The Open Canvas

Part 2

It was virgin territory talking to Daisy. When she asked my why i wanted to sit alone, I almost wanted to tell her why before i knew a single thing about her. The way she looked at me with that dark glint in her eyes made me feel like she'd understand where i was coming from.

I took a deep breath and looked at her. I looked deep into her chocolate brown orbs trying to figure her out. It was a unique experience. It was like i was knocking on her minds door and she opened it up for me come inside and meet who she was without saying a word. She had taken off the mask that everyone puts up out in public to make me feel like i could trust her.

Simply put, i felt like she'd understand my torment. From what i could tell at the time she wasn't as broken by this world as i was, but she wasn't happy. Something bothered her and there was nothing she could do about it.

I sighed, letting down my guard for once in my life. If I was going to trust anyone in this world it might was well have been her. I told her the epiphany I had when I was 14 and went on from there. She never looked away from me the whole time i talked, it felt like i was letting someone touch my gray, tormented soul. With every word I spoke it was like she was coming deeper and deeper into my mind, mending with me. The only way to describe the feeling after an eternity of despair and loneliness was magnificence.  I felt like the spiney ice piercing my heart and stomach was finally melting away. 

When i had finished my tragic lifes story, she exhaled and just stared and me for a long while and said nothing. All she did was stare into me, contemplating everything i had told her. After looking into my eyes for a long, meaningful moment, she dramatically exhaled and said, "Wow, that sucks." I laughed boisterously. I had never heard such a blatant statement of the truth, it was refreshing to hear.

Laughing gave my lungs a strange feeling, like it was shaking off dust being built up over time. It had been so long since i had laughed. And not the cynical laugh where something is so terrible that its amusing, but the boisterous happy laugh thats so wonderful to feel.

"Thank you," i finally said.

She looked at me questionally, "For what?"

"I havnt laughed in so long."

"Oh."

We shared a moment of silence, affection being passed on to eavhother through eye contact.

She began to blush, "Right. Uh..."

The school bell rang, cutting her off before she could say anything. She looked mildy releaved but i was disappointed. I wanted to keep talking to her which was a substantially rare feeling at the time.

"Guess we'll talk again tomorrow?" She asked hopefully.

I could feel the unnatural crease at the edge of my lips as i grinned at her. "Yeah, I'd like that."

"Cool." She looked at me for a moment, like she was deciding whether or not to say something. She eventually shook her head and left, going to her class.

I sat back in my chair, thinking about what had just happened. A sparky feeling lit up in my stomach and a smirk plastered itself on my face. It was my first actual freind on over two years.

*               *                   *                *            *

The rest of that school day i thought about Daisy. She even followed my hope, giving me a foreign mood of content and mild happiness that i had found someone who at least seems to understand. I was still sceptical about her of corse, i handt even know her for a day. But there was something about her that nestled itself into my brain and sat there, constantly invading my thoughts.

As i opened the front door to my middle class American house, i saw my father sitting in this leather lazy chair absent mindedly watching the news.

"Hey dad," i said without thinking. He looked over and stared at my with his piercing grey eyes. I walked over to the kitchen to get a glass of water. As i filled up my cup i could feel his eyes on me.

I turned around to see him still staring at me. "Yeah?" I asked, confused.

"You said hi to me on your way in the house..." he said in his deep, unfeeling voice.

"I did do that," i responded, failing to see the relevance.

"You havnt said a word unless you've been spoken to in two years."

Those words hung in the air for a second as i realzied what he was saying. It was habitual for me to go straight to my room without a word as soon as i got home. I usually didnt show any signs of freindlyness under any circumstances. Even to my family.

"Something happen at school today?" He asked, a tinge of hopefulness in his voice.

"Yeah, i met someone i liked today." I said slowly.

He chuckled, "Thats a first."

I snorted and went up to my room. It felt kind of good not ignoring my dad for once. Like i could finally relax around him. Daisy. She was already strating to have an effect on my and i didn't even know her yet.