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………The shadow beneath the willow tree was my haven. The rustling sound of the leaves above me whispered secrets in my ear, while the crunchy golden leaves, so dry and brittle, made a comfy bed for me. Yes, this was my haven. Here I could escape from all the taunting and the teasing that I got at school. Here I could cry. I could let my warm tears roll down my cheeks, drying up, leaving traces on my face or ending up in my mouth where I tasted their salty bitterness.
………All day I endured what the other kids said to me. I would make a great effort not to cry or wince when they pushed and shoved me, or when they stole my lunch. I really didn’t know what I had done to deserve the punishment I received. They would call me a sissy and other names that I don’t even like repeating in my head. I did not understand what was wrong with me. I wasn’t like the other boys. That I knew. It all started when I was in grammar school. I liked to play hopscotch and jump rope during recess instead of playing kickball and catch with the rest of the boys. Now that I’m in my teens I still don’t tend to be with the boys a great deal. I spend most of my time in the library or wondering the halls.
………Those were only temporary hideouts. I would have to join the savages at some point or another. That’s would be the time when I would descend to hell itself, only that paper balls replaced the brimstone. But I only had to endure the torment until the afternoon bell rang. Then I would rush to the willow tree and find happiness. Too bad all good things come to an end.
………One day especially it seemed the whole school was out to get me. A boy tripped me while I was walking to my History class, my lunch was stolen, and I was sent to exclusion after another boy made me fall off my chair in English. Those were only the big ones. I was feeling queasy knowing I’d have to wait a few more hours until I could go to my willow tree.
………Finally, the afternoon bell rang. It was a nice day outside despite the tribulations of the day. There was a pinkish orange hue to the sky that day. It looked as if the sun was about to set even though it was only the middle of the afternoon. The air felt cool against my arms and back of my head as it blew in the direction of the willow. It brought an aroma of lavender in bloom. Suddenly, as I began to be swept away by this gust, I began to lose my worries. I eased my shoulders back and rolled my head. The wind jostled my auburn hair and caressed my cheeks. I stopped and closed my eyes, breathing in deeply the drowsy fragrance of the lavender, and I felt good inside. Better than I had in a long while.
………I kept walking toward the tree, thinking only of how I wish this moment could last forever or how I wished something else could recreate the feeling it brought. This feeling of utter bliss. This feeling of being beneath the shadow of my willow tree.
………I decided to close my eyes while I got to the tree. I already knew the familiar path by memory, and I was pretty sure me and that tree shared a connection that could guide me there in total darkness. I was pretty sure I was near the tree, with only a few steps more to be right next to its thick, wide trunk, unusually for a willow tree. Abruptly I tripped over some thing and fell on my stomach, and whatever I tripped over did not seem to be too happy about it. “Ow! What was that for? Can’t you see where you’re going?” cried this boy that had somehow found himself underneath my willow tree.
………I turned around, still smack down on the ground, to see who it was that would probably beat me up next. Underneath the charcoal shade of the majestic willow tree sat up a boy I had never seen. His hair was the color of honey and seemed to sparkle in the rays of light that escaped the willow’s copious leaves and branches like coins at the bottom of a fountain. He was taller than me but only by two or three inches, but I couldn’t really tell because he was sitting up. He wasn’t skinny like me. His body was that of a lacrosse or tennis player. His arms were toned, and I could imagine so has the rest of his body. His skin was kissed by the sun, unlike mine that was pale and almost translucent due to the vast amount of time I spent inside and under the shade of my tree. His eyes were a mix between warm light brown and green. He was the poster child for the perfect guy and it apparently caught me by surprise.
………He didn’t seem too bothered, just a tad surprised at having someone fall over him. As I paid more attention to him I noticed his eyes were rather red, and his hair messed up on the side. Had I just tripped over a guy sleeping under my tree? What if I did?! I felt my cheeks flush red like a bad sunburn, and all because of a guy. What was wrong with me? He looked at me with a slightly confused face, as if he was analyzing whether I was capable of speech. Then I remembered he had asked me a question and was probably awaiting an answer.
………“Umm…. Umm… I’m really really sorry! I didn’t mean it! I was walking, and then there was the wind, and the lavender! And! And! I closed my eyes! And I’m really really sorry! It won’t happen again! I didn’t see you! I’m sorry!” I let out like air out of a balloon. I had to take a deep breath after I finished saying that. “Calm down! Calm down! It’s okay bro! I didn’t mean for you to get upset” he said with a worried tone in his voice and his hands moving up and down in that motion we all know that means slow down. He must have seen the terrorized look on my face and must have been thinking if I was sane in the membrane.
………“I’m sorry! My name is Andre. I feel asleep here, and your name is?” he asked in a calmer voice when he was assured I had not escaped a mental hospital. I blinked. I was still processing what had just happened and the sound of his deep voice that had a certain silky consistency just washed over me. I knew he was waiting for me to say something, but I was at a loss for words. I couldn’t seem to coordinate my mouth to move in order to produce a response. Finally, I had relaxed enough to conjure up an answer, “Hi I’m Daniel… I’m… I’m sorry I tripped over you. I had my eyes clothes and didn’t notice you were on the ground.” My voice was still rather shaky, as was the rest of my body. “Don’t worry about it, mate. It happens,” he laughed with an incredibly disarming smile. Once look at his smile was all it took for to let go of my anxiety.
………Somehow I felt I could trust him. There was just something about his presence that left you utterly captivated. I was able enough to ask him, “How did you find this place?” After all, I thought I only knew of the location of this willow tree. He sat there, arms holding his bent legs, eyes distant, and his smile never leaving his face. I thought he was looking for the correct answer, as if not just any response would do. His smile widened and he said, “To tell you the truth, I really don’t know” I wasn’t surprised. “I mean I moved here recently, and I was strolling around my new neighborhood, when I suddenly felt an urge to walk in this direction,” he added. “It was really strange, it was as if something was pulling me here,” he paused to catch his breath and continued, “Once I got to this tree I became really sleepy and decided to take a nap.”
………He pressed his hand on the dried up leaves on the floor, making them crack like small fire crackers. “This is a very soothing place you know. I haven’t slept this good in a long time, and I would have probably continued on doing so until I got awakened by you,” he directed towards me with a peculiar grin on his face. I blushed again immediately. “I’m sorry I didn’t really mean it,” I blurted out automatically. “It’s okay mate. I don’t mind. It was good that you did. It’s getting rather late and my parents must be wondering where the hell I’m wandered off to this time,” he chuckled. I was obviously of amusement to him. He got up and dusted the leaves and dust off his petroleum colored jeans. “Well mate I must be going now. It was nice to have met you Daniel. I’m sure we’ll see each other here soon,” he yawned as he helped me get up. I yawned too, must be time for dinner. “Well see you around mate!” he said as he stretched and began walking away.
………I didn’t stop staring at him until I lost him to the glare of the sunset sun. How late was it? I checked my watch. 5:36 PM! My mother must be calling the coroner’s office by now! I had never stayed out so late without telling her. I dusted off my shirt and pants and began the trek to my house, awkwardly in the opposite direction Andre had gone off. The air still smell of lavender and the wind still blew and ruffled my shirt. The day was still as beautiful as it had been when I walked towards the willow tree. The sky was now a shade of dark red and purple, with highlights of orange splashed for flavor here and there. Yes, it was still a beautiful day. But something told me the gorgeous day wasn’t what was causing the feeling of utter bliss I felt inside. No, it was the boy I had met beneath the shadow of the willow tree.
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