Life

He paces back and forth, the grass dying the underside of his feet. He is waiting, waiting for life to begin, waiting to grow older, waiting to get away, and waiting for her. His parents had been fighting... again and he needed to talk.

He watched as she ran up the sidewalk, her high ponytail bouncing and hitting her face. He's stopped pacing, to stare at her, from her long waist length hair to her deep intelligent fresh water eyes.

She jumped at him wrapping her arms around his upper body, taking him by surprise and knocking them both to the ground.

A fit of giggles over takes her and he lies on the ground while she works to calm herself. He takes a deep breath, taking in the smell of sunflowers and oranges.

Finally calming down she stands up and walks away. His world feels empty as she walks away, cars speed by and people pass, but he is all alone.

She turns around, half way through the yard, and calls for him to follow, a smile gracing her small face. He races to her, and together they run to their woods, the small patch of trees just behind his house. He scrambles ahead and up the large boulder, staring up at him she tries to jump onto the rock.

As he turns to help her up she falls backward, he watches as she picks herself up, dusting the dirt off her jeans. He helps her up and they talk. He tells her of his parents, their fighting and looks of disappointment. She listens quietly, taking his problems and baring the load.

The two of them sit there on the large rock in the woods behind his house; they are both young and childish. She stands and dances around him, laughing and giggling no trace of sorrow on her face. His is covered in worry, but as she dances around him, the lines begin to fade and soon he joins in the merriment. They clasp hands and spin in circles, there is no end in sight for their time together. She is the first to collapse, practically throwing herself to the rock beneath them. Her laughter rings melodically through the thin woods as she pulls him down to sit with her again.

But when she goes home and he stands in the yard watching as the fading sunlight glistens in her hair, he's left to go inside alone.

Inside the house filled with disappointment.

Alone

Little teardrops fall from the dark overstuffed irate clouds that hang over head. Alone in a large empty unappealing room, lay an unconscious teenage boy. His face covered in pure white gauze and tubes, hiding unsightly cuts and bruises that now disfigure his almost perfect face.

His high cheek bones and strong jaw no longer dominant, the only feature left untouched by the disparaging gauze was his almost too large nose, that looked as if it had been broken one too many times.

He is alone, eyes peacefully closed, not noticing the chaotic world around him. Oblivious to the fact that there is no one there to talk to him even though they know he cannot hear them, no one to cry by his bed praying for him to open his deep green eyes. There are no friends, no family, no one to stand up for what he wants, or what's best for him.

A woman walks in, her stride strong and confidant. A look of deep and unchanging disgust and disappointment find their way across her petite features, bringing out her eyes that are untouched by the tragedy.

She thinks she knows him, his wants, his needs, his secrets, but she doesn't, not really. She doesn't know about the time in his woods behind the house, the time across the street at the neighbor's house, or the secret he keeps so dearly.

No she doesn't know him at all.