∵Shots of Sugar∵

Normal in the Eyes of Our Society

Our eyes connected, that's where I first noticed him. His vividly bright hair, which was dyed a deep shade of blue. His eyes flickered between the floor and his shoes while he paced the tiles of the dewy train station. Ever so often the lights of the passing locomotives would cause his hazel eyes to glisten. How come I haven't noticed him. I thought to myself. "A few days have passed, and I still haven't gained the courage to talk to him," I whispered, "Why would anyone want me? I'm short and quiet, my hair is purple and brittle, I play way too many video games, I wear too many pastel clothes, yet secretly loving it, and lastly I'm gay. Yes I am a gay teen boy by the name Aspen. Honestly my parents should've expected something when I begged to have my name changed from Aaron to Aspen. Back then I just wanted to get away from myself and the people I hung out with. They were unreliable, untrustworthy, irresponsible, and basically the typical hooligan teens you'd see in my small town on a everyday basis.
A cool, soft breeze blew by as the metal machines flew past; now and then one would screech to a halting stop. The tall and lanky boy watched from across the station, as the train finally made it to his stop. It's been a few days since I first saw him, since I our eyes first connected, and since I noticed his vividly bright, blue hair. Today I noticed that he looked at me. It wasn't for long, but I knew for a fact that he looked at me. I'll talk to him; maybe. Hopefully he'll talk to me also.
I skipped across the train station in my black and white high topped vans. The sound of the rubber hitting the floor echoed in the slightly vacant building. The tall, lanky, punk boy had one earbud in his ear. I could hear the faint sound of electric guitars coming from the earbuds the closer I got to him. A black name tag, assumingly from his place of work, hung from his shirt that said "Hello my name is Drew". After admiring his outfit for a few creepy, but enjoyable seconds I softly tapped him on the shoulder. "Uh um hello, my name's Aspen." I said as my face began to blush a deep shade of red. He slowly turned around as he pulled his skullcandy earbuds out of his left ear. "Uh hi," He said nervously, "I'm Drew; I've noticed you before on the other side of the train tracks." He admitted sheepishly. I am practically screaming on the inside. Drew (insert last name) has acknowledged my mere existence on this Earth. "So how's it go-." Eeeeeeekkkk! A metal monster haunted dead in front of us, a small group of people scattered off the train minding their own businesses. "Well, this is my um train." Drew stuttered, boarding his ride backwards.
His smile lit up the room. It spread from ear to ear. His smile was the last thing I thought about that day. It's been a few days since we first met, since our eyes first connected, and since I noticed his vividly, bright blue hair. We talk on a daily basis now, usually about our different friends. He told me his best friend's name is Cal, and that Cal's been struggling with depression since his mother left him and his father. He also told me that Cal goes to school in a black sweatshirt and joggers almost everyday. He hardly talks to anyone except Drew.
It was almost 11:20 AM and I had had just made it to the station. My green eyes finally spotted Drew's hazel ones, but something was different about his. One closed then opened up right after he'd closed it. Wait! Did Drew (insert last name) just wink at me? He was now gesturing me over to his side of the station. "Hey cutie." Drew said confidently.
"Uh hi Drew." I mumbled as I scooted closer to him.
"Aspen would you like meet my best Friend?" A small grin came across my face as I hopped in place like a little girl.
"Yes, of course." A short brown eyed brunette turned around when he was tapped. He had a huge set of headphones on so I assumed he didn't notice me walk up to them. "This is Cal, Cal; Aspen, Aspen; Cal." The small boy didn't speak to me, he just waved shyly then put his headphones back on.
"Well he sure seems to be nice." I whispered to myself, but much to my dismay Drew heard me. "Don't worry about him, he'll hopefully open up." He said skeptically.
"You can come over tonight, if you'd like." Drew's eyes lit up after I invited him over.
"Yeah I'd love to, but you wouldn't mind if I brought Cal along, would you?" He asked.
"Nah, It'll be fun; all three of us!"
It was now 7:31 PM, almost time for Drew and Cal to come over. They were only coming over this late, because Drew had to work right after leaving his school, Southview Highschool. I was shuffling around my large room trying to straighten it up before my new friends got here. As I was putting my last vinyl up I heard the doorbell ring. Before opening the door I heard a voice utter:
"Why did you drag me to your boyfriend's house?"
"Aspen is not my boyfriend Cal!"
"Fight me! I know you like him weirdo."
"So, doesn't mean he's my boyfriend." I could tell that it was Drew and Cal arguing outside. "I mean yeah he's super adorable, sweet, nice, and smart, but he's not my boyfriend; not yet that is." When I heard Drew say those things about me I nearly had a spasm attack on the other side of the door. After losing my marbles I let the two inside, because it was extremely cold outside.
"Hey guys come on in." I said obviously attempting to hide a blushed face.
"My room is upstairs and to the left. I'll meet you guys up there with some snacks." I grabbed all of my favorite treats and cascaded up the stairway. When I made it to my room the two were awing at all of knick-knacks, game systems, and books I had neatly packed on my shelves. "How long have you had this PS4?" Asked Cal. Those were the first words he's said to me since we'd met. "Not too long I guess. Would you like to play?"
"Would I!" Cal looked at me then at Drew then back at me.
" I think I'm going to like your new boyfriend Drew." Cal said with a wink. I giggled at his idioticness.
After a long night of video games, monster, and snacks Drew finally decided it was time to go home considering they'd have to catch a train in the middle of the night, which isn't safe. Cal clung to my body for dear life and begged to stay a little longer. Drew grabbed him by the feet and dragged him down the hallway, hopefully not waking my parents. "Thanks for having us Aspen." They said in unison. I closed my front door and started for my room, when I heard a hesitant knock at the door. I looked through the peephole to see that it was Drew so I opened the door. We both stood there in the cold, white clouds escaping our mouths as we breathed the thin, fall air. The light from my porch shined onto his his hazel eyes, making them seem ten times bigger and brighter than they actually are. "I-I wanted to know if you'd like to go to a movie sometime?" He asked nervously. My eyes danced across his facial features like a single star in the night's dark and lonely sky, to see if there could be any chance that this was a prank. His features reassuringly showed promise. I thought before I answered. Is this really what I want? To deal with society's judgement and disregard. To constantly deal with being called names, being bullied, and being scared to step foot out of my house everyday? Drew's hopeful smile slowly fell to a frown as time went past and still no answer. If I keep letting people and their opinions choose my future, I might as well be someone's little game. I thought lastly. I could see drew begin to awkwardly step backwards towards the sidewalk, then towards the street. I can't let this opportunity go, I must live to the fullest, no matter what anyone says.
My bare feet slapped against the concrete sidewalk as I sprinted for Drew in nothing but a thin tee and some ripped jeans. I called after Drew as I could see him in the distance. He turned around with a confused expression. I could feel my heart pumping faster, my breathing becoming more fluent, and my feet moving at a faster pace. The adrenaline rushing through the me felt like no other feeling I've ever experienced. I was only a few feet away from him now, a few feet away from my new future; my opportunity.
I felt a soft pair of lips on mine, everything seemed to have stopped, all of my anxiety, and the adrenaline. Everything was serine. I finally felt normal. Our eyes connected and that's when I first noticed, that he was my opportunity to be normal, but maybe not in the eyes of our society.