The story of a ... story

He was used to living on his own. Of course, he did have a family but he preferred being a grown man. And it suited him. It suited him to be an individual … a face in the crowd of faceless. It suited him to be who he wanted to be. Himself.

He was 17 at that time but he didn’t act like a 17-year-old. He knew what life was, what real challenges are, how hard it is to be happy in a world where happiness comes not to the ones who really deserve it but to those who steal it from others. He was happy, though. He had a world to believe in … his world. But something was missing … Yes, you’re guessing right. It was her. His magic. His Big L … the girl of his dreams. He didn’t know who she is, who she’s supposed to be or whether there is one at all …

***

Her name was Alice. Her family had just moved into town; her dad - promoted, they couldn’t miss the opportunity … Alice didn’t want to leave her hometown and friends, and countless memories, but she had to. She was 16 and couldn’t simply break free from her parents and live on her own. I mean, she could, actually, but didn’t want to let her family down. She loved them to death and they loved her, too.

There was only one thing to do. She packed, said a painful “Goodbye” and left.

It didn’t take long – a 5-hour drive and there she was ...

***

It was a cold, rainy Monday. She was standing in front of her school, anxious to step in and start her new life. The bell rang and she saw herself forced to enter. She stepped over the threshold with a timid pace. Nobody paid attention to her. Nobody. Not even when she slipped on the wet floor on front of the ladies’ restroom; not even when she asked a girl for directions. Finally, she found her class. Again, no one was interested in her presence … at least not until the teacher introduced her to her classmates.

Then they all saw her. But not as part of the class - as an outcast … as a punching bag that they can throw their insults at. Alice was prepared but still couldn’t handle the pressure. Every day she would get back from school all sobby and miserable, not having the slightest desire to carry on. Hard … it was, but she never told her parents about it. She knew she could deal with her problems on her own. She just needed an escape and soon enough she found it. Nature! Is there really anything more beautiful and peaceful than it, she thought?

She started taking walks through the never-ending fields of the county, alienating herself from the world she wanted to be a part of but wasn’t really able to …

***

He loved being out in the open. He loved the stroke of the light fresh air upon his face and the smell of bloom in the air. He did. Nature was his home.

***

She remembered that day very well. It was already the third week of school and she had a tough day, even tougher than usual. She felt like running away, screaming, letting it all out. But she didn’t. She left the school building and went for a walk … a long one. Alice loved the feeling of being on her own, alone … with her own thoughts, away from the real world. Away – but not too far after all …

Right out of nowhere, sitting on a stone, the one that she’s passed so many times before, near the wooden hut, there was … him. Tall, pale and apparently older, he was simply sitting there, being with himself. Alice didn’t dare bother him. She turned around slowly and left. She wondered, though … who was he? Why was he all alone?

***

Minutes turned into days, days into weeks … Alice would take her walk every day only to end up the wooden hut and see him. He saw her, too - once ... twice, actually he could sense her presence every time but he didn’t take any actions. He wasn’t very shy but he always felt uneasy around girls. He didn’t know what to say to them. He just kept his world to himself and that was pretty much it.

***

Alice couldn’t stand being alone any more.

One day, after her 100^th walk to the hut, she felt brave enough to start a conversation with the mysterious guy. And she did.

As she thought, though, he was quiet most of the time so she was the one having to do most of the talking. She didn’t know what to say to make him interested in her words, her smile, her eyes, herself …

He would simply stare at his feet and mutter a word or two when necessary.

Alice couldn’t really understand him but she felt there was something special about him, there was a spark in his eyes that gave life and beauty to his hidden soul.

***

Again … time passed. They would meet, every day of the week to stare … and share a

little about each other, he started being more social but still afraid to reveal himself … But Alice had started to attach herself to him. There was no more this spark in his eyes; there was a burning flame there. Yes, there was. His words were not simply mumbled sounds any more - they were feelings caressing her soul. Maybe it was all in her mind but still … it was there. And yet, none of them wanted to make the first step … the step to becoming friends, true ones …

***

It was a cloudy Friday afternoon. Alice really couldn't stand school any more. She needed to talk to someone, to him … preferably. She set out for a walk. The weather was getting colder, the sky - darker, the wind – stronger. She didn’t care, though – her thoughts were somewhere else … they were by the wooden hut, in the presence of the one who would understand … or would he?

She reached the spot. She was hardly catching her breath. She didn’t even realize she’d run the last 100 meters.

He was there again. He looked more beautiful than ever, or at least she thought so. He granted her a look … a long one, full of kindness and warmth. Still, he was the same quiet guy, but she managed to change him and make him look for the missing part of the puzzle in his life.

Alice sat on the grass next to him. Her hands were shivering with cold. The wind has gotten even stronger; her body gradually started to freeze. She couldn’t control the shaking of her limbs any more … and yet, she didn’t want him to notice. But he did. He took off his jacket and placed it kindly around her shoulders. A gentleman, he was, no doubt about him, but he didn’t say a word … not one. Nobody could actually know what was going through his mind at that moment in time. Nor could he. Confusion. Anxiety. A rollercoaster of emotions.

Alice was struggling, too. But not with the cold, not any more …

She turned her head to him. He did, too. They locked eyes for a moment, two, three. They seemed to have enter a new reality, a reality of blissful oblivion …

Alice raised hand from under the black jacket and kindly placed it on his cheek. He didn’t move, not even for a second … She moved closer to him. His eyes followed every movement of hers. Her hand now stroked his chest … calmly, just like the wind caresses the smooth surface of the lake, giving birth to a number of tiny waves – this time the chills going through his body.

Alice got even closer. She could feel his warm breath now. She liked it, she felt as though this moment was meant to be – all this time. He stood there completely still. He didn’t know what to do but one thing was for sure – he did not want to leave. He was captivated by her beauty and kindness, her magic. A chill of excitement went through his body. He gazed into her eyes, wanting to drown in them, to be swallowed by their depth …

Alice pulled him closer. Their faces were centimeters away from each other. She closed her eyes slowly, took a breath and placed her soft lips on his. She could feel him relax and giving in to the magic of the kiss …

They parted. Alice looked up at him. His eyes were still closed. He was still tangled in the storm of emotions. He put his arms around her, held her tight and felt every part of her as being his own. Alice took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. She was smiling. There wasn’t a trace of that sad girl moments ago. Her prince was there. The prince with no name but the one - the one to hold her in his arms, to dream with her … the one to love her.

Him