Fix It

Chapter 17 - Feelings

Sophie's P.O.V

Do you know how the earth smells? Because I do, especially after the rain has ended. It smells damp, yet fresh, like a lavender field. The sweet smell of pollen from all around traveling through my nose leaves a scrumptious aroma behind. My planet smells like peaches and a warm day at the beach, salty and breezy like those male perfumes.

My frosty hair was still damp from its previous drenching and my clothing clung to my body like second skin. The yellow dress shone brightly in the sun that peeked behind the dark clouds. Alex had his hands in my hair, rubbing it like the fur on a puppy. Although it felt nice, I still felt weirded out so I shoved his hand away.

“Why so serious?” He said in a guttural tone making air quotations. It seems as if he was quoting someone but I didn't know who so I stared at him with scrunched eyebrows.

“You know, Joker?” I stared at him dumbfounded at what he's trying to explain.

Who is this Joker that he speaks of?

“Joker…..From Batman? Come on, you must know about Batman.”

“I’m afraid not Alex, What are you talking about?” He shook his head from side to side, his freshly curly hair moving along with the shaking. My focus shifted to his hair and his hair alone. I really wanted to run my fingers through it. Hence, while Alex laughed about my incompetence of knowing who the Joker was, I reached my pale hands up. Slowly but surely, my hands reached his silky hair and I sank my fingers in them.

Suddenly, The laughing ceased. He stared at me with wide eyes before looking at my hand that played with his hair. He also stopped walking, forcing me to stop as well. So there we were in the middle of the road with the sun peeking through the dark clouds and the roads damp from the previous rain. My hand in his air and his stare on my hand and then it all ended as soon as he pulled my hand from his head. He looked at me chuckling ackwarldy.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

My heart thumped in pain. Maybe I have a little crush on him because he’s the only person that I know around here. Maybe it's because he annoys the living crap out of me? Maybe it's because he gives me hope when it's all lost but I know that look in his eyes.

It's the look that says ‘We’re just friends.’ and it broke me but I couldn't show it and so I made him believe that I didn't like him, that I didn't run my fingers through his hair because of an urge.

So I rubbed my hands on my sunny dress before answering. “I was just taking some fluff out of your hair, no need to act like a wusspus.” I laughed and made sure that it held no sadness, or shame. “Oh..I-I thought that..nevermind were almost there.” He shook his thoughts off. So we began our journey once more with my heart shattered and his mind clear.

He walked ahead of me, head wrapped in his thoughts that I’m sure doesn't concern me. One foot in front of the other, like the rain droplets pit-pattering on the floor. I could hear his heart beating quickly from here, like a horse running at full speed. I wonder why the organ leaped so much but there are still certain things about this world that I fail to understand. “A-Alex.. Are you ok?” He didn't even stop to acknowledge me. He kept walking, feet marching on the floor. “Alex?....Alex!”

Finally he stopped to look at me. His eyes held anger. Anger? Why? I just don't understand. Why is he angry with me? What did I do? I made sure that he didn't see that I was hurt. Hell, I was actually coming to terms with it.

“Why did you really do it Sophie?”

“You touch my hair all the time, why can't I return the favour?” I snapped. How can this male be so incompetent! And unfair and unjust and just ugh! I was never like this before earth you know… arrogant to non trivial matters.

“Because when I touch your hair I do it to comfort you, to show that I care about my best friend.” Those words. ‘Best Friend’ they stung so badly. Tears nearly sprung out of my eyes but they still managed to burn as they flooded my ducts. “And I told you why I did it so can we please move on?”

“But that look in your eyes showed that you had other intentions...Is it because I remind you of someone? You never tell me about yourself...so why did you do it?” Oh. My. God...This i***t thought that I petted his hair because he reminds me of someone! He’s more of a t**t than I thought! This i***t… If he wasn't serious I’d be rolling on the ground from laughter. How naïve can he be to realize the real reason?

“Crap...You got me. You remind me of my little cousin Jenkins. Haha… you even have his smile.” I pinched his cheek to make it more believable as I began to shed my pooled tears.

The tears burned my raw cheeks as I continued with my lie. “I miss his chubby face and brown curly hair. The way he used to play with me in the meadow fields of Axcybyl and wash his face with the magenta waters from Sydel Lake.” My little lie seemed to work because his anger faded into sympathy. Pathetic...Is this what it took to deceive him?

“I’m sorry about your cousin..once we're finished you can go right back to him right?” He asked, pulling me in for a hug. “Um...Yeah..yeah… Look! We're here!” I pointed to the museum that sits in front of us. A place that is filled with artifacts of time. I just hope that my note was wrong.