November Writing Challenge

Day 18 Write a short story with the picture

A/N Picture is to the side 

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She ran blindly through the pouring rain. It didn’t matter whereto, as long as it was away from here. Away from the pain. 

Why? Why did they treat her like that? She had never done anything to them. Was it because she was ugly? Did they think her weird? Was she wearing the wrong clothes? Why did no one want to be her friend?

She stopped when she reached the river. The waterfall drowned out any sound, but that was good. That way no one would hear her cry.

She hid her head between her knees and sobbed.All she had ever wanted was for someone to be nice to her.

Soft footsteps trotted on the grassy ground. The boy looked around carefully. He was sure he had seen her around here. Where was she hiding?

he bit his lip. She had been crying again. He had seen her run away from the school, from the bullies hat tormented her every day.

It made him angry. She was such a sweet girl. Always quiet. Always alone. He had wanted to say something, stop them from picking on her. But he had backed out.  He was a coward.

He gritted his teeth. No longer. 

He was a loner himself, except he didn’t mind. No one picked on him. He got along well with his classmates, he just preferred to be on his own. There was a difference.

He stopped to take off his headphones and hung them around his neck. With his head tilted he listened for the girl, but the roaring waterfall was the only sound he heard.

Slowly he moved on. She had to be here somewhere.

And then he noticed her, hiding behind a large bolder, her head against her knees. Only  the heaving of her shoulders indicated she was crying. 

Slowly he kneeled down in front of her. “Hey,” he said softly.

She jumped and her head flew up. She stared at him with large eyes and tried to crawl away from him, but the bolder prevented her from escaping. “Don’t be scared. I’m not here to hurt you.”

She shivered, but he wasn’t sure whether that was from fear or the cold. He stood up and extended his hand to her. “Come on,” he said, “you shouldn’t stay here. You’ll catch a cold.”

She was still staring at him, but after a moment she hesitantly took his hand and he pulled her to her feet. 

He smiled at her. “My name is Thomas.”

She looked down. “Lilly,” she whispered.

“That’s a pretty name,” he smiled. She looked up at him confused. “Why were you crying, Lilly?” he asked.

She immediately looked down again. He took her chin and gently pushed her head up. “You can tell me. It’s okay.” 

She sobbed again. “They were picking on me.”

“Why?” 

“I don’t know,” she whispered and she started crying again. “They always pick on me. I just want them to be nice to me. Why don’t they like me?” 

“I don’t know,” he said quietly, “but I know they’re pretty dumb.”

She looked at him through teary eyes. “Why is that?”

“Anyone that would pick on a sweet girl like you must be dumb,” he answered. He smiled when a rosy tint flushed her cheeks. “Here,” he said and he took off his headphones, placing it on the girl’s head, “you can borrow this. I don’t need it at the moment. Do you like the music?”

The girl nodded shyly. 

“Good,” he sighed and he held out his hand. “Come. Let’s go back and we’ll show those bullies just how dumb they are.”

She studied his hand for a moment, unsure of herself and he waited patiently for her to decide. He grinned when she slid her hand in his. “That’s settled then,” he decided, “we’re friends now.”

She looked up at him in wonder. “Friends?”

He nodded seriously. “Yes. Cause you borrow my stuff and we’re holding hands.”

The girl smiled happily. “I never had a friend before.”

“Then I am honored to be the first,” he grinned and the girl found herself grinning as well.

“Thank you,” she whispered.