Prologue: A glimpse of you
I felt numb. This was my fault and it wasn't fair; I was sitting in a police precinct listening to an officer tell me what was going to happen now.
"We're putting you on the bus now; when you get to your aunts she's supposed to give us a call to inform us you made it safely. Do you understand?" His voice was filled with concern but that didn't distract from his already authoritative voice. I was fiddling with my thumbs and watching the ground.
"Do you understand? You are to go straight to your aunts, no detours. Think you can handle that?" I slowly lifted my head to look at the officer and he gave me a sad smile, I gave him a slight nod and he grabbed my arm leading me to a greyhound bus, my duffle bag in his other hand. He released my arm to put my bag on the bus and quickly came back over to me putting a hand on one of my shoulders, trying to get me to look at him; I looked up at him apathetically.
"I'm so sorry, kiddo." He squeezed my shoulder slightly and led me onto the bus, I sat in the middle and looked out the window at him, and I saw so much pity on his face that I had to avert his gaze. I stared at the road as it moved behind us little by little. I pulled the hood of my purple hoodie up over my head, it had started to rain; I looked to the sky, the rain came down harder as if sensing all my sorrow.
"Hey Kid! I have a schedule to keep you know?" I looked to the bus driver, he looked irritated, I didn't blame him, but as soon as he saw my face his expression changed to that of the officer…more pity. I stood slowly, this was the last stop and I was the only one left on the bus. I saw a sign that read 'Welcome to Amoris.' As soon as I got off the bus thunder blared from the sky, making me look up once more. I thought I'd cried all my tears, yet now that I was here I realized I hadn't, I sat down on my overstuffed duffle bag and pulled my knees closer, hugging myself as a big flood of tears once more escaped my swollen eyes. I felt numb. I'd lost everyone I ever cared about and exiled to nowhere.
I was supposed to be staying with my aunt but I didn't have the strength to pick myself up and walk to her house. I was trembling all over, violently shaking as wave after wave of tears were pooled from my eyes; today was supposed to be a good day. My sobs were drowned out by the pouring rain, I couldn't move: I was cold, lonely, lost, and even more so I was sad; I let out a scoff between sobs. 'Happy Birthday to me' I thought bitterly getting lost in my woe.
Leigh's P.O.V.:
Today had been too gloomy a day; usually Amoris was bright and welcoming, but today rain came down from the sky with an angry force, there was even thunder booming overhead; which likely meant there was a very sad soul in the world nearby. I was checking inventory for the shop but I couldn't concentrate, rain always made my mood fall a slight bit. I was bringing boxes from the back to check them into the registry; plus I still had to fix a few dresses that customers brought in today. I was exhausted, I had so much work to do and this weather was ridiculous! I leaned over the counter and let out a deep sigh, my head hurt immensely. I looked over my inventory list and started to punch in the numbers of the day when I looked up only for a moment and saw the girl with the sad soul.
I couldn't see her face; her long black and white hair was covering her like a veil beneath her purple hoodie. She held herself tightly but it was obvious she was crying, her body was shaking with each new sob, she was probably also very cold. I felt sad looking at her, I could already sense her pain, and it hurt to watch such sadness, I dared myself to look away from this fallen spirit but I found myself transfixed with her.
I shook my head which only made it hurt worse, I needed to get back to work and focus! I slouched over the counter with my head in my hands, my eyes no longer registering the words on the inventory sheet, I let out yet another long drawn out sigh and blinked a few times now fully aware of how heavy my eyelids were; there was no way I was finishing my work tonight. I looked out at the girl in the rain again, she was now looking up at the sky letting the rain wash away her tears; she took a deep sigh and struggled to rise from sitting on her black duffle bag, her movements were rugged and clumsy.
When the girl finally gained her balance on her own two feet she let out another long sigh as if telling herself to hold on a little longer; she looked around her: observing her surroundings, her tribulation still discernible on her face. I wanted to ask her a numerous amount of questions about who she was, where she came from and why was she here, I wanted to ask her if I could help in any way or just comfort her as best as possible; I longed to ask her why she was sad…but mostly I just wanted to make her pain go away.
I was so capable of going to her and asking her these questions and I truly desired to do just that, but I didn't…I couldn't; I wasn't the type of person to confront beautiful girls I didn't know and comfort them, I wasn't the type of person who really knew much about girls at all, it wasn't that I didn't try, I was just always too shy and flustered I could never get my words right. I sighed; I've been doing that a lot lately mostly due to stress I suppose. I glanced out the window once more and as soon as I did her eyes met mine, a sudden glance that ran shivers down my spine, not out of anything bad… yet I still didn't understand this feeling growing deep inside me, pulling at my very core.
Her crystal blue eyes bore into mine, engraving her into my mind, heart and soul; she was a beautiful fallen angel. Her gaze slowly crept away from mine leaving me feeling a strong sense of loss; she grabbed her duffle bag and shuffled away. I let my head fall into my crossed arms over the counter, why had I had those feelings for a stranger? Better yet what were those feelings? And what did they mean exactly? I let out my final sigh of the night and found myself drifting into a daze about a crystal blue eyed angel…and I couldn't help but feel a strong pang of guilt as I did.