Hidden From the World{Darren}

[lyss]

Rowan Springer

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
I met a man of two feet tall
This man was quite ambitious
In a world that is so vicious to us all.
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

Rowan was sitting on the grass in the middle of a field. He had been babysitting his little sister, Cherrie, and his younger brother, Oliver, while his father was working an extra shift and his mother was who knows where. He was supposedly counting to a hundred, but he barely made it past thirty when his ADHD kicked in, making him pull at loose strands in his shirt with one hand and yanking grass out of the ground with the other. He figured that half a minute was plenty of time for his siblings to hide in such a large area. He walked towards a clump of trees to his right, positive that it was about time one of them hid in there.

Rowan passed one bush, then two, then three, before noticing that a long line of bushes separated him from the trees. He bent over, pawing through the foliage, when his brother tackled him from the side, sliding him into a bush. Rowan stood up and laughed, brushing a few leaves from his shirt.

"Mom's here. Your torture session is over," Oliver stated, laughing at his own joke.

Rowan laughed as well, glad his brother knew that babysitting wasn't as cracked up as it was "supposed to be." He followed Oliver to his mother, who slipped a small bill into Rowan's hand. He smiled and walked towards the direction of the square. He was aiming to go to the apothecary. He knew he shouldn't be buying medicine with his money; his mother would object if she knew he was buying medicine for himself. It's not like he could buy anything else anymore. His siblings always sneaked into his room whenever he wasn't there and messed with his stuff. They ate his candy, broke his pendants. Even if he hid his newest item in a pile of dirty clothes, they would get it. He smiled; for he knew they wouldn't mess with medicine. They knew what it looked like.

Rowan wasn't just buying medicine so his siblings wouldn't mess with it. He really needed it. He had been going to a whole lot of parties recently, and in the end, they all had alcohol. He had been waking up morning after morning with headache after headache. He knew how simple the solution was, just stop drinking. Whenever he drank, though, he felt like he was on top of the world, like nothing, nobody could stop him.

It wasn't like Rowan went on the streets as some kinda of mass murderer after he drank. His life was already hard enough without that. His ADHD seemed to appear more and more in his life. He blurted out things in at least one class every other day, where as a month ago he only blurted out once a month. He fidgeted in class more, annoying teachers with his constant drumming on his desk. It's not like I can help it, he would think whenever a teacher yelled at him

As Rowan finally entered the square, he was hit with a way too familiar scent. Alcohol.It was then he realized that maybe that was the source of his problems. Maybe it was all the drinking. After all, he'd been to three parties this week.

He changed his path so that he didn't pass too close to the area the delicious scent was wafting from. He was getting close to the small medicine shop, and he wasn't ready to waste his money on alcohol. Yet.

Rowan weaved through the small carts in the square, trying to reach the shops on the edge of the square. The apothecary was the first shop you approached from this direction, so Rowan didn't have to walk much further. He pushed the door open, a small bell overhead ringing as he did so. He began walking through the shop, looking at all the herbs, not finding what he needed. He walked up to the counter, now noticing the extremely long line. He couldn't wait this long just to get something for his headaches. He began weaving through the line, muttering"Excuse me."

When he almost reached the front, he was standing behind a short girl that was reading items off a list to the cashier. Rowan tapped on the girl's shoulder, not caring if he interrupted her.

"Excuse me, miss, but I really need to get out of here. I'll only take a minute," he added.

When the girl turned around, Rowan recognized her immediately. First of all, whenever he had been to this shop before, for whatever reason, she was always here, buying medicine for her father to use. He had also seen her before at the occasional ADHD therapy class. He couldn't remember the girl's name, and he wasn't sure if she remember his.

"Oh. Um, hey. Nevermind, you can continue. I know how important is for your dad to have medicine. I can wait."

[umber vivuus 12b 🥀 [dars]]

Clair's day hadn't been the best. Her father had woken her at Four o' clock to start her chores. It was still early, and already, she was on her last chore. Just like most days, she was getting powders and herbs for her father to make remedies out of. She had a list in the pocket of her jeans, but she already had it memorized. All she had to do was look on the list and find out which ingredient matched which number.
She had just stepped up to the corner and began reading the list when a voice, out of nowhere, sounded behind her. "Excuse me, miss, but I really need to get out of here. "I'll only take a minute." It said. The voice was deep. To deep to belong to a woman or child. She turned around slowly only to see the face of the boy she had seen so many times. Mostly in this very shop. They had never really spoken, but she new this was the same guy.
Clair was about to tell him to back off when- no, this wasn't right. She was to kind hearted to say that. She probably would have caved in and let the boy go ahead and get lectured by her father for being late.
Anyway, the boys face turned to shock as she turned around. "Oh, Um, hey. Nevermind, you can continue. I know how important it is for your dad to have medicine. I can wait." He said.
Clair stands there a moment, turns, orders her needed supplies, and moves over for the boy to get the order he so desprately needed.
"Hey there!" She says "Rough day, i'm guessing?" She finishes with a smile

[lyss]

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
I said hi
As he replied, he said
"Listen to these words that I have lived by my whole life"
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

Rowan watched the girl turn around, finishing her rambling of supplies. The man slowly scooted over to every herb and any type of medicine that she had ordered, taking his time using his old-fashioned cash register. Finally, he came to the girl's total, and she moved aside letting him order.

The cashier raised his eyebrows, his signal that he was to take Rowan's order. Rowan simply curled an index finger and tapped it against his head. He didn't want to spend minutes yelling the he wanted headache medicine. The cashier nodded, slowly scooting towards the shelves.

The girl turns towards Rowan, replying, ""Hey there! Rough day, I'm guessing?" She smiles, politely waiting for an answer.

"Yeah. More like a rough week, I suppose. So many parties, so little time," he answered, flashing a smile.

Rowan laughed, realizing how obnoxious he must sound to this girl. The cashier came back, handing Rowan the medicine. Rowan handed the man the small bill he had, only receiving a handful of coins for change. He shoved the medicine and money in his pocket, walking towards the exit. He held the door open for the girl, the tinkling bell ringing out loud and clear. That's it. Clear. Clarity. Clarity. Clair.

Rowan followed Clair out the door, smiling to himself, proud he remembered her name. He began to follow Clair, assuming she was going to her father's building. He occasionally went to her father for the "newest cure." None of the "cures" actually ever worked, though. It wasn't just Clair's dad; no doctor's "cure" ever worked.

They walked in silence, unsure of what to say to each other. What could he say that would start a conversation? All he knew was that Clair had ADHD and that her father was a doctor. He didn't know if she had any siblings, if she worked, how old she was. Obviously, she wasn't his age. He would have bound to have a class with her before if she was. She was quite shorter than him, by almost a half foot. She couldn't be that much younger than him.

Rowan didn't want to risk the possibility of hitting a soft spot by talking about ADHD. He didn't want to talk about her father either. Maybe he need to ask her some questions. He didn't want to seem random, though. Maybe he needed to set up something, so that they could get a chance to know each other. Not a date, of course. His heart belonged to Nee. He just needed the right words, so it wouldn't sound like he was trying to ask her out.

Rowan didn't have much time; he could just barely make out Clair's father's building. He ran his hand through his hair, forming the words in his head. He didn't want to sound stupid; he didn't want to sound provocative, either.

"So, um, do you want to go somewhere with me? I don't really know where... Maybe later today or tomorrow? Whatever works best for you. Not like on a date or anything, though. Just so we can get to know each other better. Honestly, all that I really know about you is that you have the same condition that I do and that your dad is a doctor. I'm not even sure how old you are. But I think we should be friends, and friends should know things about each other, right?"

[umber vivuus 12b 🥀 [dars]]

After he ordered, well, kind of ordered his medicine, Rowan was holding the door for her. After they were out of the building, he even walked along with her. It was kind of akward, until he spoke, that is. "So, um, you want to go somewhere with me?" He asked. Was he asking her on a date? No, she had seen him before with that girl.

She misses his next sentence, but the one that follows confirms what she had thought. "Not on a date or anything." He reassures. "Yea!" Clair yelps. "Actually, after I bring this to da- father, i'm free, you want to walk with me there?" She blushes when she almost calls her father daddy. She knew he hated the name. The only one he accepted was "father." Sometimes it scared her, how strict her father was on the silliest things.

[lyss]

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
You're only as tall, as your heart will let you be
And you're only as small, as the world will make you seem
And when the going gets rough, and you feel like you may fall
Just look on the bright side, you're roughly six feet tall
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

"Yea!" Clair yelps. "Actually, after I bring this to da- father, I'm free, you want to walk with me there?"

Rowan had planned on walking her there anyways, but just nodded. He didn't want to admit that, for whenever Rowan was around another girl, a person was always there, waiting to write down anything Rowan says that could be used against him. They continued walking to Clair's father's building in silence. There was nothing to talk about; they barely knew each other. Tonight would change that though.

They finally reached her father's building and Rowan had no idea what to say. The awkward silence that had been between them on the walk there floated through the air. Rowan's words practically punched a hole in the blanket of silence that was draping over them.

"So, um, meet me in the square whenever you can. Of course that's not our real destination. I can't tell you where it is, since it's supposed to be a secret spot and all."

Rowan watched as fear flashed across her face and added, "Don't worry, I'm not taking you to some abandoned house or a graveyard. It's a nice place, trust me, but it takes time to get there."

Rowan realized he could simply wait on the steps for her, but he wasn't sure how long she had to stay with her father. He made sure she got inside before leaving. He shoved his hands in his jean pockets and kept his head down as he walked. He knew he should go home and tell his parents he would be home late, but he had started to care less and less what his parents thought recently. He could be reaped soon, and he wanted to live his life to the fullest. He wanted to come home after curfew, to drink until he puked, to love a girl for real. He of course had already accomplished these things, but he still wanted them, always.

Rowan looked up, noticing he was already at the square. He raced to a near store, the one that sells mostly junk but has drinks. The regular cashier was there, causing Rowan to sigh in relief. The cashier turned to Rowan as he heard the door close. He already knew what Rowan wanted and brought it to the counter. Two cans of beer were placed into Rowan's hands as the rest of Rowan's money slipped into the man's hands. Rowan shoved the cans in his pocket, tugging his shirt over his pockets, trying to conceal the cans.

He walked back into the square, looking for Clair. He noted that she wasn't there yet, so he walked towards his favorite part of the square. In the middle of the square was a glorious fountain, one of the district's prized possessions. He sat on the edge, leaning back with his eyes closed. The sun was beginning to descend and Rowan knew this was the best time to go for a walk. A smile formed on his lips; he couldn't wait for Clair to get here.

[umber vivuus 12b 🥀 [dars]]

Clair ran in her house, eager to get back to the square. She ran into her father's office, only to finf he wasn't there. She checked the entire house. Nothing. She walked out to her back yard and there he was. He was watering his garden, and didn't even notice Clair standing there. After a few minutes, he looked up. "Hello Clairity. I trust you have gotten the appropriate items?" "Yes, father. I'm putting them on you desk, okay? Also, I was wondering if I could go somewhere tonight? Scince it isn't a school night." She asked the question in a way that made it seem she was just telling him she was going, not asking.

Rather than answer, he just shook his head in an approving matter. Clair didn't answer either. She didn't have time. She dropped his things of on the way out. And headed towards the square. "This guy seems intresting. He seems like someone I could be great friends with." She thought. She would be lying if she said she didn't think he was attractive, because she did.

Asshe approached the square, she had already spotted him. Sitting on the fountain, his hair was whirling in the wind. He smiled at her and she got butterflies. "Just be cool! Let him come to you! Then you will know if he is intrested in you!"

[lyss]

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
I met a man of twelve feet tall
He towered like a giant
In a world that was defiant of his height
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

Rowan turned and smiled as he saw Clair approaching, letting the wind toss his hair for him as he did. He got up and began walking towards her, eager to start the journey. When he approached her, he motioned the way they were going. The only hint he had given her was that it was a great place to get to know someone. He realized how provocative he had sounded, but he brushed it off. It was impossible not to know he loved Nee.

Rowan sighed as he felt the soft squish of grass under his feet. He knew the path so well now, including the feel underneath his shoes. They were getting close, he knew it. He wanted to grab Clair's wrist and run with her all the way there, like he would do with Nee. He had to be patient though; he barely knew this girl. Even so, the both had the same condition; she would understand. Impatience was a virtue held close to them. Maybe getting to know Clair wasn't his worst idea anymore.

Shoving his hands in his pocket, Rowan began walking straight into the breeze that had been messing with his hair earlier. As trees flew past the pair, silence bubbled in between the two, wrapping itself around them. The grass underneath his feet turned back to stone, causing Rowan to grin. A small brown dot entered their line of vision. The dot was their destination, which was a small coffee shop, normally deserted. Rowan simply pointed to the dot, giving Clair a small nod.

He began to pick up the pace, resisting the aching urge to grab Clair's hand and drag her there. Patience is a bigger virtue than impatience, Rowan. No need to let this girl think you like her. Which you don't, he thought.

Finally, they reached the coffee shop. More often than not, it was completely deserted, aside from the only worker, just as it was now. Rowan held the old, wooden door open for Clair as she slipped inside. The door slammed against the frame once Rowan let go, signaling the worker had costumers to tend to. Rowan simply ordered two hot chocolates, which were surprisingly warm. After plopping a handful of marshmallows in his drink, he carried them over to a small table next to a window, sitting one on each side of the table. It was an invitation for Clair to sit down, to talk.

[umber vivuus 12b 🥀 [dars]]

Clair couldn't help smiling as Rowan approached her. The wind was making it hard not to like him. It tussled his hair around in a frenzy. It looked good, though. She already knew the wind was not fond of her OR her hair. "Why can't I like him again? He seems really sweet! He seems a lot like me, really. He- wait, haven't I seen him with that girl before? Yea. Are they together? Ugh!" She thought.

She felt like running, but what else was new? She ran everywhere because of her condition. She knew that Rowan had the same problem as her, but he seemd to be, holding back. Not wanting to push too hard. Clair took this as a sign that he was unintrested.

As they walked through a patch of long grass, twisting in the wind, he pointed to a small speck. He started to walk faster, and Clair was glad that he did. She kept up with him until the speck was an old building. It was funny. She had lived in District 7 her entire life, and she had never noticed it. After walking in, Rowan ordered two hot chocolates, and sat them at a small table. Clair loved hot chocolate. It was probably her favorite drink. She surpressed the urge to smile, and took a seat across from him.

"So, Rowan, how did you discover this place?"

[lyss]

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
I said hi
As he replied, he said
"Listen to these words that I have dreaded my whole life"
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

"So, Rowan, how did you discover this place?"

"Oh, well, hmm... Let's see... I think Nee was the one who discovered it. So I got it from her. I'm not sure where she found it though.. I'll have to ask."

Rowan shifts uncomfortably, knowing that his answer probably wasn't what Clair wanted to hear. He picked up his mug of hot chocolate, gulping down hot ounces of the sickly sweet delicacy. His throat felt like a hole had been burnt in his flesh. He felt tears stinging his eyes, pulling themselves from the corners and racing down his face. He coughed and plastered a smile on his face, quickly wiping away the tears as he did.

"Bit too hot for my liking," Rowan joked.

He squinted, trying to release any tears he had left. He coughed once more and laughed. He had already made a fool of himself, but Rowan didn't particularly care. They were here to get to know each other, so Rowan would be able to prove he wasn't as stupid as he had just acted. He gently plopped a spoon in his mug, stirring the steamy liquid around in its container. All of a sudden, he heard a strange noise. Splat. Splat splat. Splat splat. Splat splat splat splat.

Rowan turned to the side, staring out the window. He saw a vast layer of thick, black clouds roaming the sky. How could this be? they had just been outside, and the weather had been perfectly fine. The only answer he could think of was it was coming from behind the shop. The little drizzle started getting more and more heavy. He knew that it would get worse very quick. This storm looked monstrous, bad enough to keep the three inhabitants inside for a few hours.

"So," Rowan began over a loud clap of thunder. "Time for twenty-one questions."

He grabbed two napkins from a small container sitting on their table. On the table next to them was a cup full of pens. Rowan leaned over and grabbed two from the cup, giving one to Clair and leaving one to him. He slid a napkin over to Clair, letting her write as many questions as she wanted. Rowan only needed a few to ask. He needed basic information, enough to start a friendship. He clicked the pen, ready to sprawl his scrappy handwriting onto the light brown paper in front of him.

1. Favorite color?
2. Favorite animal?
3. Any sports?
4. Leisure activities?
5. Thoughts about me?

His questions were short and choppy, but that was all Rowan really needed to know. Some of her favorites, what she did in her free time, and how she saw Rowan. He slide his paper over to Clair, hoping she would fill up the big space he had left for her. He could only imagine what questions she wanted to ask him. Would it be few like he had, or a long list of choppier questions than his? He believed that once they got some simple barriers out of the way, they could talk about things that would spark a friendship.

The thunder roared loudly now, and, combined with the loud pounding of the rain slapping the windows, the noise threatened to burst Rowan's eardrums. Lightning raced through the sky, lighting up the dark night sky. The shopkeeper seemed to be worrying about the storm way more than Clair or Rowan was. His eyes were wide as he began to race around, unplugging machines and putting drinks in the fridge. He went to the storage room, leaving the pair alone.

Rowan stared out the window, wondering how long they would have to be here. He didn't mind the rain. He was a bit scared of lightning, though. The though of death by electrocution scared him out of his wits. Man-made electrocution was terrible, but nature produced deaths were horrid.

[umber vivuus 12b 🥀 [dars]]

He must have been nervous, because he took a huge gulp of his drink, regardless of the steam that was still rising from the top. His reaction was cute. It showed that he wasn't afriad to be himself. He was like Clair. She was always herself, even if it meant losing someone she liked.

It was the he suggested playing twenty-one questions. She loved the game. She often played with her father when she wanted to know about her mother. It was a great way of finding things out. It was a great way to get to know Rowan. She decided to wait until he had finished, then she would answer, then ask her questions.

It wasn't long, and he slid the napkin over. The first question was simple. "My favorite color? Hmm....Let's see, I like autum colors, and silver!" The next question was equally simple. It did cause her brain to think a little more, however. "I like cheetahs. They are like me. They are quick, can't sit still, and will do anything for the ones they love." The third question, again, was a reletively easy question. "Yes! Volleyball and track!"

She found herself smiling. This was fun. She was so lost in this, that she had only just realized that it was raining. No, it wasn't just raining. It was a storm. A huge, loud, obnoxious storm. She shook her head and looked down at the next question. "Umm, reading, or talking to friends." Next question! You seem really sweet. Your cute, and I really want to get to know you better!" She blushed even while she was writing. She slid the napkin over and began writing her questions before he could even read her answers.

1.Favorite sports?
2.Do you have any siblings?
3.What do you look for in friends?
4.What is/are your favorite color(s)?
5.Any hobbies?

[lyss]

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
Your only as tall as your heart will let you be
And your only as small as the world will make you seem
And when the going gets rough, and you feel like you may fall
Justt look on the brightside, you are roughly six feet tall
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

Rowan watched Clair intensely as she scribbled on the napkin he slipped her. He bit his lip, resisting the urge to let out a huge sigh. This was so stupid, every last bit of it. Why couldn't he find the words to just ask her these questions and let the words pour out of her mouth? The answer was simple. Nee. It was stupid as well, of course, but Rowan had reasons. He always had reasons.

Rowan had trouble with words. Troubled words led to wrong questions. He could mean to say "I like blue", but he would end up saying "I like you." People heard things fast. Their school had little drama, and anything about the ever so popular Rowan Springer would spread faster than a wildfire. He wasn't trying to be shallow or anything, but many girls liked him. There definitely were some who would try to snatch him away from Nee.

He watched her hesitate on an answer, even blushing as she did so. Rowan had a feeling it was the last one. He hadn't wanted anything sappy. He just wanted something like nice, friends, etc. The napkin was slowly slid over before she quickly inked her questions on her napkin. She slide this one over quickly, barely giving him time to read her answers. He clicked his pen; the sound was barely audible over the now howling wind.

1.Favorite sports?
2.Do you have any siblings?
3.What do you look for in friends?
4.What is/are your favorite color(s)?
5.Any hobbies?

1. None, really. I'm not a big fan for sports. I do enjoy running, though, so I suppose track would be the answer.
2. Yes, two. I have a brother named Oliver, who is ten, and I have a sister named Cherrie, who is six.
3. Humor and patience, definitely.
4. Blue. Any shade is amazing, really.
5. Running is a hobby, I guess. I love photography.

He scratched out the last part about photography. It was true; he did love it. Nobody knew, though, and he'd rather tell Nee first. He had many scrapbooks filled with pictures of him, his siblings, his family, Nee, friends, nature. The categories were endless.

Before sliding the napkin back to Clair, he compared his answers to hers. They had different questions, but most of them were the same. They both enjoyed running/track and their family, which were things that Rowan admired greatly. The last answer caught him off guard. You seem really sweet. Your cute, and I really want to get to know you better!

Getting to know each other was great and all, but was she doing it for a different purpose? Was she like the other girls who told him he was cute? Was she planning to steal him away from Nee? The girl seemed innocent enough, sure, and she was nice to. He even would admit she was pretty, but he didn't like her. They were barely friends, and maybe it needed to stay that way. He balled up the napkin when she wasn't looking and slipped it into his pocket.

A bolt of lightning flashed very close to the store, followed by a roaring wind. A loud crash echoed through the three inhabitants ears, causing them to jump and shiver. Rowan turned towards the front door and tried not to cry out in aggravation. A large tree had been snapped in half, blocking the only entrance and exit. It wasn't like he had planned on leaving soon. The storm was raging on, collecting power as it neared the coffee shop. It was vicious before it struck the small store.

Another bolt flashed through the sky, knocking the power out. Anger boiled up in Rowan. They would never leave now. He hadn't brought a lighter or even a match. It wasn't like he carried those things around normally, but he prayed one of the others did.

[umber vivuus 12b 🥀 [dars]]

"Clair was getting a headache from all the thunder. Already the rain fall was rolling downhill in shallow streams. Lightning was constantly dancing on the horizon. Well, it was just the horizon until BAM! A stray bolt of light struck a tree, and even managed to block the only entrance Clair had noticed.

She hadn't really had time to realize what had happened when she heard Rowan's groan. Was it because he didn't want to be trapped in here with her? Surely not, he seemed to like her at least as a friend!

Rowan was handsome. Very handsome. The problem was he was taken. No matter how much she liked him though, he was with someone else. She could sit there and fantasize about him all day, but she probably wasn't going to try anything. He loved this girl. She was lucky. Clair was lucky to be his friend. that was good enough for her. At least for now it was.

He slid his answers over, and Clair grabbed the paper excitedly. He likes running too! He mentioned it twi-wait. There is something with a line through it. Why did he cross that out? Did he change his mind? Was he embarrassed?? Why? "Hey, why did you scratch this out?"

[lyss]

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
I am a man of six feet tall
Just looking for some answers
In a world that answers none of them at all
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

The power flickers back on for a few seconds, allowing Clair to read Rowan's answer. She looks interested. He can barely hear her over the loud clapping of the before the power turns back off.

"Hey, why did you scratch this out?"

"Oh, I was writing the same thing twice and tried to cover it all up so I wouldn't look like an idiot, but of course that didn't work well," he lied.

He had no reason to lie, though. The only thread keeping him from it was not telling Nee, and Nee always seemed to come first in telling people things, even if he needed to tell his parents first. All he needed was something to cut the string, to let him free. He barely knew Clair, and he already felt bad for lying. It wasn't anything major, though, but somehow, sometime, it would come back to haunt him.

To make things worse, the cashier was screaming in the storage room. It wasn't a scream of fear, but a bloodcurdling scream of pain. For an instant, Rowan forgot that he was there with Clair, not Nee. He grabbed her hand, but let go after a few seconds. He could easily feel the difference between their hands. Even though Clair couldn't see him, he turned away from her, his face burning with embarrassment. He wanted to say something, but he knew it would come out wrong, making everything worse.

Rowan also knew he should go see if the cashier was okay, but he had no way to see. He wanted to bolt, yet he wanted to stay and make sure Clair got out safely. He ran his fingers through his hair, torn on all the things he could do. His free hand scratched his arms, cutting into the skin. Lacing his fingers together, he whistled a quiet, low note. This outing had been ruined by a simple storm. Except... it had never been a simple storm.

Every year around this time big storms come at night. Rowan should have known better. He should have walked Clair home and then gone home himself. His parents weren't worried right now, of course, but he knew his siblings were. They were terrified of storms. He could picture them in his head, cuddle up with each other in their parents bed, their mother comforting them, their fathering peering out the window. He had no doubt that the storm would hit them. He knew storm paths too well.

Something hit his foot and he almost screamed. It had been rolling, but now laid still at his foot. He was afraid it would be some severed part of the cashier, so he ran his shoe over the object. No squishy sounds or drippy liquids. It was something hard, something solid. He bent over and picked it up, turning it over in his hand. He recognized the feel. It was a flashlight. It was a miracle.

Rowan flicked it on, a bright beam of light illuminating the dark building. He could see that the storm was pretty much gone now, so they had a better chance of escaping. He knew there was probably a door in the back, but he didn't want to take any chances. He needed something to break through the big window near him. If he could break through the window, he wouldn't need the flashlight anymore. This was his only way out... sort of. He pushed himself out of his chair and walked over to the window, finding the perfect spot to hit.

His best chances were along the edges. A bottom edge, to be exact. It was always easier to crawl through small holes than try to jump for a good-sized hole. He found his spot, ready to hit. He took a couple steps back, hoping Clair was a good distance away from him. He raced toward the window, arm raised, and struck, his hand and flashlight punching through the glass. He began bashing the glass around it over and over with the flashlight until there was a hole big enough for Clair to crawl through without getting cut.

He knew his antics were crazy and that he should have ventured into the unknown space of the back, but he didn't want to be hit with disappointment. He knew they had to get out quickly, before another storm came. Sticking his hand through the hole, he felt for signs of a storm. It was just barely drizzling, there wasn't a humid feeling, and it was lacking the presence lightning had. There wouldn't be a storm for another hour, enough time to get both teens home safely. The problem was, though, that he didn't know if Clair trusted him enough. What if she thought Rowan was crazy after pounding through the glass?

If she didn't go through the hole, then she would just have to be trapped, right? He should just leave her, right? He didn't need her, right? Wrong.

[umber vivuus 12b 🥀 [dars]]

Clair's head ache was quickly getting worse. He brain seemed to swell everytime the thunder roared in the sky. It wouldn't have been that bad if she wasn't in the middle of a thunder storm! That was when the lights went out. Clair didn't have the best vision, so it was really hard for her to see anything.

Rowan caught her completely by surprise when he grabbed her hand. She hadn't even seen him move! Her cheeks burned a deep shade of red, but she hoped his sight was as bad as hers, and he couldn't see it.

When the man screamed, Clair did too. It scared the life out of her! It also made her head throb. AGAIN! In the dark, she saw Rowan get up to go check on the screamer. Being terrified, she followed like a lost puppy. When he stopped, she almost ran right into him. He turned on the flash light that he had acquired, and it wasn't as hard to see.

He started crawling through a hole, and Clair easily followeed. When they stood she stumbled and caught his arm for support. It was several seconds later when she realized that she hadn't let go.

"Sorry."

[lyss]

.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.
I'll say hi
But not reply to the letters that you write
Because I found some peace of mind
.·.·.·.·.·.·.·.

Rowan could feel Clair scrambling through the hole after him. She stumbled when she stepped out, clutching onto Rowan's arm for support. He was surprised with the intensity of her grasp. Even though the pain burned his muscles, he politely waited until she let go. She let go after a few minutes, silently apologizing.

He nodded, not wanting to talk. There was nothing else to say or do. Their outing had been disastrous. He desperately wanted to make up for it, though. There wasn't much he could do in the drizzling rain. He wasn't ready to take Clair home, yet, and he definitely wasn't ready to go to his home either.

Out of nowhere, a bird landed on a branch near Rowan, chirping a wonderful melody. A smile briefly flashed on his face, an idea flowing into his brain. Dancing. It was simple. They could dance, even without the bird's joyous tune. He didn't want to ask Clair to dance, though, for he didn't want to intterupt the sweet song.

He didn't even stick out his hand as an offering. He simply pulled her in and swayed to the music. He tried imitating the moves he had seen his parents do before, but he ended up stumbling and looking foolish. The sky above the dancing pair was getting dark again, signaling their time together would be coming to an end soon. They had about five minutes together before Rowan would need to leave. He knew he couldn't walk Clair home and be the gentleman he desired to be.

He had two now or never things he needed to do before he left. He struggled, trying to decide which would be more important. The sudden star popping up in front of him made his decision. He leaned closer to Clair, his lips near her ear.

"Listen, Clair, I need to tell you something. Something you can't tell anybody else. I'm running away soon. I don't know how long I'll be gone, and I don't know if I will ever come back. There won't be any reason to worry, though. I won't be alone. I'll be prepared with food and weapons. What I need you to do is promise you'll keep my secret. Can you do that for me?"

Rowan closed his eyes, hoping he could trust Clair. He didn't try to put more space between them, for right now, his time needed to be used on his two now or never things. He breathed in through his nose, collecting all the sweet smells of the district he was about to leave.