A Little More Time

Walking To Him

It was snowing.

I'm not sure why, but it was. It wasn't that cold, but whenever the breeze blew I'd shiver. I left footprints in the soft fluff on the ground. Children ran around, throwing balls of snow at each other and laughing with joy.

Sitting at the park was difficult, watching them. Never being able to do it, then to come watch a childhood dream of yours come true for everyone else. I didn't get to laugh with other children. I didn't even have imaginary friends.

The wind blew again and mothers ran after their kids, telling them they needed to keep their coats on. I stood from the bench I had barely sat on and wiped the snow off of me.

This town was far too little for me. I felt suffocated by dreams and hopes that will never come true. It was why I was claustrophobic. It was why I was paler than the snow. It was why my mother and father are dead. The town is all I know, but not the people.

I began the journey again, walking with the breeze as snow fell into my blonde hair. My scarf was tucked tight into my jacket and my legs were cold in just a pair of jeans that were tucked into my boots. The footprints slowly became less frequent on my left as I continued to walk. No destination. I needed real air to breathe, some air that wasn't contaminated with stares and whispers. I needed air that wasn't always suffocating.

Eventually, my footsteps were the only ones. There was a road, a highway, to my right as I walked through the frozen grass. Cars drove by, wind blowing and snow twirling around. No one stopped, no one asked if I needed a ride. I would have said no, but I still felt the hard gaze on me every time a car drove away.

Somehow, after hours of silence and no food, I arrived at an airport. In what town, I'm not sure. I had been through many. I couldn't sit, or I'd stay forever. I got a ticket, a one-way ticket. No suitcase, no extra things. Just my wallet, my phone, my phone charger, and the clothes I had on. It was all I wanted from that town.

My flight was called. I took my seat on the plane, glad the flight was decently empty. It was a quiet ride, for me mostly. People talked, babies cried, couples broke up, couples got back together, and most people slept. Including me. I walked for longer than I should have.

It wasn't snowing where I went, but way colder. I prefered it. People were standing straighter, laughing a little quieter. Their smiles were a bit brighter.

That stupid, fucked up town. It had everyone hiding, lying. No one smiled wide enough. No one laughed after the age of 10. Everyone walked with their heads down, scared. Myself included.

I walked around again for a while, unsure of any one. I wasn't scared or worried, more like hoping someone would take me away.

Outside the airport was crazy busy. People called Ubers, taxis, people were dressed in suits and casual clothing. So many different people.

And some how, out of all the people standing out in front of the airport, he caught my eye. He was a bit taller than the group he was with, thinner. He had dusty blonde hair he occasionally ran his hand through. He seemed a bit quieter than the rest as well. I openly stared at him, intrigued by something. I made eye contact with his friend, who was slightly shorter than him but had a beard.

I looked from him to the tall blonde and back again. I was nervous, the eye contact made me nervous. Something I wasn't used to, feeling insecure. Once he got the tall blonde's attention, it was immediately directed to me. I felt my face become red as I stared at his blue eyes. A few of his other friends that hadn't left already pretty much pushed him over.

"You don't look like you've been here before." He said, his British accent very evident.

"No." I said, warily. People don't come talk to me. People don't speak to me. People have never thought twice about me.

"Do you have anything with you?" He asked, tilting his head slightly. He seemed nervous, just as nervous as me.

"No." I said again, making the conversation more awkward.

"Do you have anyone to stay with?" He asked. He stood a little straighter, but it didn't match the natural stance of everyone around us.

"No." I said for the third time. His friends were whispering. An Indian and the one with the beard. They didn't plan on leaving without him.

"Stay with us." He said, a small smile on his face. I didn't know him, I would probably leave in the morning.

"Ok." I said. He smiled, grabbed my wrist, and led me to his friends.

"So, who is this?" The bearded one said.

"Lindzay." I said. My answers were short, just like I had grown up with.

'Don't talk too much, no one cares.'

'Only answer questions you need to.'

'No one needs to know everything about you, you aren't that special.'

'Just shut up, I don't want to hear your voice anymore.'

"Lindzay?" The blonde asked, his thumb and finger directing my chin up to his face.

"Yes." I said, angry with myself for letting their words affect me.

"That's Josh." The bearded one waved. "and that is Vik." The Indian waved as well.

"Hi." I said softly. They looked between the blonde, who's hand was still wrapped around my wrist and who's name I didn't know, and I warily. I understood completely, they had no idea who I was, where I came from, what I was like. I gave them every reason to not want me to go with them. They let me come anyway.