Faceless Friend | Teen Ink

Faceless Friend

March 30, 2012
By _ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."


For what felt like my whole life, everyone always said, "That's the man you're gonna marry." My whole life. Because that's how close we were. And I thought so too. Two seconds glance at his face... And it was like I could see my whole life rolled out like a silver carpet, not red, silver with originality, stretching on forever and ever. I wish I could see that picture now. When you're that close to someone... I'll let the story speak for itself.

It was the fall of the tenth grade. New year, new face, new teachers to avoid. I remember slamming my locker door shut in a fury. It bounced back with a terrible clattering bang, and only my insight saved me. I stepped back, quickly, before what would have been a devastating injury could wreck my left eye. That's when I saw him for the first time in my life. An exaggeratedly long two second glimpse at the face. I felt my heart flutter up into my throat, forcing its way painfully up through me as it expanded with not to be questioned love. My anger melted away like water when it hits fire. And that's what it was like. I was fire, quick to fury, and he was like water, only when we hit each other, we grew stronger, immune to everything. There wasn't one of us that disappeared like science says we should. And that was beauty in itself. I remember, he came up to me, and he said, "You would pretty even without that eye," and it makes me laugh so hard just thinking of it, even now. That moment was beautiful. I felt like walking on... On something! Clouds, water, you name it, and I would sure as heck walk on it.
From that very moment on, we were moonstruck lovers. I looked into his eyes and it made me physically shiver. There was just such a deep reassurance resonating from inside of me that this was him, this was love on two feet of its own. Not infatuation or overly saturated romantic feelings, but real down to earth and at the same time infinitely far away love. At my age, few could say that. I could... I could...
Once upon a time...
But once upon a time was the rest of high school. I swear, I never had one single argument with him. He was so considerate and magnanimous... Even if I had a twenty minute screaming fit over something, where I may or may not have been entirely kind to him, he would just kiss the bridge of my nose and say, "I know." That's what true blue understanding is.
Even after high school, you could see us together, still genuinely in love with each other, still the little tenth graders in the school hallway. Two little fish in a very large sea. Looking back, I feel like high school was us in a gold fish bowl sunk under the ocean; everyone and everything else was out there, but we were in our own secluded bubble.
And maybe, maybe that's why the currents began to carry us away. Don't get me wrong, we were still in love, very much so. But soon, it began to feel Sisyphean, like loving each other so hard wasn't going to end, like there needed to be a break. And so away we went with the currents.

I guess the way I've spun this story makes him look like a faceless friend. I like that, someone you love but who just doesn't have a place with you. So now, I sit with two knitting needles between my knees, acting like the stereotypical grandma, while staring at the picture of he and I. The glass was accidentally shattered by my youngest grandson, but it seemed kind of fitting. The picture, the love, was still there, but the glass was shattered, so that love, the picture, couldn't be seen clearly again. But for all the world, it does exist, the love, it's just sunk a little deeper under the waves, down in the goldfish bowl at the bottom of the sea. But for all the world, it's still there.


The author's comments:
I wanted to spin a story where there was love that lasted through everything, just not the traditional way.

Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 54 comments.


on Apr. 5 2012 at 11:24 pm
AugustSummerFling PLATINUM, Mylapore, Chennai, Other
35 articles 0 photos 265 comments

Favorite Quote:
'For you, a thousand times over.' - Hassan, The Kite Runner

A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit.

this was AWESOME. Short, simple and so sweeet :) I'm guessing many people can relate to this ;) I'm one of them ;)

on Apr. 5 2012 at 9:23 pm
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."

Thanks! I hoped so!

TTTeeSS GOLD said...
on Apr. 5 2012 at 9:13 pm
TTTeeSS GOLD, La Porte, Colorado
17 articles 6 photos 69 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is no such thing as nothing, yet there is such thing as nothing, simply because there is nothing such as nothing.

Wow! This is beautiful! I love it!

on Apr. 5 2012 at 8:20 pm
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."

Thank you so much! I'm really proud of this piese so its good to know others like it. Thanks for ur time!

on Apr. 5 2012 at 8:17 pm
WrittenEmotions PLATINUM, Fairhope, Alabama
32 articles 0 photos 209 comments

Favorite Quote:
The only people who don't get anywhere are the people who don't dream of a better place for themselves...

You are definitely talented!!! I freaking love this so much! You have a great use of words and I pictured the whole thing so clearly! Great work! 5/5

on Apr. 5 2012 at 12:10 pm
It's wonderful how you bring out the personalities of the characters in this story.  Keep up the great work.

on Apr. 5 2012 at 10:12 am
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."

Thanks! Its actually on the front of romance still, but o well! Thanks for the comment!

on Apr. 5 2012 at 10:07 am
Writer_Jordan GOLD, Ellicott City, Maryland
15 articles 0 photos 182 comments

Favorite Quote:
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

This really does deserve at least an editor's choice! You're a natural with writing romance! I loved the descriptions with the goldfish bowl. Great work!

on Apr. 5 2012 at 9:39 am
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."

Thannks for that! Glad you liked it!

on Apr. 5 2012 at 9:15 am
KelseyBear BRONZE, Cuba, New York
3 articles 10 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Although it is generally known, I think it's time to announce that I was born at a very young age"

I really liked this. Great job!

on Apr. 4 2012 at 11:41 pm
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."

Thank you sooo much! I really hoped other people would understand what I was trying to do, and you did! THANK YOU!

on Apr. 4 2012 at 10:30 pm
Zuccini75 BRONZE, Chantilly, Virginia
1 article 0 photos 48 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It is better to keep your mouth shut and let people wonder, than telling them yourself."
-Myself

So sweet, yet so complicated - fine work! Very emotionally - tugging... :)

on Apr. 4 2012 at 8:42 pm
_ella_herondale BRONZE, San Diego, California
4 articles 2 photos 222 comments

Favorite Quote:
"...If the Thames that ran beside them...recalled a night where the moon shone as brightly as a shilling on the same boy and girl... and thought to themselves, 'at last, the wheel comes full circle,' they kept their silence."

Hi Logan/BakeryBoss. Thanks SOOOO much for the comment! It's nice to know others enjoy my work.

on Apr. 4 2012 at 7:36 pm
Logan_Elizabeth28 BRONZE, Willard, Ohio
4 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
Just Promise Me You'll Think Of Me Everytime You Look Up In The Sky And See A Star
-Eminem
"You're The Beautiful One, It's Society That's Ugly"
-Marilyn Monroe
"Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock!"
-The Big Bang Theory

I like this. :)

~Logan~