I wake up tired, still trying to blink away the nightmares that chase me down night after night. Groaning, I reach for my glasses, perching them on my nose and I run a hand through my long teal hair only to find it a tangled mess. I quickly hop in the shower, and dress in baggy high waisted jeans, a small black top, black vans, and a purple cardigan. I rush out the door in a hurry to get to school on time. I realize too late that I didn't apply any makeup and my hair is still loose and unruly. At least I catch my bus, just barely making it before it drives off.764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3NRwmcAQF
I have to get up at six every morning, rising early to ride the bus to school because I live on the other side of the city. I don't like the long commute, but the cramped apartment I live in is cheap and I can't afford anything closer. Mom should be home but it's complicated. She only sticks around for hours at a time, stopping by to leave wads of cash on the table and pressing a kiss to my forehead just before I fall asleep. I've spent most of my life on my own. I don't mind it.764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW7P4y85NCC
I get onto the bus, hand my ticket to the bus driver, and plop down in a seat near the front. My thoughts take over my head. Mom hasn't been over in weeks. I wonder if she's alright. She doesn't exactly walk on the right side of the law but she has no choice. She has debts, commitments, she tells me. She needs the money.
A small sneeze breaks me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see a teenage girl sitting across from me. She looks about the same age as me, and she has short black hair, freckles, and stunning blue eyes. 764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWDF4Sw3LTk
"Bless you", I say automatically, and she gives a small smile in return. I take some turn to admire her outfit-- she's wearing these awesome purple jeans with different colored panels and patches, which she paired with a black crop top, combat boots, and huge silver hoop earrings. She notices me staring and I blush a little and look away before she thinks I'm some sort of creep, but she just smiles again. Her full lips are coated in a dark purple lipstick, and I force myself to pry my eyes from them.
Her perfectly assembled stylish outfit, her creamy skin and pretty face, her unique features, and her petite frame make me look clumsy and messy in comparison. I have smooth pale skin but my hair will never cooperate. I'm I guess what you could call curvy, and my hazel eyes could be pretty but they're hidden by my rounded glasses. I look down and notice that my jeans are a little wrinkled. Great. I sigh audibly, then realize how loud it was and blush again, planning to look out the window for the rest of the long ride.
Yet I find myself noticing the girl throughout the ride. It's impossible not to. She's so beautiful. She pulls out a sketchbook and begins drawing a rose, pencil scratching lightly as she fills in the details. It looks unbelievably good, and I find myself wondering whether she has a single flaw.
She starts up a conversation a few minutes later, and we talk for a bit, me complimenting her drawings and her asking about which hair dye I use to make my hair so brightly colored when she clears her throat, and looks up at me from across the aisle. 764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvxCGSs329u
"Can I draw you?". She seems a little shy for the first time.764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrY08uecSmj
I raise an eyebrow. Why would she want to draw me? But before I know it, words are tumbling out of my mouth and I agree. "Um, yeah, I guess." 764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMq4CK44PHW
She starts sketching out my rounded face and wavy turquoise hair. She draws quickly, finishing an outline within minutes. In the drawing, I look stunning, and I find myself wondering if I look that way in real life.
She tilts her head and says, while continuing to sketch, "Has anyone ever told you that you're gorgeous? Like really, really pretty?". I can't believe what she just said. I'm not pretty. Honestly, I'm just ordinary looking. My features aren't unattractive, but they're nothing special, especially not next to her.
Red spreads over my cheeks and my heart speeds up. I can tell she notices because she looks up and smirks. I say truthfully, "Not really". Definitely not my parents, or rather, my one parent, and I don't have many close friends. "They should. You definitely are", she replies, and her eyes are hiding a smile.
By the time that she finishes, I'm nearing my stop, and she hands me the drawing, which she's ripped out of the sketchbook. Her slender fingers brush against mine, making my heart skip a beat. As I stand up, I take a moment to look at the drawing. It's ridiculously detailed and realistic. I flush and I say, "Thank you, it's so beautiful". She crosses her legs and says, "I'm Violet, by the way." She smiles. I carefully put the drawing in my pocket. 764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRAIdnxQ5Mw
"Nice to meet you", I reply, and I smile back but I have to get off the bus, leaving before I get a chance to tell her my name. As I step off the bus, I feel dizzy and my face is red, my heart racing. What am I doing? I told myself to not let anyone close to me. I'm not usually this shy. I'm not usually this swoony. What's wrong with me?
Love at first sight?, a voice inside my head teases. I ignore it. I can't let anyone in. They'll just hurt me like the rest did. And plus, who would want me? I'm broken.
The day at school is uneventful. I find myself drifting off at times, thinking about Mom and Violet and her purple lips and blue eyes. I fish the drawing out of my pocket and examine it carefully. I flip it over only to find that in small, loopy handwriting, she's written her phone number. I can't stop a grin from stretching across my face, but I sigh. I don't even have a phone. As if I could afford one when I can bearly keep myself afloat.
Today I decide to walk home from school. It takes me nearly an hour and a half, but it'll give me time to think. I stay that way, unaware and absorbed in my thoughts for a while when I suddenly crash into someone and fall hard on the pavement, scraping my knee. I'm about to let this person have it, when I hear a familiar voice. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" I look up, and...it's her?
I can't believe it. Standing in front of me is Violet, the same girl from the bus. "Yeah, I'm fine", I say, "But why are you here?", I ask, confused. 764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0DZm2zRcDV
"I'm going to a local art gallery", she says, her eyes sparkling. She brushes a stray lock of black hair behind her ears, and I stare, transfixed. I realize, embarressed, that I'm still sitting on the sidewalk. She offers me her hand and I take it, noticing how soft her hand is. 764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjU9jVy1W5s
"I'm sorry I didn't call you", I blurt out, blushing. "I don't have a phone". I look down, humiliated that I just admitted that aloud, but she chirps, "No problem!" and smiles. "Oh, and my name is Raleigh", I say. 764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFpHx6rJ8z
"That's such a beautiful name", she says, looking into my eyes. "It suits you".
My cheeks flush red for the millionth time today. What is it about this girl that makes me so shy and insecure?
"Thanks", I say lamely. She just smirks again.764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI75Z1eHhl4
"Anyway", she continues, "Are you busy tonight?". I shake my head, wondering if she's going to ask me out.
She smiles. "Then would you like to come to the art gallery with me? I know I don't really know you but I would like to get to know you."764Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVrZuNZFVHU
"Sure", I reply, trying to keep my heart from racing. I can't stop myself from grinning as she leads me to the gallery.
Twenty minutes later, we're standing in front of a huge painting in a large white studio downtown.
"Wow", I breathe. "It's so beautiful". The painting has bright swirls of aqua and lavender, orange and pink and yellow and every color in between. There are flowers and vines twisting everywhere and a large poppy is positioned in the middle of the canvas, painted with careful strokes. "It is", she agrees, transfixed by the beauty.
We spent the walk getting to know each other, talking about our hobbies and favorite tv shows and families. I avoided talking about mine seeing as it's almost nonexistent and not exactly suited for light conversation. Walking through the rows of paintings and drawings, smiles on our faces, I feel more at home than, well, I feel when I'm actually at home.
Something about Violet makes her so easy to talk to and she's so naturally charming that I couldn't help but begin to fall for her.
We slowly stroll to the next drawing, which was done in a thick grey pencil. It pictures a large wolf pacing in a den in a forest of aspen trees. The style looks familiar for some reason, until I realize that Violet must have drawn it. "You drew this? It's so good, Violet!", I cry, making her blush and smile. I take her soft hand in mine and we link our fingers together, grinning as we keep looking at the art.
As the time passes, I realize that it's getting late. We exit the art studio and catch the next bus together, sitting in some seats near the back. We look out at the city and the night sky, and I rest my head on Violet's shoulder. "I'm glad I met you", I say, smiling and looking up at her. "Me too, Raleigh", she says, smiling back.
As it turns out, she lives in the neighborhood over from mine, which is suprisingly close. We walk to my house first, watching the sunset and talking some more. I even tell her a bit about Mom, and she's so empathetic and caring that I don't even hesitate to open up to her.
We reach my door and fall silent. My heart races, my eyes finding hers in the darkness. She pulls me closer and presses her lips against mine. She runs her fingers through my hair and I sigh against her purple lips. It only lasts for a couple seconds, but it leaves me dizzy and wanting more. We pull apart and we both smile. "I'll see you on the bus tomorrow?", she checks. I grin. "Maybe you can draw me again".
As I watch her walk away into the night, I feel happier than I've felt in years. Maybe I'm not so broken after all.
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