The Stars

They saw one another from across the park. The sun was setting low after a long day in the sky, the air still humid enough to make your skin glisten and your clothes stick. Rowers remained on the river, their oars cutting through the water with practiced ease. Boats leisurely passed by, their tables full of wine and the day’s food, their occupants sun-kissed and merry. 

Her blonde hair shone as she jumped off the swings and walked towards him, a smile on her face. His feet swayed on the edge of the water, toes dipping in with every swing - his hideaway for the day. His book rested on his lap as she walked closer.

“Can I sit here?” she asked, her smile dazzling him.
“Erm, sure” he replied, his eyes quickly looking towards her, then looking away. She took off her ballet pumps, dipping her feet in the cool water, watching the ripples stretch out around them. 

He had seen her before, but always from a distance. She was in the same school as him, and were often in the same class, not that he thought she noticed. She had a large group of friends, and she was always in the middle, laughing. He was very much solitary, often found in the library at breaks and lunches, mostly for the peace that it brought, but partly so it wouldn’t appear quite as odd to be sat alone.

She couldn’t cope with the silence for any longer. 

“What are you reading?” Her hands reached towards the book, her brows furrowed. He noticed she did that in class, when she was think about something particularly challenging. 
He moved the book hastily away from her, trying to hide the cover from view. “Not much”
“What’s it about?”
“Stuff”
“Ok”. Her smile faltered. She got up to walk away, placing her shoes back on her feet. 
He sighed. “…. Well, it’s about the stars.” She sat back down. 

The stars had always fascinated him. He loved the idea that there was something bigger out there, something that couldn’t be fully explained. They held a world of possibility for him. There were theories that there were parallel universes, somewhere where another version of him existed. Perhaps a universe where he felt comfortable sitting next to this girl who smiled freely and smelled of flowers.

He could have said all of this. He could have told her the joy he felt looking up at the stars that would soon appear tonight, hoping to see another shooting star that would drop out of the sky, falling out of all order while the others stayed perfectly still, watching on. Perhaps she would understand the feeling of freedom that this gave him.


Instead, he looked up, sighed, and walked away. 

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