Outside

Chapter 2

I lay down in my bed and let my hair block my vision completely.  The crowd had pushed themselves out of the room so quickly and aggressively that they shoved me with them before I could even say goodbye to Kyan.  Although most conversation has already died down, I can still hear the whispers of the others in the room.  Excitement about possible outcomes of the Transfer Event, anger towards the new separation law, and careless girly conversation about what they think the dresses will look like tomorrow all fill the room.  I don't mean to eavesdrop on people, but if they wanna talk in a public place loud enough for me to hear them, there's a pretty good chance I'll listen.  So far no one has said anything about actually doing something about the new rule, which slightly disappoints me. 

As I try to sleep, my mind slips into the memory of the day I first met Kyan.  We and all the other 13-year-olds were on the train that takes us from the elementary buildings to the teenage buildings.  It was the first time any of us had been on a train, and one of the only times we ever will.  The ride was only an hour long, yet it seemed like it went by in the blink of an eye.  I picture my little self: my long hair that went down to my knees.  My pale blue eyes that stared out the window of the train filled with excitement.  My face that had a smile bigger than it ever had before.  Looking back at that day still makes me happy.  I loved seeing all the beautiful leaves fluttering around.  I loved how blue the sky looked surrounded by trees taller than anything I'd ever seen before. 

"Look!  Look!"  I had said excitedly to the little boy next to me, who was staring at the floor.  He had shaken his head, refusing to turn around.  "Everything's so beautiful!"  I told him as I looked back out the window, trying to take in all the scenery at once.  The train jerked and I accidentally bumped him with my elbow.  I held tight on the railing to keep from falling over completely, embarrassed about my stumble.  I turned around and sat down on my seat, looking over at the stranger.  The boy had the bottom of his shirt held so tightly in his hands that his knuckles were white. 
He looked like an anatomy model for a biology class. Even through our thick uniform sweater, I could tell he was skin and bone and nothing else. His hair almost covered his eyes, which were glazed over and hollow. He looked like if I even did so much as touch him once more he'd shatter like a porcelain tea set on a railway.
The train jerked again and the boy squeezed his eyes shut and let out a sharp exhale. I grabbed his arm.  "Look."  I told him again.  "It'll make you feel better."

He turned around and got on his knees to look out the window.  I did the same. 

"Whoa..."  He mumbled.  I watched his eyes flicker from tree to tree as a smile slowly stretched across his face.

"My name's Nox."  I told him.

"I'm... I'm Kyan."  He replied in a daze, still looking out the window, amazed. 
"Well, it's very nice to meet you, Kyan." I told him, reaching my hand out to shake his.
He took my hand and shook it, and his tensed jaw loosened a bit.
"I've seen trees in books, but I never thought they'd be this cool!" I told him, laughing. "I mean, look at those colors. They came from the GROUND! How is that possible?"
He snickered a little at my comment. "Well, scientifically speaking..."
"I don't care about the science." I interrupted. "Science rationalizes things that don't need to be. Can't we just... think they're cool without trynna make sense of it? It ruins the magic."
"O-oh..." he muttered. "I guess."
"Ah!" I shouted. "I didn't mean for that to sound rude! I don't—"
"No! I get it... I get... yeah..." he coughed into the back of his hand.
"You look..." I began.
"I know." He cut in. "Going through some... some stuff."
"Well, is there anything I can do to help?" I asked him.
"Talk... more with me?" He answered. "To pass the time?"
"Sounds great to me!" I grinned at him, and he let out a small smile in return. "I was in dire need of a Train-Buddy."
"Train...train buddy..." he chuckled under his breath. "I like the sound of t-that."