Campfire - Chapter 4

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Campfire

_4_

She sits on the stairs at the back of her classroom.

Tears sting in her eyes but she refuses to let them out.

She is a strong  girl.

Too strong that sometimes people think that she cannot feel sad, that she never cries.

And she intends to keep it that way.

Because, the last thing she wants to do is to bother someone for her nuisance. And she would rather bottle it all up until she explode than letting some “sympathetic” fakers look down on her with pity.

But, however strong she is, she cannot help to feel lonely sometimes. And right now, she wishes that she hadn’t kept her façade for so long that nobody ever cares if she stops smiling. She wishes someone would come and hold her, sooth her, caress her and remind her that it was alright to cry because they were there and would protect her.

She wishes she actually had someone.

~o~

He almost has a heart attack (which he does a lot lately) when he sees her on the stairs.

Just the look of her says something is terribly wrong.

Her eyes are downcast.

Her shoulders slumps as if a tremendous weight is crushing them.

Her nails dig into the skin of her palm where she curls them tightly to prevent any shaking,

All her body screams tension that threatens to break her into million pieces.

Something is definitely very very wrong.

For a moment, he stands frozen, urgent thoughts running through his brain. Should he say something? Should he leave her alone?  He is not sure if she wants any disturbing right now. But then, she looks so lonely and sad, a look that he never wants to see her in. He really doesn’t know what to do. Therefore, he just stays there, fluctuating between leaving and coming closer.

Then, he hears it.

A muffled sob tears its way from her lips.

As subtle as a butterfly wing fluttering on a still lake.

Before he has time to register his action, he finds himself touching her shoulder.

She turns around and looks up with those big blue eyes that is as clear as the sky. The only thing there is is that sky is filled with unshed tears.

- What’s wrong? – He asks.

She averts her eyes and shakes her head,

- It’s alright. You can tell me. It’ll make you feel better.

He sits down in front of her.

Suddenly, like a dam broken by the force of water, she breaks into tears. Clear salty drops of liquid spill out from her eyes, rolling down her cheeks.

He almost freaks out.

Oh God, he doesn’t know how to deal with this situation.

What should he do? Think! Think!

Reluctantly, he reaches out and pats her hair.

He sees her eyes widened in shock and jerks his hand back, blushing violently.

Oh gosh, he totally screw up.

He mentally maligns himself with every epithets he knows of.

And then, she proves to him that she is full of surprises.

She laughs.

It is weird when a girl can cry at one time and laugh so melodically five seconds later.

Wait… What? She is laughing?

He looks up and catches her eyes looking bear straight into his.

They are still red and shiny from crying, with some leftover tears that she is trying to wipe away with a white handkerchief. However, the dimness he sees earlier has all but vanished and replaced by her normal clear sapphire colour.

And a genuine smile is playing on her lips. A vibrant smile that brightens her face and lights up her eyes like too brilliant stars.

She stands up and scares him half to death (again) when she leans down and gives him a butterfly kiss on the cheek.

Thank you.

She whispers. And walks away.

He sits there, his brain short-circuiting.


Did she just kiss him? 

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