clumsy and unsure as they hung in the air.

Marigold offered him a small smile. "I've been okay," she said softly. "Just... school, you know. Same old, same old."

"Yeah," Leo said, nodding. He couldn't think of what else to say. This wasn't like before, when their conversations had flowed effortlessly. Now, every word felt weighed down by the years they'd spent apart, by the things they hadn't said.

Marigold shifted slightly, pulling her knees to her chest as she sat on the branch. She glanced over at him, noticing the tension in his posture. "You look like you've got a lot on your mind," she said, her voice gentle.

Leo let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I guess you could say that," he admitted, his eyes drifting to the ground below. "I broke up with my girlfriend today."

Marigold tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Oh," she said softly. "I'm sorry"

Leo gave a small, humorless laugh. "Yeah, well... it wasn't anything special. I mean, she was great, but... it just didn't feel right, you know?"