Silent Boy

XXXI

Sam walks down the halls, pondering. She used to walk down the same halls with her friends. Laughing. Yelling. Now that she's walking alone, she realizes how much she's changed.

How much they changed. Or had they always been like that?

The people, she called her friends, jeer at her every time she walks by. They look down on her.

People are strange. When you invest in a friendship for years, and think nothing can shatter it...maybe you're too optimistic that you fail to see who they really are?

Those times you spent together, suddenly don't matter anymore. It will take them seconds to turn their back on you. For Sam, it feels like she wasted her time in the investment. What was the point of it, when her friends have become strangers. Not one or two. But every friend she has made over the years.

She enters the library and sees the girl. Sitting down. Reading a book. Sam moved closer to get a glimpse of the book. 'Welcome to my country'

She walks to the girl and sits down beside her.

"Hi."

The girl seemed confused, and surprised. "Hi?" She examines Sam, "Why are you doing this?"

"What? Sitting with you?" Sam smiles awkwardly, "can I?"

The girl sighs.

"I just have one question." Sam fumbles with her fingers, "How did you know. About him."

"I don't know much." She sets her book down, "I just happened to also work at the same convenience store as him. Although the boy was always lonely. He never seemed more lonelier than the time you pushed yourself away."

Sam looks down feeling guilty. "I thought-"

"People don't know anything. Why would you hear them out, before hearing him out. You only thought. But just like them you didn't know anything and assumed." The girl paused. She had a puzzled, yet fascinated small smile.

Back then everyone talked about the girl being the missing piece to the silent boy's brokenness. Who gave them the right to talk when they were always ridiculing? Why did Sam believe their words when they didn't even know the boy. Or the girl.

Sam sees the boy through the window, his eyes roaming around. Like he's searching for her. "You're right. I didn't know anything. I still don't know much. But slowly I'm learning."

The girl placed her palm under her chin and spoke with a mixture of relief and sadness laced in her voice. "I couldn't get to him, no matter how hard I tried. It was like walking on an unsteady rope, "she glances at the boy, "But you did."

Sam knew she was not fully there. She's still walking on the rope. Feeling intimidated by thought of it tearing apart. Feeling anxious of falling. But she's holding on, and becomes braver as she sees him on the other side.

She girl stood up, and glanced over her shoulder.

"I'm sofia by the way."

_____

Thank you for all the support. I appreciate so much. I apologize for a very late update. I have a lot to deal with. But expect more updates weekly :)

And remember to always to get to know a person before making any misconceptions. Those who we think are closest to us can be farthest while those who are farthest can be closest.