Pieces

Dandelion

Chapter Three

Dandelion

It was said that the seeds of a dandelion held the whispers of a person's true desires, the dreams and hopes of their lost souls itching for a sense of realness or some sort of purpose in their lives.

But it never came to be.

The realness of the situation was never issued and instead they were presented with disappointment as everything appeared the exact same. It was the bittersweet truth and sadly how the earth lived, its as if you craved these needs and wants but were never given them.

You can dream wildly or hope hugely or wish till the point your bones break but overall all you'll be left with is the emptiness of nothing.

Nothing seemed so vast, it was our cloak to shield us with as we were all nothing, we came into this world with nothing and will leave with nothing.

Nothing was our answer for things.

I was one of them, sharing the desires I encompassed myself with and the desires I swore myself would improve my life for the better but it never occurred.

As I cuddled myself on the carefully woven fleece blanket, I grabbed at a wad of dandelions and wormed them around above my head, engulfing my face in their seeds and stared at them as they fell depressingly off as weakened and frail. 

I brought one to my lips that hasn't completely given up and whispered delicately, ''Find me a stranger to love.'' Then blew on it lightly as it floated away reaching higher and higher in the sky.

I saw you from across the way tuckered under an umbrella of leaves and you were slumped over reading a book. The sun half hidden by a cloud had slightly covered your face, your eyes focused on the pages and your lips mouthing them. I could see your eyebrows scrunched together with every aggressive turn of the page.

I began falling for you, but you weren't yet falling for me.

In frustration you tousled your hair back and closed your book angrily, tossing it by your feet. As you rummaged through your bag you retrieved an apple and nibbled onto it and peered around the field.

From time to time, our eyes crossed paths for a short moment, and although it wasn't planned, it seemed to be much more then a split second eye contact.

That was our first encounter.

After time had passed, I brushed myself free of the dandelion seeds and collected everything. As I shuffled my feet towards the road, I came across your book and knelt down to retrieve it.

I drew my arm near you and waved the book towards you with a nervous smile. You nodded your head up and down and grabbed at the spine, and as our fingers touched, I kindly curled mine onto yours and the side of your mouth slightly rose up. I cleared my throat abruptly and apologized for being a disturbance before turning around and leaving.

As I began to head closer to the cross streets, I heard a voice calling for me and instead of seeing who it was I continued on, I've heard voices before and there was never a person to them, so I never took the time to turn around to see who was there. But as I waited at the signal, a subtle tap was felt on my shoulder and I turned around there you were stand inches from me. You were half out of breath and struggling to get a source of words out before stretching out your arm and offering me a folded paper.

I saw you grab at your waist as your chest pulsed back and forth and you mumbled, ''You dropped that, I felt like I needed to return it back to it's rightful owner.''

And as I said in a confusing tone, ''Oh, well thank you.'' I opened the paper and saw a vivid drawing of an elderly man I had drawn earlier today.

''It's an intriguing portrait of him, I thought about pocketing it but it wouldn't have felt right.'' He spoke back at me as he smiled and readjusted his shirt.

''Well I appreciate your honesty, but I actually need to be going.'' I replied back but I desired to keep holding this conversation with him, but was in a loss of a proper start of a conversation.

''I understand, but can I at least get your name?'' He questioned me and stuck his hands in the back of his pockets.

''Sure, it's Harry.'' I told him. ''And yours?'' I in return asked him.

''Louis.'' He said and fell silent.

I was pleased to have the name to the face, it was a sense of realness as we were no longer strangers and a connection began to take place. You wandered inside my mind Louis and never left, you wander inside and brought me love.

The world seemed to darken around us and in that disappointing moment we had to say our farewells. You offered a handshake and in an encouraging tone asked the question I was craving to hear since we had spoke. You said, ''When can I see you again.'' And as I unclenched my hand from yours I said, ''Tomorrow.'' Then turned my back to go our separate ways.

And as I reached closer to the cross walk, I stopped and glanced over my left shoulder one final time and witnessed you disappear around the corner, and all I was able to think about in that tender moment of time was how beautiful the back of your head was.