Hidden

I closed my eyes for a moment, and then went over to the fence.

"Hey Xander! I haven't seen you at school lately. What're you doing here?"

Her being seemed to surge with energy, as if being away from school recharged her.

"Hi." I couldn't say her name. I couldn't bring myself to soil her name like that. "I've been sick."

The lie slipped out so easily; it surprised me with its fluidity.

"Joe and Bev have been taking care of me. They're very kind."

She nodded emphatically. Her dark waves caught the sun and glistened a golden red color. That surprised me; I had always thought that her hair was too dark to truly be so multidimensional. But, indeed, it was.

"They really are. They're some of the best neighbors that we've ever had."

"Katie!" someone shouted. It was one of the boys.

She turned her whole body, and was facing the sunset. The sun was hitting her full in the face, and it made her eyes pop. They were a spectacularly bright brown, with a myriad of darker flecks around the center, and a dark ring lining the outer rim of the iris.

"What?" she asked.

"Come up here."

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm talking." At that, she turned back to me. "I'm sorry. So are you alright?"

"Wha-?"

My thoughts had taken me so far away, and yet kept me tethered so close.

"You said you were sick and that that was why you haven't been at school."

"Oh. Yeah, a little. I probably won't be there the rest of the week. I've been feeling really bad and..." I trailed off a bit helplessly.

Her face fell slightly, but soon concern molded them. "Yeah. I know what's it's like to feel miserable." She pushed her lips to the side; it was a nervous habit. That, and chewing on her lip.

All her stress was pushed into her lips.

It startled me that I realized that, but then I noticed something.

"What happened to your hands?"