Prologue (part 2)
"Are you okay?", a small voice asks.
Somebody actually noticed I'm here?
I pick my head up, and see a girl standing in front of me. She looks like she's a year or two younger than I am, and she's holding a stuffed polar bear to her chest. What is she doing here?
"Why are you crying?", she asks. "There's water inside your glasses now."
Her eyes are wide and sad. Is she forgotten like me?
"Everyone forgot about me...Why are you here?"
She sits down next to me and hugs me.
"I'm lonely because my only friend is Kumajiro."
She lets go of me and holds up her stuffed animal.
"He doesn't talk much."
"Oh."
She has more friends than I do and it's a stuffed animal.
"Do you have any friends?"
"No..."
It's not like telling the truth can make my life any worse, right?
She frowns and hugs me again.
"Then how about this, I'll be your friend and I promise I won't forget about you if you keep Kumajiro safe for me until tomorrow. That way neither of us will be lonely anymore and I have a reason to go outside and play with you."
"Really?"
"Mhmm."
She kisses my cheek and my face turns red. The only who's ever kissed my cheek is Momma, but it feels weird when this girl does it. She lets go of me and giggles at the color of my cheeks. Someone yells, but I don't recognize the voice.
"I gotta go now, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Keep Kumajiro safe for me."
She smiles, hands me the bear, hugs me for the third time, and runs off into the snow. She stops at the top of a pile to turn around and wave, then she disappears. I go home after that, and no one noticed I was gone, as usual. Alfred ate my food like he always does when I miss meals so I make a sandwich and eat that instead. At bedtime, no one remembers to hug me and tuck me in, but for once it doesn't bother me. I have a friend now, and she won't forget me tomorrow because she has to get her bear back. That's the one little ray of hope I have as I fall asleep with the bear, Kumajiro, to my chest.
The next day I wake up early so I can eat my favorite breakfast, pancake and maple syrup, before Alfred eats it. When I finish, I get dressed, and go outside with the stuffed polar bear, to the tree where I met my knew friend. All I can think about is that I have someone who won't ignore or forget me.
But...
She never comes.
I stand there in the snow for eternity wondering why I bothered to think this would be different, and why I feel like she ripped out what little joy I had left and stomped on it.
Why do I feel so much worse than when this usually happens? It's like there's something stuck in my throat and I can't breathe. Like I've just died.
A nameless girl who gave me hope, left without a trace as if she was never here.
And this bear is a reminder that I'm just lonely, imaginary Matthew, and I might as well have never existed.
Author's Note: I figured that a second update in one day couldn't hurt. This is the other half of the prologue in case you were wondering. If you have any thoughts or comments on the story feel free to write a review or something. I appreciate any feedback even if it isn't much.