Sticks and Stones: Lovesick

Chapter 1: An Ode To You, My Dearest Friend

I remember, there was a time when I thought I fell in love. However, come to find out, unrequited love and a real unconditional love are two separate things. She and I were both so young, no older than twelve and thirteen. Now, that I think about it, she was the first girl I fell in love with, her eyes, that constantly drew attention to me, making my heart tremor, were the deepest blue colour that a warm, summer sky had to offer, her hair, as cheerful as an Oak tree in spring and finally, her face gleaming with beauty like that of a fresh, golden sunshine, only to be experienced once in a life time.

My love for her was pure an innocent and as curious as a cat. To me, no one could ever make me feel that way. Howe would I describe my love for her? Sincere, loyal with a complete passion. She, someone I barely knew managed to make me feel complete. Just thinking back on it, it reminds me of how she and I met. It seems like such an eternity, when really, it was just three years ago. Though, I felt empty as well.

Three years ago, when I met her, I was a year ahead of her. When I met her, she was no more than an acquaintance of mine; her name, Nikki. She was introduced to me through the girl I was dating at the time and along the pathway of time, Nikki and I became friends. Our first conversation was about this game we used to play, it was a virtual pet game. From then on, she told me the stories about how her pet was doing...up until her DS broke. Damn, I really wish I could've gone back and told her, I loved her.

We didn't talk much after that, I fell into a pit of loneliness as most of my friends left me for the popular crowd and about the girl I was dating, shortly after rumors spread around about me, she dumped me in exchange for an old friend of mine. Eventually, I got over how she dumped me and instead, took the decision of being just friends with her. You see, Nikki knew how I felt, she just knew. So, she began talking to me again, comforted me. Hell, she even witnessed me cry and all she did, she embraced me, told me everything was going to be alright.

Words alone could not describe that moment...for the first time, a girl whom I never knew took me and embraced me in her comfort. I still remember the exact words she told me that day.
"Chris Richards, are you alright? Do you need someone to talk to?" she asked.
"Nikki, I...I just got dumped and I hardly know you, why would you ask me that?" I replied
"Well, it's because you seem interesting and I know when a person is suffering."
"Nikki, I suppose, I'm upset, really upset."
"Well, why not tell mama Nikki what's wrong, I'm here for you now Chris"
"Everything's wrong Nikki, my girlfriend dumps me all for some stupid shit, my friends leave me and I, I'm alone. No one at school loves me, no one wants to be my friend, nothing..."
"That's not true Chris, I want to be."
"You want to be what Nikki? Someone who'll leave me like all the others did before?"
"No, I want to be your friend, I want to see you laugh, your smile and I want to see the real you, not the sad version, Chris.

It was then, she grabbed my head and placed it in her lap in a welcoming embrace. It felt...warm, comfortable and in a sense, sincere. I truly felt like she meant it and as I was crying, I look up at her and all I see is her gorgeous smile and, those damn pale blue eyes. Those eyes continually made me fall for her again and again. I just, I couldn't stop crying in her lap. It seems ridiculous, normally it's the opposite, the girl cries in the guy's lap and there I was, tears streaming down my face as I looked at her pale blue eyes.

"Nikki, I, I can't thank you enough. You've never judged me once in the time I've known you," I said
"Chris, don't worry about it, I know that rumors are just that, rumors, what matters is who you are," she replied
"Well, thank you, it's kind of embarrassing for me in a way."
"How so? What's embarrassing about it?"
"I'm an upperclassman you see, I'm in the year above you. I shouldn't be seen crying."
"You're only Human Chris, we all cry sometimes."
"So, Nikki, friends?"
"Yeah, friends, I like the sound of it."

The two of us grew even closer and closer and as that happened, I feared that I would lose her, just as I lost everyone else. It was summer, she lived a fair bit away from me and due to my parents, I could not visit her house. So, she and I relied on texting each other. She'd send me cute and funny texts about all the things we liked and even, photos of how her room looked like, at least when it wasn't in a tip. Towards the end of the summer however, damn, those pale blue eyes, I developed a love for her......