Flash Fiction

How is it possible that His: someone's glow catches all your attention? It doesn't leave your mind. Her skin is as soft as a vivid shadow. Her presence is like the sunset after a leisure-filled summer’s day. Her energy is like a shot of espresso. Her smile is like the discovery of a goldmine. Her hair - each strand - seems to be woven by the hands of Zeus. Her aura, I imagine, is filled with the most vibrant of colours. She’s perfect. I’ll never forget the time she greeted me. I froze up and took in her flawless presence. She was facing me, waiting for a response. So what did I do? I walked away…to my shock and utter regret. Hers: How is it possible to despise someone that much? He doesn’t leave me alone - always looking at me like a creep. I see him in the corner of my eye - his head always turned to face me. He’s quiet and so closed off. I remember this one time I said ‘Hi’ but he ignored me. What do I do with that? I mean, he’s so peculiar. I don’t know if I feel bad for him or absolutely irritated by his presence. He’s always alone though; I don’t think he has any friends. It’s honestly sad. She’s all that is on my mind His: currently. Day in, day out, that encounter repeats in my head. The shame, the embarrassment and the downright humiliation drags me down. I constantly think of how it could have gone. If I had more confidence, would we be friends? Would she have smiled at me in the corridor every day? Would she have actually started to notice me? I nearly wish she had not come up to me at all. I am almost fond of being able to create an image of her that suits my liking. That’s terrible. But it’s addicting, the

&Him

maladaptive thoughts returning every chance I get to think. She is like a close friend. It’s just a very one-sided friendship. I am so sick of being forced to the side linesbecause of my own ambiguity. A notion started to form as I thought of plucking up the courage to do what I have wanted to do for so long. My stomach clenched just thinking about making contact. It has been three years. Three years I have been admiring her from a distance and anticipating some miracle to form that allows us to properly meet. School is coming to an end and so are my chances of getting to know her. I must act soon before that prospect flies over my head. I think extensively of how disappointed I would be if I do not say anything. I think to myself, what’s the worst that can happen?

The following hour, I find her in the lunch hall surrounded by a flock of people, as she always is. This won’t make it any easier, but she's always with someone so better now than never. My heart racing, my limbs shaking and my chest tightening, I squeeze past a few people and see her perched on the table talking to a few others. Deep breath. Clear my throat.