Taking My Time [Broca]

Something nudged her back. She jumped, her legs folding sideways so that she was now on her knees in alarm. "What's wrong little one?" The board asked her. She raised her head, looking up at him with surprise and confusion. Her heart wrenched to get her to reply, but when she opened her mouth, no words escaped her lips. She was already drifting away in wonder to why he was using the board.

She turned away from him, looking at the ground where she sat. "Nothing." She murmered, her fingers tracing the dirt. "Wh-why do you ask?" Her broken voice questioned. Her mouth felt moist and dry, unable to say more. She didn't dare ask about the board, nor could another word be spoken.

Lakie turned her head back around to read the next message on the board. "I ask because you don't look happy." It read.

Lakie watched him draw his board back and erase. As he began writing again, she drifted off. Is it really that obvious that I'm not happy? She wondered. As she read the next message, her eyebrows raised. "Don't worry I am a mute, meaning I can't speak. The board makes it easier."

Lakie thought about it a few moments before nodding in understanding. She forced herself to speak once again. She hadn't spoken to a new person in a long time, so she was going to try and not offend anyone today. "Sorry to h-hear that." She replied unevenly. She blinked, rubbing her legs with her arms. "I'm alright, just taking a few minutes to think to myself." She felt her mouth become moist again, but she forced her broken voice to continue. "What's your name?"

What am I thinking about... What am I thinking about... She asked herself. Really, she had tried not to think about such problems and mainly tried to relax in the setting sun. But the thoughts still weighed her down. She shrugged, turning back to the setting sun. Before she answered, she looked back at his second question. She nodded slowly, scooting over so that he could sit next to her. She sighed before speaking, resting her arms in her crossed legs.

She hesitated. Usually, she wouldn't tell such things to anyone. She kept many of her feelings bottled up inside. But this person seemed sympathetic to her feelings, and she told herself that she needed to let it out. If she left it bubbling up inside, it could hurt her one day. "I... I've just been having trouble with other people. I can't seem to talk right, I'm just- I don't know." She rubbed her head. "I guess I've just been afriad to have a friend after my last friend." She glanced around cautiously. "Long story short, she tried to get me to run from the district with her when times were tough. I said no, and she got mad at me. But when she tried to escape with a few of her friends, they were all killed." She shook her head. She was starting to ramble, a bad habit of hers. "My self-confidence is just really low lately. My mom died when I was only like two, and my dad isn't around very often, but I need to stop complaining. My life isn't a whole sob story." She shrugged, looking back at Broca. "I'm just, afraid of others. It sounds silly, but it's true." She said, rubbing the back of her neck.

Lakie swallowed, feeling surprised at how much she let out. A small weight was lifted that she was able to share it with Broca, but she then felt a small knot in her stomache, wondering what he'd say to that. She hoped he wouldn't do anything like think of her as a whining little child. She just didn't have the confidence to have a friend. Now that she seemed finished, she didn't dare add more. She instead brushed some dirt off her shorts and glanced at him. "So how come you've had a bad week?" She asked, hoping to avoid her own life.

Lakie's eyes widened at his story. She blinked sadly, shaking her head. "I'm so sorry Broca." She said, frozen where she sat. She couldn't imagine her farher being killed by the capitol. Her life seemed like lollipops and candycanes compared to his. She read his next words, and nodded with a small smile, mostly because she wanted to hug him to reassure him. She reached over and gave him a hug, hoping the slight little motion would make him feel better. She shoved her life aside for the moment.

She released her hug and shoved her hair aside on one side of her face. "I'm Lakie, by the way." She said after a moment with a small smile.

She gave a small smile and leaned back, leaning on her arms and stretching her legs out. She watched the sun slowly, steadily, climb behind the ground. "I don't know." She replied. "I'm never outside this time of day. The sun looks really pretty when it's setting." She admired, watching the sky turn a dark orange and purple.

She reflected back on her own life. Hidden from the world, isolated, afraid to speak, and ere she was pouring her life out to a stranger. How she found the confidence to even say hi, she had no clue. He just seemed to nice, so willing to help her. Not many people she met cared about listening to problems.

Maybe she finally found a friend.

Lakie watched the sun climb lower. The sky's colors astounded her. She studied it with her sparkling green eyes.

Lakie glanced at the slate board, sighing. "I don't know." She answered, casting her gaze around. She then inwardly winced, feeling bad that most her answers were 'I don't know'. So, she thought about what she would do tomorrow.

Usually, she would walk home and stay inside the house until her father came home. It was very rare for her to be outside of the house around this time of day. "Maybe I'll go for another walk." She answered, watching the smallest part of the sun sink into the darkness. She drifted into her thoughts. He mentioned his sister dieing in the hunger games. Now curious, she swallowed silently, and asked with a shaky voice "What was your sister's name?"

((I apologize for short and crappy post XD))