Never Again

The rain boy had sworn that he would never again smile. His eyes always soaked the oceans with tears from his past and his heart was always dark and locked to anyone who could try and help him. His world had become so bleak and dark, that he stood in rooms of people that were a blur past him and a guitar that just no longer played.

So when the sunshine girl met the rain boy, for a second, the world stood still.  In that tiny little balcony, where there was only space for two, the sunshine girl asked the rain boy, "When was the last time you smiled?"

The rain boy was startled for a second at someone talking to him, but he answered anyway, "I think…it was ten years ago."

"Is that because someone broke your heart?"

"It is because more than one person broke my heart."

"Oh." She paused for a moment, but looked up again, her eyes dancing like star like diamonds "Well, just because someone broke your heart, it doesn't mean that they should become the hero of your story."

"I've never been the hero in my story. I barely even have a story."

"We all have stories."

"Well I don't. Maybe I used to. But I don't anymore."

"You do. You've just misplaced it."

He finally looked up at her, a puzzled look on his face. "How can you say that?"

She smiled. "Because somewhere out there, there is someone whose life has been changed, just by meeting you."

He snorted, "You can't possibly know that."

"I do. Because each and every one of us has changed someone's life. Even the smallest, tiniest, most broken ones of us all."

"How?"

She took his hand, gently. "By being alive. Every single fibre inside of you tingles, breathes and turns over like a child in a cradle in a fitful sleep...you may not enjoy it every single day... you may hate it...but by the gods, you are alive!"

And do you know, despite his promise…for the first time in ten years, the rain boy actually smiled.