Submitted by TapiocaTuesday t3_11tun2n in WritingPrompts
Veronica_Cotrim_1997 t1_jclcr5h wrote
I hate my life. Better yet, I hate that I hate my life.
I still don't know if me being like this is a curse or a blessing. I mean, I'm glad that everyone is living in this huge happy paradise, but why can't I make part of it? Why do I have to feel so depressed?
Latelly, I just spend my days sitting on a bench, quiet as a mouse, watching as everyone else lived their happy bloody lives, while I, the one who made it happen, stand here, invisible to their eyes.
"Oh, Lord..." I whimp out into the ether, letting my head fall into my hands.
Maybe that was the reason. I didn't want to brag, nor did I want a golden statue or something, but a simple 'thank you' would've been nice.
"Are you alright, mister?" I heard a high feminine voice ask, but I kept still, thinking she was talking to someone else, until I felt a hand gently grab my should. "Sir?"
I shot my head up, looking at a beautiful young woman, she shouldn't been older than 16. She wore a school uniform, and looked quite worried.
I tried to fake a smile, taking a deep breath. "Don't worry about me, young lady. You should go, you don't want to be late for school."
She smiled widely, taking the liberty of sitting next to me on the bench and resting her suit case on top of her knees. "My classes are over for today. I was going home, actually, when I saw you looking so sad." She pursed her lips to the side, considering what she just said. "Why are you sad, mister? Everybody else is happy..."
I sighed. "I know they are. I made them so." I admited it, and was only after when I realized I did. "Don't take me wrong, but I just want to be left alone..."
With this I stood up, walking with no destination, trying to just forget about all this.
I was starting to stuff my hands down my pockets when I felt a few fingers keeping me from doing so. "If you made everyone happy, then why are you sad?"
I looked at the young girl, taking a deep breath and begining to walk again, taking her by the hand this time.
"I don't even think I know the answer..." I shrugged. "The world needs it's balance, I guess. For there to be happiness, there has to be sadness." I stopped. "And since everyone else is happy, someone has to stay sad in their place."
She pouted, looking at me. "Well, that doesn't seem fair... You should be happy too." She wondered. "You have an amazing gift, you should be proud of it."
I looked at her, faking yet another smile, and started to walk again. "And I am. Deep down, somewhere, I know I am..." I sighed. "Thanks for hearing me, kid. It helps. But you really should go home." And with that, I let go of her hand, and parted from her, thinking that would be the last time I ever saw that girl.
Or at least, that she would forget about me, over time.
But, apparently, I was wrong.
A few days later, after taking my usual stroll, I was going home when the same kid, and a bunch of other kids, stopped me where I stood. Before I could ask what was going on, they all parted from one another, exposing this kind of poster: 'take a walk with us. It's our turn to make you happy.'
I really didn't feel like it, but how could I say 'no' to 30 pairs of begging eyes? "Fine." I mumbled, and they all clapped and surrounded me. And we began our little walk.
They took me to various places, and at every stop, people would show a big sign saying 'thank you'.
This was getting weird, but I just went with it.
At the final stop, the girl I met the other day grabed my hand. "We made something for you in my school." She said, pointing to the school building and making some sort of sign.
Before I could ask what this was all about, she told me to look up.
From the windows, the teachers let down a huge drawing. And not just any drawing; a drawing of me, made with hundreds of thousands of tiny photos of happy people.
I felt my chin fall, not knowing what to say. "But... How... What..." I looked at the girl. She was smiling at me as she handed me a card, signed by all her colleagues and teachers. "Why?" I finally managed to ask.
She shrugged, looking at her teachers inside the school, who started cheering when I accepted the card. "I told my teachers what you told me: the world needs it's balance. But we all agreed that no one should be sad so that other can be happy." She giggled. "We have plenty of happiness, thanks to you, so," She gestured towards the drawing on the school wall. "we thought we'd give you a little of our own."
I looked at the drawing again. "Are you happy now, mister?" She asked.
I shook my head. "No." I mumbled, looking at her. "But I'm getting there."
She smiled widely and hugged me. I hesitantly hugged her back, looking at the card in my hand. Seeing all those signatures, and the drawing and this kid hugging me, a single tear ran down my cheek, and for the first time in years, a true, genuine smile pulled on the corners of my lips.
​
(I'm sorry for any grammar errors. English is not my first language)
FrenzyRush t1_jcmu9bt wrote
As I smiled for the first time in what felt like forever, the girl looked up at meβ¦
And frowned.
Veronica_Cotrim_1997 t1_jco9ghg wrote
I'll do better next time
lasher_productions t1_jcmzt8p wrote
This is great, i love it
Veronica_Cotrim_1997 t1_jco96lv wrote
Glad you liked it π
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