That No... Our Little Bench

Chapter 1

"It was the ice in Micha's heart that leads him to set fires. All his life he'd been an unwelcome parcel shunted between overcrowded foster homes. Then on a cold day last October he'd discovered he could burn things, destroy things. At first, he just kept a matchbook in his pocket and would strike them while he sat on the swings, watching the obedient flame flicker in the breeze, blackening the wood, transforming it to charcoal at his command. An uncontrollable grin would spread across his malnourished features that did not reach his eyes. Soon he graduated to burning trinkets of his adversaries, often times the flame would be a different hue or emit copious black smoke that choked him. He graduated to dousing his items in nail polish remover to accelerate the burning. For that brief moment in time that the flames leaped, devouring feverishly, he became tranquil. The blackened remains satisfied him only momentarily, then he craved it all the more. 

His mind screamed out as the pain drove through his back. Every thought he just had become confused as the burning pain licked up his back like a scorching fire. The only thoughts he had was 'like a knife through butter.' He wept at his own suffering. He could hear people around him screaming and shouting. Mentally anger swiped through at this chaos and pain, pain for those around him he wanted to protect them increasing his own agony in defense of others. But he couldn't. He rolled up into a ball of self-loathing and pain, wishing the world to end rather than this sea of endless currents some strong some weak but the waves always crashed over him, permanently.

The sun that was orange only an hour ago, shining warmly upon the night-chilled soil has become a yellow inferno. There is no more softness to the world, no more hint of the night as it ebbs away. Now there is only the day and the heart that rains down is building as surely as that in my stove once the kindling is added. The sun is the fire and until nightfall my home will be the coolest place to be, set deep in the earth, taking the refrigeration of the soil. Out here everything will cook. So for these heady summer months, the only times with enough rays to see and not enough to burn."

I read out loud what I wrote on my paper, just as I finish the bell rings. It was my first day at my new high school. The hallways seemed busier, the students seemed less friendly and, the teachers didn't seem to care that I didn't know my way around. Finally, the lunch bell rang and I was freed from the English I was capable understand. I slung my backpack over my shoulder and picked up my map, determined to find the cafeteria without help. Big football players raced past me in an effort to get their lunch first and cliques of cheerleaders clotted the stairs. As I walked into the lunchroom alone, looking desperately for an empty table, someone tapped my shoulder.

 "You look lonely," The girl had a nose like a cartoon character, or one drawn by a lazy artist at least. The bridge was so low-profile as to be barely there at all; so that on a face of skin all the same honeyed hue, her nose was a bump just above her dusky pink lips. There was no two ways about it, she was cute. She smiled at me, a bright smile that made my day a thousand times better. " Sit, we eat together?" she says in a soft voice, I nod.

" Thank you..." because I have a very hard time making friends, that's all I say. She introduces herself as Mia.

" Hi, I'm Mia, I heard you beginning of your essay before the bell rang, you're very talented. I wish I had your talent... How long have you been writing?" He asks I smile at her compliment.

" I'm Valentina, I've been writing since I was 5... because that is the only way how I can talk to people..." I say as I take a bite of the apple. Wet and crisp as I bit into it, it broke between my teeth with a soft crunch. The lingering sound drifted around my ears, filling my heart with pleasure. Icy sweetness filled my mouth and for a moment, pastel fell still, as if a wave of content had drifted past and frozen the world solid. I kept on chewing, biting until it was all gone. Then went to get another.

" WOW, what a pretty name... I hope we can become friends!" Mia says excitedly as she quickly hugs me. As the minutes of the lesson passed, the ceaseless buzzing of the classroom and the unlimited amount of energy the students contained increased, which would be a rare sight if the class was under their teacher's supervision. Having no vicious teacher who would glare at the class with red flames dancing in her eyes as she expects an answer to a question even the world's most intelligent mastermind couldn't provide answer to, was an unbelievable chance worth taking to have at least a few moments of pleasure after a day filled with endless hours of Algebra and Chemical Reactions. The last bell rings, lingering in the quickly emptied classroom.  

" Hey Valentina, wanna go to the fair with me? It's not too far away after my mom can drop you off, how does that sound?" Mia asks me after I grab my stuff out of my locker. I start to get butterflies in my stomach, not knowing what to do next, I stand there dumbfounded. " Ask your parents, then we can go!" She says then jumps excitedly. I pull out my phone texting my father, then my mother, they both answer with,

Of course dear! Have fun with your new friends!! Just be back by midnight, don't be too shy! 

I look up to Mia and nod in agreement, then were on our way to the fair. The roller-coaster was a lonely skeleton for three long seasons. The poles jutted into the skyline no more vibrant than the naked winter trees. For some, it was a promise of the summer to come, for some a reminder of the one just past. But for the children of the downtown core, it was just a playground for the middle classes, a symbol of one more thing that was only for those with enough money to pay. My stomach filled with even more butterflies of nervousness as we approach the ride, the screams of the passengers making me want to hide.

 "Come on, Valentina, have some fun." Mia nudges me in the side, and I nearly jump out of my skin. 

"Yeah, fun..." I breathe feeling oxygen leave my body as we approach the lady with the headset, don't-take-me-too-seriously look. The queue was enormous, never the less we still lined up, Mia was so excited. We got to the front of the queue and started to have second thoughts when we heard the creepy laughter and tense music, we got pushed on to the front seat on the far left side, just where she was most likely to fall. I heard the creaking of the cart moving and with that everyone started screaming as the cart raced and raced, I wanted to close my eyes but I couldn't manage to keep them closed. After it was all over with scary steep climbs, sharp turns, loop the loop things, and upside down turns. I got out with a stumble and started walking out making sure Ie didn't bump into any walls. 

"That was so awesome!" Mia screamed making the people who surrounded us jump. I felt scared as I looked into her eyes, " AGAIN!" As soon as I get home I kick off my shoes then I quickly finish my essay and I fall asleep. What a full day, I still can't believe she went on that roller coaster 7 times.