This one's for Roxy. I remember you asking me to give you happy Troryness, I hope you like it. :D
Hell, I hope y'all like it. -hehe-
Never Too Far
by inmyeyes
You can't remember how you managed to get there, but suddenly you find yourself standing at the front of the room. You are clutching a small scrap of paper very tightly in your fist as you take a deep breath to compose your thoughts. For a split second, your eyes travel to Mr. Medina, seeking some kind of guidance but all you get is a nod, telling you to get on with it. You look down at the scrawled words on the piece of paper you're holding, looking as though you are trying to memorize the words. There is no need for that; the words had long ago been emblazoned in your mind.
Your eyes dart back up as you nervously lick your lips but the motion quickly comes to a halt when your eyes slam into hers and suddenly, you feel as though the world is tilting. You struggle to remember why you're standing up there anyways and when you do remember, the words come tumbling out.
"I want you and you are not here."
You know the moment you said it because she cannot hide her reaction. Her wide blue eyes clearly tell you that she remembers those words you gave her not too long ago. You keep your gaze levelled on her, wanting to watch her every action and response to you. Your fingers tighten around the scant piece of paper as you force yourself to continue; there is no going back now.
Your heart constricts and you fight to get it all out before you completely lose your composure. Your eyes never once strays to your written words as your voice articulates everything that you've wanted to ever tell her. At the back of your mind, a tiny voice is telling you that you're revealing too much; not just to her, but to everyone else. Even in your haze where no one exists except the two of you, you are well aware of the shocked looks on the faces of your classmates who never once thought that you'd dabble in poetry. You almost want to grin in triumph, in victory; they haven't taken everything away from you. They could never have the words from your heart.
By the time you reach the second stanza of your poem, you are in auto-pilot as the words come involuntarily. The poem begs to be finished. This time, you are able to put all your attention on her. Her eyes have lost some of that initial shock that you glimpsed. Her gaze is now contemplative, as though she's trying hard to figure you out. You wouldn't be surprised if that is exactly what she's doing. There's something else in her eyes... but you don't know what it is.
Your voice falls to a softer tone and your grip on the piece of paper that has acted as your security blanket loosens as you finally reach the end of your poem. There is a short hush as everyone looks upon you in wonder and you enjoy it thoroughly. For the first time, you've given them a glimpse of the person behind the looks and you feel your heart swelling in pride. You look down to your shoes, feeling insecure for the first time in your life. And when the applause starts to ring through the room, you feel a weight being lifted off your shoulders. They like your work, and it is the greatest feeling in the world.
Mr. Medina walks over to you, patting you on the back and complimenting you on work well done. You duck your head slightly, a small smile playing about your lips. You slowly make your way back to your seat as he calls the next student up to present their piece of poetry. As you pass by her desk, your eyes hesitantly meet hers. You're conscious of the fact that your eyes are practically pleading for approval from her, but at this point you don't care anymore. There's nothing left to lose, you tell yourself.
And when she smiles at you, a smile so different from any you've ever gotten, a smile that is so wonderfully uplifting, you feel your heart start to speed up.
As you take your seat, you
can't help the wide smile that has overtaken your face. Seems like your dreams
are never too far away.
*****
