Nightingale

I was always alone.

Ever since my mother’s departure at five years old, I was always alone. Whatever friends I had during my childhood suddenly disappeared, and I kept to myself in the back of my classroom. Even at lunch and recess, I would not play with anyone else – instead sitting on the small stone wall on the outskirts of the play area and using small rocks to write letters on the wall.

No one ever approached me, and I didn’t mind that. In fact, I welcomed it. I mean, why would anyone ever want to speak to me? I was stupid and ugly. I could not talk to anyone or hold a conversation. My grades were average (my father made sure to remind me of that as often as possible) and I was simply not worth speaking to. I had accepted this fact at a very young age, and I learned to love the silence and loneliness that accompanied me.

It wasn’t until I was thirteen years old that he approached me. I was in seventh grade, a first year in junior middle school, and it was my birthday. I was shocked when a third year suddenly approached me at my usual place on the wall and sat down next to me.

“Huang Mei?” he asked. I stopped writing and slowly looked up at the handsome boy who had sat down next to me. He had large eyes and a pretty smile. He was pretty like a girl, but his short hair and male uniform told me he was definitely a boy.

I didn’t speak, as I was still too surprised that he had spoken to me in the first place. So, I nodded my head, telling him that he had found the right person. His smile grew and he reached into his pocket. He pulled out an envelope that obviously held a card in it.

“This is for you,” he said, “Today is your birthday, right?” I stared at the card he was holding and nodded my head, surprised that he knew that it was my birthday. Nobody knew it was my birthday today. My father never acknowledged anything that had to do with me – never mind my birthday – and I didn't even think my teachers or classmates knew that my birthday is April 13^th.

“Happy birthday then!” the boy exclaimed, holding the card out to me, “As the school’s Class President, I am in charge of giving this to you.” I stared at the card that was in the envelope for an extra second before finally taking it. I continued to stare at it in my hand. I could feel the boy’s eyes still on me.

“Aren’t you going to open it?” he asked. It took me a second to realize that he was waiting for me to open it in front of him. When I did, I quickly put the rock that I had been writing with down and ripped the envelope open. I pulled out the card that said “Happy Birthday” on it in large, English letters, as well as the Chinese words written underneath. There was a young girl on the cover, and it looked like she was trying to hug someone as she smiled brightly. I opened the card and saw a bunch of signatures on it, wishing me a happy birthday.

“How old are you today?” the boy asked. I continued to read the different birthday wishes that all looked the same. The kids signing it probably had no idea who they were even wishing a happy birthday to, as my name was simply written at the top of the card, but not by any of the students. Suddenly, I realized that I had to answer the boy’s question.

“Thirteen,” I finally answered, quietly. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him nod.

“That’s a great age,” he said, “I guess you’re a first year then?” I nodded my head, closing the card and slipping it back into the envelope.

“Yeah,” I said, slightly louder this time, “Thank you for this, but…how did you know?” I risked looking at him, and saw his large eyes widen in confusion.

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“How did you know today is my birthday?” I repeated, “I never told anybody…”

The boy smiled kindly, “Oh, I saw it in the records. As the school’s Class President, it’s part of my job to know everyone’s birthday and do something to celebrate it.”

I nodded my head and looked back down. I then picked up the rock that I had been writing with and continued to write on the stone wall.

“Well,” I said, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” he said, and I felt him lean over what I was writing, “What are you doing?”

I glanced up at him quickly, “Writing.”

“On the wall?”

I nodded my head in response as I continued to write. This time, I wrote my name, 黃美. Suddenly, I saw his hand holding a rock and writing next to mine. I stopped writing and watched as he drew the characters into the stone. When he was finally done, I looked at what he had written – 鹿晗.

“Lu Han?” I asked, looking up at him. He smiled at me.

“That’s my name,” he said, putting the rock down and standing up, “I’ll see you around, Huang Mei!” He waved as he ran out into the playground. I watched as he joined his friends by the soccer goal and they began dividing up soccer teams. I then looked back down at the name he had written and felt a smile creep onto my face.

Looking back, I realize that that was the first time I had smiled in almost eight years. And all it took was a boy in my school to hand me a birthday card and write down his name on a stone wall with a rock.

Back then, I was always alone. And I never would have guessed that the boy named Lu Han would be the one to save me from my loneliness – my nightingale.

Yay! Second chapter! :D So yeah, I know that this is another Demi Lovato song (I just love her, ok?) but the song was the best fit I could find for this chapter. And, literally, the last two words of the chapter were added as soon as I decided on the song. I searched and searched, not only my iPod, but also the internet for a song that would fit this chapter and in the end, I chose Nightingale. ^_^

Anyway, I hope you guys like this chapter! Now we know that Luhan was her childhood love! O-M-G! xD But yeah, thanks for reading, commenting, and subscribing! It really means a lot guys! ^_^