I started talking to Sophie more and more after the first encounter. Her quietness broke and we joked and laughed everyday from then on. I asked her why we had never really talked before and she admitted she found me intimidating. I was taken aback because I never really thought of myself as very intimidating person. I suppose I do look somber but most anyone would if they're all alone. She never did tell me why she was crying that day and I didn't want to ask.

On this day, after school let out, I started walking home. It was a beautiful day and the sun warmed my skin. I decided to enjoy it while I could, before the icy grasp of winter took hold. There was a light breeze that made the leaves dance and I thought about not going home. I know I would be sad there and out here I felt happy for a brief moment. So I stopped next to a tree and put my backpack down and sat. I looked down at my boots and noticed it was starting to tear at the sole. Instead of being careful with it, I decided to play with the forming flap.

I suddenly remembered that I had a project in geometry due tomorrow and I wanted to be sick. I hadn't even started it yet and I truly didn't want to. But I opened my pack and pulled out the project packet and read but my mind started to wander. I truly didn't want to think about it and words couldn't

describe how badly I just wanted to do nothing. I suppose it was better than going home however. I pulled my iPod out of my pocket and switched on some music.I closed my eyes for a minute and let the sound fill my head and take me away to somewhere else. A place where I wasn't so small. A place where my responsibilities didn't involve writing an essay or doing the dishes. When I was in my head, I could do absolutely anything. The majority of the time, I was a knight, no matter how corny that sounded. I had a long sword that could pierce the belly of a dragon and leather and chainmail armor. And the good guys always won.I thought about how wonderful this world would be if all these things actually existed. There would never be a dull moment and each day would be a new adventure. It's the way it should be now but it's hard to have adventures when you've got school everyday. I just wanted a new life so badly that I could barely stand it. I wanted opportunity and a journey. But there are other things to do. Then my mind went back to Sophie. Lately, she is all I could think about. Today she wore her hair in a braid. It was simple and beautiful and I tried to suppress these thoughts.I think it's natural to think of her in that way, it's quite frankly hard not to. But she is my new friend and I certainly didn't want to ruin that. She just made me laugh so much and nobody made me laugh like that in so long. Then I caught myself wondering what she is doing in this moment. Is she thinking of me? Probably not but I can only hope. The breeze started to pick up and I felt a bit chilly now. I opened my eyes and jumped a little when I saw someone walking towards me.I shut off my music and looked at a tall girl with short blonde hair coming towards me. She was wearing a black sweater and jeans. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties and that's when I realized who she was."Hi, Mickey." She was only the person alive allowed to call me that."Hi, Jenny. How have you been?" I started packing up my things."Good, I am back home for a while. I lost my job.""God, I am so sorry to hear that. But I am sure you will find something better.""Thanks, I am sure I will. Things could always be worse... Hey, how are your parents doing? I have been meaning to stop by and catch up with them." I never knew what to say to that question. I wish I had someone to tell the truth to. I wish someone knew what it was like but I feel like it would be wrong of me to confess my reality. So, I just gave a polite smile."They're doing okay. You should stop by sometime, they'd appreciate that." She had a half hearted smile on her face and we all knew this truth that neither of us were going to say. We didn't have to because it was in the air. It was this painful presence which was so hard to ignore. I finally stood up and gave Jenny a weak and awkward hug. "I will see you around. Take care."I walked away and my heart felt heavy. Jenny used to be a part of the family and I used to see her everyday and now we are reduced to exchanging reserved pleasantries. So much can change in a day and it changes everything for the rest of your life. Not many people understand that or what it's like so it's hard to make friends. It's hard to do anything now.I arrived home and I tried to get to my room with the least amount of human interaction as possible. My parents were home and everything was dead quiet. So I assumed at least one of them is taking a nap. It's my favorite thing to come home to because it gives me the privacy I desperately seek out. I laid out on my bed and closed my eyes. I wonder if I should bother telling my parents that I saw Jenny. When I think about the effort of even opening my mouth to make conversation, I get tired. I prefer the silence sometimes. It is safe and soothing it means there is nothing to add to my already cluttered mind. I felt my self start to drift off a bit and my body felt very exhausted. But then I opened my eyes suddenly and realized I had forgotten again. Geometry.I looked in the mirror and saw that I was nine years old again. My hair was all disheveled and I had scabs and bruises on my legs and arms. It was time to go get some more. It's Saturday morning and that meant it was time to try to climb trees and run around. I ran outside, past my mother reading her romance novel and my father watching television, to open the front door."Micah," I heard my Dad's deep voice, "Where are you off to?""To climb the tree." I said quickly, aching to get outside. I felt my small feet start to run in place. My mother looked up from her book and smiled at me."Get your sister to watch you, honey. I don't want to see any more cuts on you!""But what if she's busy?" I whined to my mother but she gave me the look that I knew I couldn't fight. I left the door and ran to my sisters room and knocked on the door."Yeah?" I heard her voice and I opened the door. She was sitting at her desk, hunched over a textbook and notes. She looked up at me and I could tell she was tired. "What's up, Mickey?""Sadie, I want to go play out on the tree but Mom said you have to watch me." She laughed a little and closed her textbook. She stood up and threw on her jacket."Yeah, I could use a break from this. I've been at it since I woke up at nine in the morning." I couldn't believe how excited I was. I ran down the hallway, which seemed so much longer when I was younger, and I flew outside the front door. I started to climb the tree and looked down to see Sadie sitting in the grass looking up at me."Don't go too high!" She called up, smiling at me. I remember how long her hair looked that day. It was dark brown but looked red when the sun hit it."You look really small from up here!" I called down, laughing."And you look like a giant from down here," She replied. Nothing feels better than being called a giant when you know you're so small. I reached for another branch and pulled myself up higher. The wind rustled the leaves around me and the tree limbs became thinner and swayed. "Mickey, that's high enough now. You should come down now.""But, Sadie! I want to go further!" I looked down and she was standing under the tree now and she wasn't smiling anymore."No, Micah. Come down now. We will go play swords." I saw she was serious, even concerned, so I decided to climb down. I slowly made my way and I kept looking down at Sadie and her smile. When I got close enough, she held out her arms and I jumped into them. She stumbled back and then fell down but I still didn't touch the ground. We both laughed and went to look at her face but then I blinked and I was back on my bed.I looked around, the blinds were closed, and the room was dark. I looked in the mirror and I was a teenager again. There were no bruises or cuts on my legs and I wasn't tiny anymore. And Sadie wasn't here. I stood up and looked at the clock. I didn't have to be awake for another hour but I felt strangely alert so I started walking around. I had finished all my homework last night so maybe I should just shower to kill time. I looked out the window and the sun still wasn't up.I opened my bedroom door and stepped out into the hallway. I looked at the door to Sadie's bedroom. It was closed like it always is now. Everything was silent and dark and I didn't know how to feel.