I sit on a bench in my local park staring at the stars, trying to forget the sound of my parents screaming at each other. Tears rush into my eyes and I bite my bottom lip until it throbs. I won’t cry. I won’t show weakness, I tell myself. I hear footsteps and Matt, a boy who is a year above me at school, sits on the other side of the bench. “Hi Grace,” he says.
It takes me a moment to respond because all I can think is, how does he know my name? “Hi,” I finally say.
“Matt,” he says.
“I know,” I say and I feel my cheeks heating up. I press my palms against my cheeks to cool them down.
“Okay,” he shrugs and laughs at the same time. “Parents fighting?" he asks.
"How do you know that?" I ask, frowning.
"I saw them once, dropping you at school, so caught up in themselves that they barely noticed you." He shakes his head, angrily. "I know what that's like too."
"Your parents argue a lot too?"
"Yes. And when my Dad gets really mad he punches my Mum."
"I'm so sorry," I say.
Tears rush into my eyes again, and my hands tighten into fists. Why can't I control my emotions? Matt shuffles along the bench until he’s right next to me, his arm lightly touching mine. His fingers cover one of my fists. Suddenly I can't breath. He's too close but I don't want him to leave.
"You can show how you feel, you know," he says, his voice gentle. "It's not weakness."
I sob, and it echos around the park. How does he get me so easily when I have no idea who I am?
"Mum told me never to show weakness?" I sniff.
"She was wrong," he shakes his head. "Letting your emotions show is brave."
I try to swallow the lump in my throat but I can't hold it in anymore. Matt pulls me into his arms as I cry and I cling to him, my arms around his neck.
"Feel a bit better?" he asks when finally I am calm again. I nod, letting him go, but he holds onto my waist. I feel exhausted, but somehow lighter, like a weight has lifted from my shoulders.
We sit together for a long time, in silence. It's a peaceful silence though. I look up at the sky, and wonder what's in the stars, It's rarely dark enough to see them.
"I'd better go," I say eventually. It's almost 1 AM, way past my curfew.
Matt releases me and we both stand up. I shiver, missing his warmth.
"Thanks for listening."
He nods. "Thank you for being here Grace," he says. "Do you need me to walk you home?"
I shake my head. "It's not far."
"Okay. Night Grace."
"Night Matt."
I watch him walk away until he is out of sight. Will he talk to me at school tomorrow? I can't help wondering. Then I leave the park and run home.
