I knew a man long ago, a wondrous man. I met him when I was just a kid. I tell his story to my children and now I am going to tell it to you. So listen close…
And don't blink!
I was only 13 when it happened. I was living in Aberdeen, in Scotland at the time. My home was in a slightly less urban area and there were a lot of fields and forests. It was beautiful. The hills rolled across the landscape like they were waves of rock and grass and the forests I used to explore smelled of apples and pine. There was just one thing in my life that was missing and that one thing lived half way across the world. We never met very often. When we did it was over a video chat or an email. I didn't care if I didn't see him all the time because either way, I loved him. He was kind and funny and oh so sweet. He sent me messages saying the nicest things to me. I thought I wouldn't see him, how wrong I was.
It was just a day like any other. Got up at 6:30 am, went to school at 8:00 am but something happened I didn't see coming.
English was just the same as always; I went into class and sat myself down at the back of the room with one of my friends, Bethany. Lewis was being as annoying as always by constantly trying to steal Bethany and mine's stuff. I was just ready to say, "Will you just knock it of already!" but then one of the guidance councilors came into the classroom with none other than….
"Everyone this is Michael and he will be joining your class today,"
I don't know what came over me but all I did was put my school hood up and bury my head in my Philip Pullman book. I guess I was just so scared to see him even though I had seen his face before. In my eyes he looked perfect, like an angel. His eyes were the kindest I had ever seen, his light brown hair just falling slightly over them. I just had time to notice before he sat down, his flushed cheeks because of the cold of outside, making him look quite cute. I looked up sheepishly from my book to take another peek at him and just shrank back. Bethany whispered in my ear, "What are you doing?"
"I don't know, its like every time I see him I just freak out,"
"Ooh you know what I think? I think you like him!" now I was annoyed, I did like him but I just didn't know how I could say it to her or else I would never live this down.
"Maybe I do, maybe I don't, is that a problem?" I snapped a bit. At this, Bethany returned her attention to the verse of poetry in front of her. I went back to the poem I was studying as well. It was a Shakespeare sonnet.
From fairest creatures we desire increase,
That thereby beauty's rose might never die,
But as the riper should by time decease,
His tender heir might bear his memory:
But thou contracted to thine own bright eyes,
Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,
Making a famine where abundance lies,
Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel:
Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament,
And only herald to the gaudy spring,
Within thine own bud buriest thy content,
And, tender churl, mak'st waste in niggarding:
Pity the world, or else this glutton be,
To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.
I never really understood Shakespeare, apart from twelfth night.
If music be the food of love, play on;
Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.
That strain again! It had a dying fall:
O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound 1
That breathes upon a bank of violets,
Stealing and giving odour!
A declaration of love, how fitting. I just hoped I could pluck up the courage to at least show my face to him. It was embarrassing.
Lunch eventually came after what felt like an age and I quickly got up out of my seat and left immediately. I went straight to the music classroom without taking a single glance at anyone, especially Michael.
Michael's P.O.V.
First day of school was always the hardest. I didn't know anyone at the table I sat at so I just tried to make conversation with the two dark brown haired boy's sitting next to me. The taller one was called Craig and the one who always seemed to be calling out the right answers for every question so far was Jack. They were both really nice and I seemed to fit in well with them. Just one thing was bothering me at the moment was right at the back of the classroom. A strange person with their hood up, hiding their face from my view. Why were they doing that? Who were they hiding from? These questions kept running through my head like a marathon. The bell then snapped me from my deep thought and I saw the hooded figure quickly scurry out of the room, not catching anyone's eye. I followed curiously and then realized I needed to go to music
"You won't need to worry about being late for class," Craig startled me.
"Huh?"
"She's going to music too,"
"She?"
"Yes, I don't think she wants you to know who she is though," I was a bit taken aback by this comment. Why does she not want me to know who she is? What is she hiding?