fairy light stars

2

I didn't want to go to school the next day, not after what had happened.

I mean, who the hell would.

It would be so awkward, a 6'1" seventeen year old crouching through hallways of sweaty teens and apologizing quietly when he bumped into something that even closely resembled a human.

I dragged myself out of bed, brushing my hair, taking a quick shower and eating a scrambled egg with a glass of milk. I went back upstairs to brush my teeth and gather my stuff, hauling it outside.

It was the second day of school and I already felt like shit about the entire ambiance of the school's aura.

I decided to chill in the library before class started, because most of the time I spent way too little time in that old building anyway.

I was reading an old poetry book I found in aisle six when I felt a hot, almost burning, presence near me.

Oh no.

I was afraid to look up.

Thankfully, I didn't have to.

Dan stepped towards me and smiled, giggling his stupid little man laugh and clapping me on the shoulders.

I winced. He didn't notice.

Dan slumped his bag on the ground, sitting across from me on the table.

I looked up at him for a second before trailing my eyes back on the page.

"Trickle drops, my blue veins leaving!

O drops of me! trickle, slow drops,

Candid from me falling, drip, bleeding drops,

From wounds made to free you whence you were prison'd,

From my face, from my forehead and lips,

From my breast, from within where I was conceal'd, press forth

red drops, confession drops,

Stain every page, stain every song I sing, every word I say,

bloody drops,

Let them know your scarlet heat, let them glisten,

Saturate them with yourself all ashamed and wet,

Glow upon all I have written or shall write, bleeding drops,

Let it all be seen in your light, blushing drops." I looked at him in awe.

"How did you know that?" He chuckled.

"It's my favorite poem," I smiled. "Walt Whitman, correct?" I nodded and he laughed.

There was an awkward silence for about two minutes, after which he asked me if I played games.

I scoffed. Please, I was the game boss.

We talked about Pokemon, Sonic, the original Sega theme song, our favorite bands (which of course included Muse) and our favorite anime.

I never in my seventeen years thought I could ever relate more to a person.

The bell rang, Dan sped off with a quick goodbye and I kept myself hidden in the comforts of books until the second bell rang.

Shit, I was late for chemistry.

I slugged into the class, handing the teacher a late pass and sitting in the only empty chair in the room.

Everyone was staring at me, as if I was a freak.

Chemistry lab ended and I hurried out of the class.

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful, except for the fact that a jock poured his orange juice in, yes, in, my shoes and completely ruined them.

I tried calling my mom to pick me up, but she told me to man up.

-o-

I got home after school and didn't even bother doing my homework.

All I could think about was Dan.

Dan this, Dan that.

He smelled like vanilla and cinnamon and, well, home. Like a faded smell of winter.

I slept for five hours. I didn't care that I woke up at midnight, and I certainly didn't care about my homework.

All I cared about was Dan. His dark hair and his dark eyes that somehow lit up my world.

-o-

The next month was beautiful.

The kind of beautiful that makes you wonder whether you're experiencing some human emotion or something galactic, celestial.

The first few days was just us being together, hanging out and being overall good friends.

After a couple of weeks, things seemed to migrate into something different; something amazing.

I felt like stardust was making up my entire core, like the chemical makeup of galaxies was creating my bones, like suns were gushing through my veins.

And I think that that feeling was what really shook inside of me, what really made me believe the truth.

I think that starlight in my eyes was what made me realize that I was in love with Dan.