stereotyped ☾ l h

one

Lily rocked back and forth on her heels, thin blades of green grass tickling her bare feet. The late afternoon sun was low in the sky.

There was nobody around.

Her only company was the birds, which she liked. Lily dreaded going through campus and up the hill to the football field. That's where everyone was, of course. But not Lily.

She plunked down onto the grass and tilted her head back to look up.
No, that wasn't good enough. She untucked her feet and lay them out before her, and then thunked her head onto the ground. That was better.

Lily looked up at the ever-changing sky and let her mind wander. She did this whenever she felt scared or anxious. It was comforting, not worrisome, that she was so insignificant in contrast to the whole universe. Her eyes scanned the sky, which was nearing dusk, and she felt herself smile (a small, closed mouth one, but nevertheless). She felt herself breathe again.

Suddenly Lily sensed a presence. She immediately began to feel self-conscious, even though the confirmation of another human being there was not yet made. She sat up, tucking her knees close to her chest and let her hair cascade over her shoulders, concealing 3/4 of her face. She lifted her head and pushed her shoulders back (she was trying to work on not hunching over all the time).

It was a boy. A boy was looking down at his feet, like he was caught looking and didn't want to be.