Broken Spirit (boyxboy)

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I sat in class alone. Well not really alone since there were about twenty other people with me, but generally I was alone, in the corner of the room, no one was talking to me. No one wanted to hear what I had to say, no one cared. It was always like this no matter where I went. I could hear the wind blowing, the rain gently falling against the brick walls. The sky was a light gray, the grass looked dark green. It was either this or that for me, my imagination ran thin on the visual world yet when I read it felt like I could see better places, like I could be a character there.

I opened my eyes not realizing that I had closed them; class had started, the teacher was talking, I was bored. My notebook no longer had any empty pages to take "notes", my journal filled with short stories was at home, my cell phone was dead but it didn't matter. I had no one to text or call. I thought about how pitiful I seemed but pushed the feeling aside. Many had it worse than me. I knew that if I collapsed on the floor right now, someone would be kind enough to call 911.

I looked up at the ticking clock. Tick tick tick tick. It was boring and dull, my eyes wanted to close. I didn't get much sleep, ever. I was either awake or on alert and my parents were barely home. I licked my lips then mentally slapped myself for it. It was bad to lick your lips because it made them more chapped. Though it seemed obvious, I had zero friends. You could call me the most unpopular person in school. What I had done to earn that title left me confused.

I brushed my annoyingly shaggy hair out of my face. Random brown strands kept falling out of place. I decided that I had had enough and stood up. No one even glanced my way. I decided that since no one wanted to acknowledge my presence, then I would just leave them in peace. I walked around the desk from the back silently, I quietly closed the door behind me, and walked out the school and off the property.

The woods was my playground. It was my place of solitude, my sanctuary, my comfort. It defined who I was and demanded me to acknowledge that I had a part in this world. It was still raining, but barely. The misty drops and gray sky changed the mood of the woods. The trees swayed silently, the grass dark, the vegetation less defined. Everything was softened with a silent haze. It seemed wrong to cry or utter a word, breaking this calming silence. The woods seemed content and alone. I wanted to be like the proud trees or graceful leaves swirling around. A slight rustle of some leaves came from a wondering rabbit, but it too followed the mood of the woods and fell silent as it traveled.

I had nowhere to sit since the ground was wet and I knew my mom would get angry. I knew that I was not welcomed if I was going to make any sound. I stood there silent, a few branches swayed, acknowledging me, welcoming me since I had showed that I understood. I nodded back, knowing that to anyone else I looked like an idiot. The rain stopped falling, the sky was slowly clearing up. The forest was ready to bloom with life again. I looked around and found a dry spot that had been hidden by a branch of leaves, protecting it from the rain. I placed my hand over it to test it. It was as dry as I needed it to be. I sat down slowly and closed my eyes.

The first sound to be made was the soft rustle of leaves. The wind whispered gently, the grass swayed wildly. Birds began to sing, animals started to wonder around once again. The forest was now awake and alive. I decided to join in and say something.

"I think today is going to be a beginning." The woods fell silent for a few seconds then continued on. "I left class today." I didn't get a reaction this time. "Should I have stayed?" I was praying that I would get some form of an answer this time. Something I could understand.

A deer walked out from behind a tree and looked at me. It nodded its head and said, "You will find a way." Not really. I sat there forever hoping that I would get an answer, but the woods didn't seem to care.

"I guess that means I am being spoiled then." The leaves rustled loudly and a twig blew into my face. "Maybe not."

"Having fun there?" I nearly jumped and turned around to see who it was. A guy with neatly combed black hair walked out from behind a tree. His eyes were a light blue, almost faded. He was smiling, one eyebrow raised up. I felt my cheeks growing warm with embarrassment.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, then mentally slapped myself. Anyone could come here, but no one ever did.

"Didn't know you owned the forest."He grinned and sat on the ground across from me.

"The ground is wet."

"I know." He rolled up his sleeves and lean back against a close tree. "The question is, do you know that you're acting crazy?"

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. Having a connection with the life around me wasn't crazy. I picked up the twig that had hit me in the face and twirled it around with my fingers. He sat there staring at me, taking in my appearance, the expression on my face. I probably looked tired and sad.

"If nature is crazy, then I don't want to go to an urban area." He smiled nodded.

"This is better than some crumbling blocks of cement." I ran my fingers through my hair, noticing the awkward silence that fell between us. A tree branch gently brushed against my back as if saying, "go on, you can do this". I started to play with a piece of thread on my shirt. I had never thought about getting together with someone so I had never paid attention to anybody. Did I like guys or girls? I didn't really know.

"I'm Ion White." I stated lamely. He looked away from the ground and up at me again. I rested the urge to fidget even more.

"Lucas Floyd, just moved here a week ago." I nodded and decided to warn him ahead of time. Didn't want him to end up like me.

"I wouldn't talk to me if I were you. No one does so you shouldn't either. May ruin your chance of making friends." The woods fell silent and the same branch hit me this time. I practically fell forward. Was I not supposed to give him a fair warning.

"That's fine. I don't need many." He looked at me in the eyes. I looked away. Was I really worth a social life? I stood up and looked back at him.

"Really, if you talk to me everyone may ignore you. Even the adults." He shrugged.

"Not really mature if they ignore people. It's really impolite you know." He stood up also. I slowly backed up and started to turn, but tripped. Stupid woods was trying to beat me up. I fell flat on my face, my forehead banging against a thick root. "Are you okay?"

He reached out and lifted me up like I weighed next to nothing. His hands held my face as he examined my face. I probably had a bruise now. He gently kissed my forehead and smiled. My face heated up like it was in a oven or something. I pulled my face away and couldn't bring myself to look at him.

"I have to go, but thanks for helping me up." Before he could say anything, I was walking as fast as I could through the woods. I tripped again, but this time I caught myself. "What? Was I supposed to stay or something?" A branch swayed telling me yes. The leaves rustled in mockery.