One Way Trip To Happiness?

Being different was never really a problem for me. It came naturally.

Most kids wanted to fit it, have a group of friends, listen to the same music, same style, same conversations.

I wanted all that too, but I could never do it.

When I was 3 years old my dad left us. He said he was going to go to sea. My mom cried for him to come home. He never did. I don't even know where he is in the world, but I know we are under the same sky.

So we moved on, mom was never one for dwelling in the past. She tried her absolute best to, in the only way I can describe it train me to be the perfect daughter. I took ballet lessons, I had three tutors who visited every Monday, Thursday and Sunday. I was charismatic.

I was taught well, but in my very being I felt, a terrible hole, a hole filled with hopelessness and sadness, little did my young, naive self know, I'd carry that hole for a long time.

At 6 I changed, I never talked to anyone. I was so afraid they would not like me, I opened my mouth and closed it so many times during school I was like a fish, since I never talked I never made any friends, and by the time I finally gathered my guts up from the floor to even dare to say "Hi!" to anyone, everyone had their friends, their groups, and so I was the outsider.

I seem so practical, so..plain, I know. But everyone has their secrets, me included.

I had one friend. My neighbour Fletcher.

He moved in next door when I was 8. It was raining heavily and I saw this boy with shiny black hair dance in the rain, I was jealous. I wanted to be out their with him, dancing in the droplets of rain that soaked his skin and clothes, but instead I backed away, going back to colouring in my book.

The first time we ever met was special.

His mother rang the door bell and I peeped out the window curiously, when I saw the black haired boy standing their my eyes widened.

I opened the door and stood there, staring at them like they were a pair of extraterrestrials.

"Hello sweetie, I'm Raquel Pane, is your mommy or daddy there?" Mrs Pane said smiling down at me.

I nodded and shuffled off to find mom.

Mom greeted and invited them in, she took Raquel into the kitchen and left me and this strange boy all alone.

It was silent for a moment, up close I could look at the boys features more, his hair  was scruffy and rested just be low his ears, he had glittering hazel eyes and very long eyelashes.

After staring for a while he spoke up

"Hey I'm Fletcher, what about you?" the boy said with a friendly smile

I was a little startled when he spoke. I waited before I replied.

"......Fletcher?" I asked

"Uh yeah, what's your name?"

"Fletcher, like fetcher?" I asked curiously

Fletcher chuckled "I guess. So? Your name?"

"Mei." I said "My name is Mei."

"May? Ok."

"No not May, Mei. M-e-i." I corrected him

"Oh? That's strange. Mei. Well, nice to meet you Mei i'm F-l-e-t-c-h-e-r."

I laughed "I know."

My first time really talking to someone my own age, and he was normal.

Fletcher was everything I wanted to be. Daring, funny, charming and kind.