Chapter Text
“This day is pointless,” Lydia said, sighing. “I mean seriously! What is the point of school exactly? You gotta admit it, andie, I’m right!”
Andie only softly smiled and laughed at her best friend's antics. They had been best friends since grade school, with each other through thick and thin. They liked it that way. “The point is to get an education, for the last time Ly, just admit that it’s not THAT bad.”
“What do you mean? This place is a hell hole!”
“Hell hole is a strong word— Oh! Sorry, Isa’s here, I’ll text you later?” She questioned, cocking an eyebrow. Lydia nodded and waved goodbye.
Goodbyes, such an upsetting concept. A goodbye could mean forever, or for a little while. Regardless, Lydia has always despised them.
Maybe it’s because she’s always been afraid of losing people. Just maybe. Or maybe it’s some dumb reason she couldn’t care less about.
She sighed as she made her way outside of the school grounds, the lake would calm her down. Always has. No one ever hung out there, unless she brought someone there, like the one time she brought Andie. It was fun, they just kind of sat there for an hour or two, not really saying much. The lake’s noise was pretty nice as a background. Lydia remembered being lost in her thoughts then. Not sure about what exactly.
The lake was a nice area, there were some abandoned houses bordering it, everything was overgrown.
Things being overgrown.
She thought about the concept on her walk there, what it meant for something to be overgrown.
It could mean a house that got too close to nature, getting too close and getting sucked in and becoming one with it. It could mean someone who’s love is too much.
Maybe it’s both.
Or maybe it’s nothing.
“Who the fuck are you?”
Someone was here. At the lake. No one but Lydia came.
Could this day get any fucking worse?
“Me?” There was an orange haired girl in front of her, who looked to be around Lydia’s age though.
“Yes, you! Who else would I be talking to, genius?” Lydia retorted. Okay. Recap, Orange haired girl, who the hell is she, what is she doing here. Yeah that sounds about right. That comment seemed to tear through the orange haired girl’s heart. Now Lydia felt bad. Making a stranger upset, some first impression…Lydia is an idiot, she has officially decided. “So uh..what's your name?”
“Name?” Why did she actually look confused? Okay. So this day is just weird. And Lydia just wants this girl to get lost. “What’s a name?”
You’ve gotta be kidding me.
“You seriously don’t know what a name is? Did your parents like…ditch you or somethin’? …Do you not have a name?” And she nodded. What has her life come to? Naming strangers? “Okay..well I’m Lydia. Lydia is a uh..is a name,” as she finished she looked around the scenery among them. She noted that the girl had magnolias around her on the ground. Lydia was never one for flowers she doesn't think. “What about…Maggie?” She tilted her head, this was not going to be easy. “Looks like you like magnolias? I don't know. It's..fitting, yeah?”
“Maggie,” she repeated, a grin embedding on her face. “I like it!” Okay, the hardest part is out of the way, now, Lydia's not-so-new goal is to figure out why she's here.
“So, random question and all, but why are you here? This is kind of my spot, no one comes here. Ever. 'ts too creepy apparently but.”
“I was assigned this place, so I am here to stay,” she said in a soft voice. Great. Now she has to share her spot with someone she doesn't necessarily want there.
Lydia sighed in frustration, then going on and saying, “Assigned? What the fuck does that even mean?”
She went silent.
Okay yeah that made Lydia feel like shit, she didn’t mean to make her upset.
“Sorry. Anyway…I should go. Bye.”
Lydia
I kicked off my shoes once I got home and slammed my door, not even bothering to listen to whatever my parents had to say about slamming the door.
I really could care less.
So that was definitely an odd encounter. I pull out my phone and go to text Andie. I could tell them about it all, or I could just strike up a conversation and not say anything. Ever.
The second one sounds good, yeah sounds good.
Ly: hey!!
I wait for a response.
Normally Andie takes a bit to reply, which I really don't mind. It helps with my anxiety, so I don't have to panic on thinking of a response with no warning. I usually just think of what they'd say and bounce off of that. Maybe xe knows I do that and that's why she takes so long to respond, or she just never looks at their phone.
There's a 90% chance that she'll say hi back and ask how I'm doing, and I'll say good, then ask again.
Usually how it goes.
Andie: Hey! How are you!! :P
That was fast. It's only been like two minutes? Something's up.
Ly: good, u?
Just act normal, don't act like you know something's wrong, just act normal–
Andie: I'm fine, just doing homework, anything cool happen to you?
Well, I went to the lake and found some girl who I named Maggie, and you know what? I don't know what my life has come to at this point. I mean that shit sounds straight from some fantasy book! (Not like I read anyway…)
I type; haha nothing much just met a random girl by the lake and named her Maggie haha wbu but quickly delete it. That's way too 'I don't know what to say and I know I sound insane but I promise you I'm not'. Not really the vibe I'm going for, really don't want to be portrayed as..well that.
Ly: oh nothing just met a girl by the lake haha
Oh my god you absolute idiot.
Andie: Oooh, what else??? :D
And now I really can't get out of this. Andie already saw it, and even worse, RESPONDED. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to die in a hole forever! Remember me as the girl who wasn't insane and isn't imagining things! Or don't remember me at all, that works too, maybe better.
My grave will say, 2005-2022, I was so young…
Actually no I’m overexaggerating, I won't actually die over this. (I wish I could though.)
Ly: sorry haha gotta go BYE
And now you made it sound like xe did something wrong. God, I really am stupid. As usual, I don’t know how to act. Social cues really don’t make sense to me. Who made the rule that you have to open doors for people? Or that you should smile at strangers? Like come on, what’s the big deal if I have slammed some doors on people in the past. Not like it’s a monumental point in their life, just a side character who means nothing to them.
That’s me in everyone’s story, just a side character really. Maybe except for Andie. But even then I’m really just the best friend to the main character.
It’s not a huge deal though, no big deal honestly. I’d rather people not worry about me. Ever.
Hopefully my little wish about that will stay and happen, no one will ever worry about me other than myself.
My phone is blowing up, guess my sudden exit was “too sudden”. My bad, as usual. I took at my notifications, some are from Twitter, Youtube and other random social medias I have.
Yet the one who owns up 80% of my notifications is my texting app. It could be one of three things, Andie might’ve done something stupid (like texting her ex despite the amount of times I’ve told her not to.), she could be in danger, or she thinks I'M in danger. When she blows up my phone, it’s almost always the first reason.
She’s kind of known for doing stupid things, not as stupid as the boys in my class who do even dumber shit though.
So, can I really complain?
I open up spotify and pull up my most listened to playlist. It’s got a few likes on it, not anything to be proud of but my friends tell me it’s cool. (I don’t believe them, they know how bad I feel about myself, probably just trying to make me feel better.)
I appreciate it of course, I’m not some ungrateful bastard or something. (Or I try not to be.)
My playlist is pretty good I think. I think my music taste is sick but a lot of people would probably disagree, but as anyone could have guessed, I don’t care.
The music doesn’t drown out my thoughts though. Mad weird, it usually works, I normally get too caught up in the lyrics and analyze them. It’s fun, but I annoy people when I tell people about it, so I’ve resorted to writing it in my notes app so I don’t forget.
That girl was..
Interesting.
In a good way, I swear. I hate meeting new people, but not her? (I am just as confused as anyone else.)
She was calm, not nervous, spoke softly, so like..what? No way she’s from around here, everyone here is a dick or no one at all. (I think me and– I mean Andie and I. Stupid english rules..-- are the second option.)
But her? Yeah I couldn’t tell you even if you had me at gunpoint. She’s kind of confusing, man, I gotta know where she’s from, because if everyone there is like that, I’m in. (Why does that sound weird oh god I hate that).
I don’t even remember my home country, I lived there until I was three, now I’m in the hellhole that is New Jersey. I think I enjoyed my time in Honduras, some of the best times of my life from what I can recall. Maybe I’ll go back one day to live with some family, or maybe even like..I don’t know, show someone the sights of it? Never been one for sappy shit, but you can always start (that’s what Andie says). Maybe we could go see waterfalls, I heard they have some really good ones, I would love to see their best.
And that brings me back to what I now know as Maggie. She was by a small waterfall. Well actually I wouldn’t call it a waterfall, just a pond with a small stub of rock a little bit above it. It had coy fish in it I think, at least they looked like ‘em. I think they’re kind of neat, but at the same time..actually you know what I don’t know what I was going to say. I keep getting off track don’t I? My poor, poor, notes app. Right, so Maggie. She seems sweet and a really interesting person, maybe I’ll check if she’s still there later.
Or, now.
Because the next thing I know, I’m running out the damn door and bolting for the lake.
I can’t even stop myself, I’m just fucking running, because of-fucking-course I am.
I don’t know what it was, but the scenery around me just made me want to run even faster. I don’t know what it was, how quiet it was, or how alone I felt.
The world (and me) will probably never know. Probably for the better.
I got to the lake after a bit, sure enough, there she was.
Orange hair glistening during golden hour, I couldn't get a good look at her right now, but I guess you could say she was pretty. I guess . Not trying to sound like anything is going on, because guess what? It's not.
“Hello? Are you that girl from earlier?”
Shit.
“Hey..person?”
I really don’t know how to talk to people. It will forever be a mystery. Maybe there’s like..a class for talking to people and NOT be awkward..god I need that class if it exists. “Hi…so.”
“So?”
We’re both awkward. This is..great, yep. Great. “I don’t know..I was hoping you’d have something to say or somethin’. But, quick question..what are you exactly?” I ask, I’ll be real, it was probably kind of rude, so I feel bad. She looks down at her dress for a minute, like she’s studying herself. I mean, I get figuring out yourself (If I said otherwise that’d be dumb, I had to figure out I like girls) , but figuring out what you are? Thought it would be obvious. Actually that sounds dumb now that I’m saying it. My english teacher is right, I do need work on how to word things.
“I..don’t know. I don’t know what I am..what are you?”
“I’m human? Are you..not?” She shook her head. Okay. Not human. She could be anything. An alien? No. Mythical creature from folklore? Probably. Maybe I’ll do some research and head to the library tomorrow.
I don’t really think I’ll find anything, but it’s worth a shot.
“Humans are weird.”
“Humans suck,” I add. I am right, we do suck. We destroy a lot, sometimes I wish I wasn't one. But at the same time, I'm happy I'm no pig, and wouldn't want a short life.
Humans really suck.
“Do they?” I nod. She processes it and looks away from me. I finally face the fact,
She's really pretty.
Okay, I got that out of my chest, thank god, (which is ironic because I don't believe in god). “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Giving me a name,” she continues in her soft voice (fuck her voice is nice), she stands up and turns to face me. “I like it. Maggie. It sounds nice,” she smiles.
(I think she could kill me with that smile.)
I would be a liar if I said I didn't blush, just a little bit. Jesus christ I hate myself for that one.
I should stop talking. So I do, I just nod at what she said. I’d rather not destroy myself in front of someone like her. Really don’t wanna embarrass myself.
She looked at me with pleading eyes, I don’t really know why. “You uh…you good?” I ask. I don’t know why I thought that would like..I don’t know..make her feel better? I’m kind of stupid if you couldn’t tell. I mean pick a struggle, being gay or being stupid, (alledgely I couldn’t choose and here we are.)
“I’m…fine.” She lies. I can read her like a book. It’s easy to see what she means behind everything, she’s kind of like a robot. God, I keep forgetting that she’s not human. I can't believe I’m friends with a non-human. I really can’t make friends, this is just proving my point. Kind of sad, but let’s be real, who isn’t sad? Everyone has to be a little bit.
“It’s getting late,” I comment. She nods, walks towards a willow tree and just kind of stands there. Staring at the sunset. She doesn’t face me, kind of acts like I’m not there. (Which kind of hurt.) I finally notice,
She has green eyes.