The Story of a Girl

     I was really bored today, so I decided to try and write this pointless short story, which is really pointless but I just felt like being really descriptive today. And well everyone doesn't have a name quarter because I couldn't decide what name to use and three quarter because I wanted the characters to be anybody the reader imagines. So yea... they have no names and no age for that reason. 

        This is the story of a girl who did not believe in fairytales. She could watch the dark night sky above her and see the stars fall, but she could never make a wish because she knew it was pointless.  She would blow out her birthday candles with a clear mind because she knew it was only a flickering flame. She would cry in her dreams because she knew that they could never come true, but she could find solace in a book, where the pains of her world were drowned and forgotten.

       She could never get over her imperfections, her small eyes, big nose, broad mouth, dark skin, big ears, short neck, wide shoulders, acne scarred face and stumpy body. How could God make a monster of her? She had nothing in this world; she was always over looked because of her flawed face. She was never paid attention to for her lack of talent; she couldn’t even peel a potato properly if that could be considered a talent. She had no money, her family was average, and when you can’t compete in an economically thriving society where you can’t afford to sport the latest fad every week, then its best you remain invisible. She wasn’t a scholar, but she tried. She tried hard. If there was one thing she worked towards and wanted most was to become rich, just so she could afford to look pretty for once. Every trip to the mall’s wishing well, she would throw a penny and wish that tomorrow she could be as pretty as the last person she saw on TV.  She thought that the wishing well gods weren’t appeased by her penny, for looking pretty can be quite costly, so she threw dollars into the well, but nothing happened; if anything she’d say she got uglier. She’d say she’s gotten a little bit smarter, for now she knows wishes don’t come true and that she shouldn't waste her time. But every once in a while, a blue flame of hope flickers in her heart and dances and sends thrills to her mind; the what if’s. What if wishes do come true? What if I’ve just been saying it wrong? What if it just wasn’t my time? What if today is my day? But like any smart girl, she’d extinguish that flame with the tears of knowing for sure that wishes don’t come true.

        She never bothered to talk to a boy before because what boy wants to talk to a hideous beast? Boys willingly spoke to the other girls… but not to her simply because she was too ugly for their liking. But when the world saw her, they saw a timid girl who was shy and meek.  They saw the embodiment of innocence and a mind full of wonder, they saw a soft starry gaze and a sweet smile that would cross her rose pink lips when words failed to work, they saw beautiful ebony tresses that framed her face like a picture, they saw a small tanned girl that was always dressed decently, they saw hormones teasing her as it did everybody. They tried to talk, they tried to make her see they were there but to see you must look, sadly her head was always in a book.

         Many years have passed her and every day is the same, except today. Today was different. As she sat on the lush grass away from the large crowds, under an enormous shady tree, enjoying the company of her latest book and her home made lunch she heard a voice, calling "hey". She ignored it because these formalities were never directed to her. It called again and she ignored once more.  A hand upon her shoulder shook her from her book; she slowly turned her gaze to meet their compliance. Their bright eyes met hers, and she gave that flawless smile when she saw one cross his thin dry lips. His chiseled face only a short distance from hers, his un-gelled hair falling on his face as the wind blew gently. She could feel the warmth of his breath upon her, she could feel his strong grip still on her shoulder as if promising he would never let go and yet she was still lost in his eyes, staring at his soul. She hadn't a clue what overcame her face muscles as she couldn’t stop smiling, she suddenly felt this warm tingling sensation across her face in the cool air and it wasn’t his breath; for it crossed and stayed on the apples of her cheeks, it felt so warm as if a fire was starting there. She placed the cool palms of her hands upon her cheeks to soothe her face from turning to ashes. It was hot, burning hot. What if she was catching the cold? What if she’d just been outside too long? Or what if this is what she read about? What if all the books weren’t completely fiction? What if they were based on real life? What if what she read was right? What if she was experiencing this sensation she’d long since deemed silly? What if she was in love?

                       “Hello,” a small soft, shaky voice escaped her lips.

                       “Sorry to bother you… but I’m new here.  And I really have no idea where to go or what do to. This may be too much to ask but I was wondering if I can have lunch with you? Perhaps you can walk me to my next class? Please?” he ended with a hopeful smirk and raised eyebrows awaiting confirmation. His eyes were undoubtedly saying that he had nowhere else to go.

                       “That wouldn’t be a problem,” she managed, smiling and he giddily seated himself.  They sat and ate and they genuinely laughed. She never had lunch with anyone since high school, especially not a guy. She could feel herself letting go of boundaries as this stranger spoke so charismatically about himself. He was so wonderful; she definitely tried to impress him using what little she learned about these things in books. This was new to her, she was a stranger in these parts and now she had found someone like herself. It was safe to say they were friends, but with each passing day she craved that they could be much more. Crave not wish.  Everything about him was perfect; it was a miracle really that he would even talk to her.  His talk, his walk his everything could leave you speechless.

       Time passes like time always does, leaving us unaware of how much time we have left, leaving us with hope that there will be a tomorrow; a tomorrow to execute all that we have put off from today. That hope lights a small blue flame in a girl’s heart; what if she told him how she felt? She strolled passed the stores with her bags in hand, her mind flooded with ‘what if’s’ and as she turned the bend she caught sight of the wishing well.  It’s sparkling blue tiles glistening under the crystal waters which reflected the ambient lighting. It was beckoning to her. Mindlessly she reach into her pocket and pulled out a quarter, each stride taking her closer to the wishing well and she froze as the tip of her shoe rubbed against the cold tiles. Staring at her solemn reflection she asked herself what she was doing. She knew she couldn’t be wishing for anything, because smart girls don’t wish for impossible things just because they are impossible. Wishes don’t come true, she wouldn’t waste her time wishing that he could love her the way she loved him. She would never do that is what she told herself, yet as she released the silver coin through her stout finger,s she wished for that very same thing. Hastily she walked away from actions, her eyes precariously seeking an exit. Just before she found the red and white sign emblazoned with the words she’d been searching for, she saw him. There he was in a cute little jewelry store right beside the exit. It was very small, he was half standing out and half standing in, she tried hard to turn away and not be noticed for the shame of what she just did consumed her entirely. Of all the things she had ever wished for, altering someone else’s feelings for her was the most embarrassing. It’s like asking the sun to rise only for her, like asking a flower to bloom only for her, its selfish and rude. The flower may feel free to bloom for whoever it wishes, who was she to demand that it bloom for her? And well the sun, the sun rises for everyone; it’s not selfish, unlike her. She pulled the hood of her grey sweater up over her head, to half aid in her disguise.

                         “No, it’s for a very good friend; she’s not my girlfriend, well at least not as yet anyway,” he chuckled boyishly to the jeweller. A smile danced across her face. As she ran towards the exit, she managed to hear him talking about his very good friend. In fact she believed he was buying a gift for his very good friend as well. In the books, when the boy buys jewelry for a girl it only ever means one thing.

       They weren’t in the same classes but they would always meet in their lunch spot, their spot. A few times now, she ate alone, but that was normal and he was busy. She walked towards their spot with a giddy smile on her face hoping he would join her today for lunch, her hair clipped neatly up, not in its usual untidy bun and she was wearing the top she bought yesterday.  She couldn’t look any cuter if she said so herself. Her walk was more of a merry skip and she heard his voice calling out to her. What if she was just so in love she was day dreaming? She looked around to clear the voice from her head, and saw his hands frantically waving above his head, calling her name two, three times. He was at a table and there were five other people with him and one empty seat which he was saving for her. She moved over shyly, hardly believing that this was happening. She wasn’t too comfortable with new people, but the way they all greeted her made her feel relaxed amongst them. They were actually really nice people, why hadn’t she met them before if they were so nice? Perhaps because they were all in his classes and not hers or perhaps because they were all so beautiful that it was intimidating. It really surprised her that there she was, sitting at a table with a group of friends, dawned in nice clothing and sitting across from him. It was like nothing she could ever imagine for herself since she was so ugly. It was as if things worked out it the end, maybe she hadn’t been wishing for the right thing all along? Amidst the talking and laughing and exchanging of numbers, time slowed. Time slowed as she saw him reach into his pocket pulling out a small baby blue box, time slowed as she saw him remove the cover and set it on the table beside his sandwich. Time slowed as he lifted the stunning silver necklace from its black velvety bed, dangling it in front of her. Time slowed as he unclasped the necklace, with its pearl pendant sparkling in the sunlight and time slowed as she opened her mouth to thank him? To kiss him? To praise him? To tell him; oh no he shouldn’t have? As she opened her mouth, no words came out, her eyes wide set with horror as the slender peachy girl beside him, pulled her long strawberry blonde hair to one side lifting it off her neck as he clasped the necklace, smiling handsomely.

         She closed her mouth immediately and smiled as if she hadn’t seen a thing, as they thought her to do in the books. She pinched herself hard for making a stupid wish and for believing it would come through, for wasting her time. But she didn’t let it bother her; it didn't affect her at all, not even for one moment.  After all she never believed in this, she never believed in fairytales.