011 The girl as helper in the hero’s fight. "Need"
Title: Need
Author: ginnekomiko
Word Count: 467
Universe the story takes place in: For once, I have no idea
Character(s) Used: A nameless boy and girl. Seriously, I have no idea who these characters are!
Rating: PG for swearing mild sexual themes
Summary/Prompt: 011The girl as helper in the hero’s fight. Or, who needs who more?
Need
I couldn’t breathe. I felt sick. I couldn’t stop shaking.
“Are you alright?”
Her again.
Always, always her.
That voice, that smile.
Why couldn’t she just leave me alone?
I didn’t want her around me anymore!
Right?
Go away!
She turns away from me.
God, she’s actually going to leave me alone?
No.
No.
No.
“I have a confession to make.”
Her back is still turned, her voice soft.
“I’ve been using our friendship for my own stability. The truth is, I think you’re pathetic. You’re a pathetic mess and you have no future
outside of that school.”
Silence.
She was right.
She was always right.
“But I…”
Whatever else she wanted to say, she couldn’t. Her sobs echoed and echoed across the vast ocean.
“They threw me out, did you know that? They said Because I wasn’t pretty enough to attract the boys.” Her hands move up and down her arms pinching the skin as they go. That’s right, you’re only worth something to them if you put out, but you’re worthless if you put out too much. Worthless, used-up, bitch. That’s all that I am. That’s all I’ll ever be.”
Tears.
“You see? I’m pathetic too.”
She rubs her arms in disgust.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for needing you to need me. With someone like me around, you’ll never get better.”
For once, she was wrong.
I wrap my arms around her legs, I meant for it to be a gesture of comfort, but in my awkwardness I pull her down into the sand, pulling
the black leggings down to her ankles. The skirt is just short enough that I can see her underwear.
She looked down and saw the torn wrinkled leggings, her exposed skin.
Furiously she takes off the leggings and stands before me, eyes fierce, not caring if I see anything.
Such a girlish pair of underwear.
The facade breaks.
She stoops down to her knees and cries with her eyes buried in her hands.
Finally we are level with one another.
I crawl over to her and put my arms around her, cradle her like a child.
And I wait for the noise to stop.
“Is that really what you wanted to do?”
“No. I wanted to hold you, but I couldn’t stand up properly. I feel… sick.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for just assuming you were like the other boys.”
“I am. I just… don’t see the point with you like you are right now and me as I always am.”
“That’s okay. I think I’ve become numb to it, anyway.”
“Have you?”
She nodded.
“Can I?”
“What?”
“Can I kiss you?”
There is defeat in her eyes.
“Sure, why not? I can’t get much lower than I am right now.”
I didn’t mean to cling to her so much.
But my lips wouldn’t stop pressing against hers.
She looks surprised.
“Huh, I guess I’m not so numb.”
Her face looks elated for a moment.
“Hey, hey, you try it.”
She was pointing down to space between where her skirt met her bare leg.
“Is that really okay?”
“Yeah it’s fine.”
“You won’t be more of a loser if I…”
“No.”
I thought I hated her for always following me like she did.
And yet, at the same time, I wanted her to check on me.
I pressed my fingers into her skin.
I did not want to cause her pain.
But I didn’t want her to deny my existence.
She whispers my name in my ear; she says it’s okay.
Looking into those sad eyes, I wonder, is it really?
We’d come close to this many times before, but we’d never actually achieved it.
“Not yet. I’d be just like them if I did.”
She looks confused.“But later?”
“Yeah, later.”
When I can prove to be a better man than the one that made her so numb and used-up.
I get it now.
She needed me as much as I needed her.
Yes, we were both pathetic, yes our futures were grim, but despite that, we were still trying.
For the first time that night she smiles.
She offers me a hand.
“Are things okay between us?”
I had to say it before she slipped out from between my fingers.
“I… I love you.”
She smiled. “Yeah, you just proved that to me. Do you feel better now?”
“Yeah, now that you’re here.”
Author: ginnekomiko
Word Count: 467
Universe the story takes place in: For once, I have no idea
Character(s) Used: A nameless boy and girl. Seriously, I have no idea who these characters are!
Rating: PG for swearing mild sexual themes
Summary/Prompt: 011The girl as helper in the hero’s fight. Or, who needs who more?
Need
I couldn’t breathe. I felt sick. I couldn’t stop shaking.
“Are you alright?”
Her again.
Always, always her.
That voice, that smile.
Why couldn’t she just leave me alone?
I didn’t want her around me anymore!
Right?
Go away!
She turns away from me.
God, she’s actually going to leave me alone?
No.
No.
No.
“I have a confession to make.”
Her back is still turned, her voice soft.
“I’ve been using our friendship for my own stability. The truth is, I think you’re pathetic. You’re a pathetic mess and you have no future
outside of that school.”
Silence.
She was right.
She was always right.
“But I…”
Whatever else she wanted to say, she couldn’t. Her sobs echoed and echoed across the vast ocean.
“They threw me out, did you know that? They said Because I wasn’t pretty enough to attract the boys.” Her hands move up and down her arms pinching the skin as they go. That’s right, you’re only worth something to them if you put out, but you’re worthless if you put out too much. Worthless, used-up, bitch. That’s all that I am. That’s all I’ll ever be.”
Tears.
“You see? I’m pathetic too.”
She rubs her arms in disgust.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for needing you to need me. With someone like me around, you’ll never get better.”
For once, she was wrong.
I wrap my arms around her legs, I meant for it to be a gesture of comfort, but in my awkwardness I pull her down into the sand, pulling
the black leggings down to her ankles. The skirt is just short enough that I can see her underwear.
She looked down and saw the torn wrinkled leggings, her exposed skin.
Furiously she takes off the leggings and stands before me, eyes fierce, not caring if I see anything.
Such a girlish pair of underwear.
The facade breaks.
She stoops down to her knees and cries with her eyes buried in her hands.
Finally we are level with one another.
I crawl over to her and put my arms around her, cradle her like a child.
And I wait for the noise to stop.
“Is that really what you wanted to do?”
“No. I wanted to hold you, but I couldn’t stand up properly. I feel… sick.”
“Oh, I’m sorry for just assuming you were like the other boys.”
“I am. I just… don’t see the point with you like you are right now and me as I always am.”
“That’s okay. I think I’ve become numb to it, anyway.”
“Have you?”
She nodded.
“Can I?”
“What?”
“Can I kiss you?”
There is defeat in her eyes.
“Sure, why not? I can’t get much lower than I am right now.”
I didn’t mean to cling to her so much.
But my lips wouldn’t stop pressing against hers.
She looks surprised.
“Huh, I guess I’m not so numb.”
Her face looks elated for a moment.
“Hey, hey, you try it.”
She was pointing down to space between where her skirt met her bare leg.
“Is that really okay?”
“Yeah it’s fine.”
“You won’t be more of a loser if I…”
“No.”
I thought I hated her for always following me like she did.
And yet, at the same time, I wanted her to check on me.
I pressed my fingers into her skin.
I did not want to cause her pain.
But I didn’t want her to deny my existence.
She whispers my name in my ear; she says it’s okay.
Looking into those sad eyes, I wonder, is it really?
We’d come close to this many times before, but we’d never actually achieved it.
“Not yet. I’d be just like them if I did.”
She looks confused.“But later?”
“Yeah, later.”
When I can prove to be a better man than the one that made her so numb and used-up.
I get it now.
She needed me as much as I needed her.
Yes, we were both pathetic, yes our futures were grim, but despite that, we were still trying.
For the first time that night she smiles.
She offers me a hand.
“Are things okay between us?”
I had to say it before she slipped out from between my fingers.
“I… I love you.”
She smiled. “Yeah, you just proved that to me. Do you feel better now?”
“Yeah, now that you’re here.”