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.

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This article has 54 comments.


on Apr. 6 2012 at 11:57 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."

Glad you thot so! 

on Apr. 6 2012 at 11:56 am
Hiroshi-Oniisan-Chugi PLATINUM, Portsmouth, Virginia
23 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"We have nothing to fear, but Fear itself." -F.D.R.

great job :)

on Apr. 6 2012 at 11:45 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."

Thank you, I'm glad u thought so. It's a really nice thing to say! :)

on Apr. 6 2012 at 11:44 am
LRotenstein GOLD, Ashland, Massachusetts
15 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If your normal the crowd will accept you, be deranged and the crowd will make you their leader." Christopher Titus

Written like a tru romantic, you captured the emotions and feelings perfectly

on Apr. 6 2012 at 11:39 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."

*for srry

 


on Apr. 6 2012 at 10:05 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."

Thank you so much! I'm glad the first sentence was good! ;)

on Apr. 6 2012 at 10:04 am
Kati_Leigh SILVER, Greensboro, North Carolina
7 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life." - Winston Churchill

Wonderfully written! Really great and enjoyable to read! I was sucked in from the first sentence! :)

on Apr. 6 2012 at 10:03 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."

O thanks so much. Im glad u think so!!! :)

Abbie5 BRONZE said...
on Apr. 6 2012 at 9:59 am
Abbie5 BRONZE, Fresno, California
3 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"writers write, so they can taste life twice"

Wow!!! That is amazing work:) I just wanted to say never stop writing you have a gift.....

on Apr. 6 2012 at 9:52 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."

That is soooooooonice of u to say. I cry all the time wen i read stuff hear. lol thnks fot ur tears ;)

on Apr. 6 2012 at 9:51 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! Glad you enjoyed it!!

on Apr. 6 2012 at 4:16 am
compassion GOLD, Nowhere, Other
12 articles 17 photos 153 comments

Favorite Quote:
Expect to have hope rekindled,expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways! The dry seasons in life do not last,the spring rains will come again.

charismatic!liked it.

on Apr. 6 2012 at 1:11 am
SweetSandyFlower GOLD, Amarillo, Texas
14 articles 0 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
Not everyone has to go to college because ..hello!.. PIZZAS DONT DELIVER THEMSELVES!!!!

I love this..the emotion in it......it took my breath away, and it brought tears to my eyes. i completly relate to this..and it hurts a little..i LOVE it SILVER keep it up..HOw dare you make me cry! lol

on Apr. 6 2012 at 12:48 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."

Well, I'm glad you think so! So glad you liked it!

on Apr. 6 2012 at 12:48 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. I'm glad you picked up on it! Its great to have such awesome readers!

on Apr. 6 2012 at 12:47 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 reallllyy nice to know!

on Apr. 6 2012 at 12:36 am
Nemaidez BRONZE, Wichita Falls, Texas
3 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Childhood Is the Kingdom Where Nobody Dies."
"Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age
The child is grown, and puts away childish things.
Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies." -Edna St.Vincent Millay

I just REALLY love this!

on Apr. 6 2012 at 12:35 am
Nemaidez BRONZE, Wichita Falls, Texas
3 articles 0 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Childhood Is the Kingdom Where Nobody Dies."
"Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age
The child is grown, and puts away childish things.
Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies." -Edna St.Vincent Millay

Wow. It's realy nice how you wrote of love without ur writing being saturated with emotion alone but you also used clear description and imagery. Ofcourse i love the consistency of the fish bowl. & I don't know if it's what you intended but it highlights the reality & injustice of real love. Sorrow included.

on Apr. 5 2012 at 11:53 pm
SpreadUrWingzNFly BRONZE, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
4 articles 0 photos 20 comments
Wow. Just wow. THat was beautiful and enchanting and very insightful, compleatly amazing. I loved it!

on Apr. 5 2012 at 11:32 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 for the comment! Luv ya for it!