kiss it off me

where it all started

chapter one
where it all started

        HE CAME with dark circles beneath his eyes and his skin pale as ever.

he hadn't come to school for the last two weeks, yet now he was sitting right next to her as if he never left.

he was miles fairchild, she had worked with him in chemistry before.

they were lab partners.

the desks were one long table and two seats.

it was two students per seat.

occasionally the two would talk, mostly to copy homework.

he repeatedly tapped his fingers on the birch wood desk.

their teacher droned on about various formulas.

a red apple shone brightly on his desk, flasks were full with different coloured liquids.

she noticed he had been gone, feeling lonely without a partner.

she had the urge to ask the boy why he was absent, but something held her back.

perhaps he became very sick she thought.

he looked sick even now.

his eyes were dark, his face pale.

underneath his eyes had sunken in, his cheekbones more prominent as if he had lost weight.

he looked even worse sitting next to her. her complexion was glowing and full of life, her cheeks plump and blushing.

her hair lay in neat curls on her shoulder.

her uniform was spotless not even a wrinkle in sight.

her smile was one to light up even the darkest of nights.

and that's exactly what she did.

when the bell rang signalling that class was over, he almost ran out.

she didn't seem him again till lunch.

he was hunched over himself beneath a willow tree.

the leaves bright green and swaying softly in the breeze.

the grass beneath his feet was shimmering emerald.

she decided that he needed a friend and that she was more than capable of being a friend.

besides she grew too curious not to ask.

"hi!" her sugary voice spun around his head.

he didn't reply, only wiped his face as if he had been crying.

she persisted, "are you okay? you haven't been to school in a long time. i sorta missed my chemistry partner" she sat next to him pulling her knees up to her chest.

"i'm fine" he croaked, even though he was most obviously not fine.

she stared at him for a bit, he shamefully looked away.

she rested her head on his shoulder and began to hum softly while picking on the grass beneath her.

she didn't want to intrude and knew eventually he would speak to her.

he sat completely still, he didn't know what he was feeling but at the moment he felt, warm.

she was comforting to him, even though he hadn't told her anything as to what caused him sadness she managed to soothe it with the melodic hum and her sweet scent of strawberries.