No one knows her. She stays shadowed, never brought forth. She shies away from the light, wary of the blinding brightness. Wanting, yearning for that light.
Whispers of 'that girl' float around her head. No one sees her standing there. Will she let the world in? Will the world let her in?
She wants to scream out "HERE I AM", but the fear grips her again. Shaking, she steps back, further into the shadow. The light plays across her eyes; Shining and beautiful, they hold the world. The bad times she needed to share, to lighten the load, they all weigh her down. Faltering, she gasps.
Her eyes fly open, afraid that someone heard, someone may ridicule her pain. They flash over the crowd, wanting someone to see her, but afraid of what they think.
Then she sees him, stepping out of the crowd. Not participating, just watching. His eyes scanning, taking it all in, looking for something worthwhile. His eyes turn, quickly, and find hers, hidden deep in the shadows. Intrigued, he walks over, never breaking contact. She is scared, turning her eyes from his.
He stops in front of her, still in the light. Reaching into the shadows, he raises her chin, staring deep into her eyes, searching. The piercing blue sees all, nothing hidden. Reaching into her soul, he sees her, bare and exposed. She feels ashamed, knowing nothing is safe from his gaze. His expression is stoic, never changing. He sees her potential, deep inside, hidden. Satisfied, he takes her hand, he leads her out of the shadows. Pulling back, she hesitates. She has stayed hidden so long, she won’t fit in. What does he want from her? Humiliaton? Scared, she holds back. He turns, his easy smile assuring her that he was there.
How was she so trusting? Looking into him, she saw herself, mirrored. He knew her now. Squeezing her hand, he walked towards the group. She walked with him, her confidence growing. Easily cutting through the crowd, he led her closer to the center of the mass. Slowing, she noticed the stares. What did they see? Was she sub-par? Her imagination ran wild. Everyone saw a different flaw, peeling her apart. She felt raw, naked.
Then she saw him standing there, patient, loving. She shook her head, looking around. She saw the looks, and they confused her. Pure admiration. She saw them, seeing her as she really was. She turned to look at him, melting in his smile. She was beautiful. She saw that now. Leading her on, they walked out of the room. She had a little bounce in her step, her smile was contagious. He knew her, had known her his whole life, it seemed. He couldn’t help it, he was smitten. The way her eyes showed her emotions, so easily. He knew that he could protect her from harm. He would stay with her, not let her run anymore.
The nights they spent, just being there. He would keep those forever. He had never fallen so hard for someone, never trusted that much. He was aware of the risks, and let them slide. No matter what happened, nothing could ever convince him that it wasn’t worth it. Smiling, he looked into her eyes, no longer shy, and afraid of his. As he leaned down to kiss her, she thanked God that he had walked into her life, and rescued her from the shadows.