When I was an elfling, I had a very odd dream.
The elf is tall, nearly twice Orophin's size, and curling blonde hair reaches down to his waist. "Hello, Orophin," he says, and his bright blue eyes have an intensity he's never seen before. "I am Finrod.
He doesn't wait for a response. Perhaps he already knows what it takes most people so long to learn, that he will not get one. Instead he takes a strip of light green paper from the pocket of a white suit and shows Orophin how to fold it into a delicate paper star.
When he's done he unfolds it and hands it to Orophin, watching as the younger elf's unskilled hands refold along the existing creases.
"When you make a thousand of them, your greatest wish will come true," Finrod says, and slowly disappears.
I didn't think anything of it at first.
Orophin smiles to himself as he wakes up, and he goes on with everyday life.
It was just a dream, after all.
And until he gets home from school that day he doesn't notice the green paper star sitting on his desk.
I'd never believed in wishes, but I liked making the stars.
Whenever I felt sad,
("No, Oro," Haldir says, voice sharp with thinly-veiled annoyance. "I'm busy with Rumil, can't you see that? You aren't the only one who needs help, you know!"
"Alright," he whispers, and quietly leaves. He manages on his own eventually, but it takes him an hour to complete what was meant to be a ten-minute history assignment.
But at least he's not - what was the word Ada used - autistic, like Rumil, so he has no right to complain.)
or scared,
(Ada and Nana are screaming at each other in the kitchen again; Orophin stands in the stairwell and listens, holding the teddy bear he got three Christmases ago tight to his chest. He's perfectly still. He's not sure he could move if he wanted to.
He turns and runs up the stairwell to his room when he hears the shattering sound of the first breaking dish - runs faster when he hears the second, the third - )
or lonely,
(All the others are sitting in groups, at tables with friends, laughing and talking together, sharing lunches. Orophin sits alone, his back to the fence.
He doesn't have anybody to share a lunch with. Even if he did he doesn't have a lunch to share.)
I'd make another paper star. I kept them in a big jar on my desk.
I don't know why it helped, but... it did.
Slowly but surely the jar got fuller and fuller.
When Orophin folds the thousandth paper star, when the jar is full, he goes outside.
He stands on the balcony and holds the jar to his chest and sobs.
"Hello, Orophin." The voice behind him is strangely familiar, but he can't quite place how he knows it.
He turn around to look, and behind him stands a tall, blonde elf in a white suit. "Finrod," he whispers, and the elf reaches out a hand.
"I'm here to grant your wish," Finrod says. "You wish for a life where you are no longer alone, no longer invisible. It that not so?"
Orophin smiles - and shakes his head. He opens the door behind him and beckons Finrod inside.
I didn't want to run away anymore. I didn't want a white knight to come in and rescue me.
"Would you like to stay with me?" Orophin asks. Finrod's eyes widen, but he agrees and sits down on the bed.
They talk all night.
All I ever wished for was a friend.