When I look at the stars, I see someone else.
‘Wait, what? Are you serious?’ I asked. We were here almost 3 days… Could it happen so fast? Iris never falls in love so soon. Or, I didn’t know her that way.
‘Yes,’ she said. I saw her blushing. I was so happy for her. She deserves to be happy. Those four years on high school were heavy. Also for her. Even if she isn’t bullied that long, she knows that it hurts me to think about that time.
‘Iris, but, we’re here for like 3 days, how could that happen?’ She just stared at me. Something she never did. Most of the time she explained things. Well, she explains always everything. This wasn’t normal. Iris doesn’t stare. Maybe Andre changed her. Not in a bad way, but in a good way. Sometimes Iris talks too much. Most of the time, that’s nice. Then I don’t have to talk.
‘I don’t know, Nienke, I really don’t know. It just happened,’ she said. Her cheeks were pink. It looked so cute. When Iris was in love, she was so happy. Her eyes were bright and I could see a little spark in them. I couldn’t hide a little smile on my face.
‘Why are you laughing?’ she asked. I knew she saw it. Iris sees anything. That’s her character.
‘O, it’s nothing. I was thinking about something,’ Please don’t ask for more. Please don’t do it… Please! Iris, for one time! I can’t explain it now.
‘Okay, well, uuuhm, breakfast’s ready. Do you come?’
‘ I’ll come later, is that alright? I want to go to the beach,’ Maybe I could find that boy. Is that weird? Looking for a boy. It’s not something for me. Most of the time I just stared at anything.
‘Yeah, that’s fine, Andre asked if you wanted to wake Josh, do you want that?’
‘Sure,’ I said. What if Josh was rude? Like my classmates? Nienke, be yourself, you can do this. It’s just a boy.
Now I realized who Josh was. Josh was the boy next door, he has room next to mine.
I knocked on the door, and heard a moan. Apparently he was awake. Slowly I opened the door and saw the same boy as yesterday.
‘Uuuhm, I’m sorry, Andre said I had to wake you, I guess for breakfast,’ I stuttered. He smiled sleepy, and yawned.
‘Don’t feel sorry, it’s alright,’ He said. Don’t look at me. Please, don’t do it… I can’t do it, now. I’m not ready.
And, of course, he looked at me. I saw that he recognized me.
‘I know you, you’re that girl from the beach, what are you doing here?’ He asked. He was amazed. I knew that look. I saw it so many times.
‘Yeah, I know, but, uuuuhm, I live here, you know,’ Again that look. His eyes were amazing. Soft, brown and bright.
‘You live here?’ He asked, surprised. I saw a little twinkle in his eyes. What was this? First Iris, now Josh.
‘Yes, Iris and I came here a few days earlier,’ Why do you look at me that way? Nobody ever did that? Why is my heart bouncing that loud? What if he heard that? Why am I blushing? Too many questions, none answers.
‘Iris is your friend?’ He asked. I nodded my head, which made him smile. Again, he did it again, I was blushing again. I couldn’t hide it. Why can’t I be normal? Like everyone else? Is it that hard? Rae always said I was different. Every time she said that, I didn’t believe her. Because I’m not. I’m just me.
Josh’s smile was getting bigger. Which made my cheeks were getting redder.
‘It’s nice to see you again, I thought I would never see you again,’ He said with a sad smile. I could see the truth in his eyes. Nobody ever said that. Not like this.
‘Are you serious?’ I said with red cheeks. I couldn’t help it. But, I never liked a boy. I didn’t know this feelings. Maybe they were new? I could keep that as a question. I’ll find it out.
‘Yes, you seemed different. You didn’t follow the crowd, you just sat there, staring at the sea, watching other people, that’s what inspires me,’ When he said that, he putted his hand on the spot next to him. I guess I could sit next to him? Oooh, I wasn’t good at this stuff.
‘I’m not different, I’m just me,’ I stuttered.
‘And that’s what inspires me, there are less of you.’ He smiled. I could get lost in his eyes. Maybe I was lost. I couldn’t think normal, all I could think about was him.
‘Uuuhm, but I don’t know your name,’ He said.