A bicycle, a helmet, and a basket full of newspapers. That was all he had with him as he rode through the neighborhoods. As he passed by houses, he lifted his hand, grabbed a paper, and swiftly and gently tossed it to the doorstep. He had turned it into an art form. The people never asked for the paperboy’s name, but they all knew him well. They knew that he was still in high school, his favorite color was the blue in the sky, and his eyes were like clouds while his hair was like the driest of soil.
The paperboy’s job required that he only deliver newspapers, however he took the time to get to know the people to whom he delivered those papers. He was a very sociable and kind young man. Likewise, the people he talked to were kind and sociable. Even the grumpy elders couldn’t help but be charmed by the boy. He was a friend to all.
However, the paperboy hid certain things from them all; secrets he wouldn’t share with anyone.
After a long day of working, the paperboy would find a spot on a hill to rest for a moment as he gazed up at the stars. His favorite color was indeed the blue in the sky, but he would never specify which sky. To him, the night sky was more beautiful than anything the world could give him. Nothing compared to the painting above his head.
The boy was not in high school, because he had no money for it. He barely got paid enough to live. He worked three jobs, all paying minimum wage. That was enough for him to live in his own apartment and eat daily. It was hard for a seventeen year old to find a good job.
He never found himself to be unlucky, though. Quite the opposite, he told himself that he was the luckiest man alive, because the stars would always smile down at him after he had completed another day.
He never longed for more, he believed he had enough. There was only ever one person who made him want something he didn’t have. A girl whose name he didn’t know. All he wanted was to know her name, but when the time came to ask, he froze. This continued to happen each time he would meet her. The girl’s golden-hazel eyes that were almost covered by her short auburn hair captured his attention like fireworks. Her small voice was mouse-like, and made his voice crack like the whip of a showman. Her pale, freckled skin, that showed she preferred to stay inside, would make his cheeks red like the rose he wanted to give her. Everything, from the pin in her hair to the laces on her shoes, utterly captivated him.
But how could a paperboy like him ever get the name of a girl like her? He had given up hope after his tenth attempt. The one he valued the most in this world where he had nothing. The one thing he wanted. The paperboy’s heart felt like the newspaper he threw to his acquaintances’ doorsteps. It sank to the floor, waiting to be picked up again.
Little did he expect a pale, freckled arm to pick up that heart.
“Can I ask your name?” The girl inquired, approaching the paperboy on his little hill as he gazed at the stars above.
The young man turned his attention to the girl. Seeing her in that gray, long-sleeved hoodie that almost covered her hands made the butterflies in his stomach flutter about. He had to ask again for what she said, as he was sure she did not ask what he heard.
The girl repeated her question, and the paperboy’s face began to heat up. His eyes showed the fiery storm that raged in his heart. Failing not to stutter, he gave her his name. Then, with all his power and strength, he posed the same question to her.
This was his moment. The paperboy could finally have something he wanted, but after this moment, he realized it wasn’t just her name that he wanted. He wanted to be close to her, to know her.
He wanted to love her.
The girl smiled, and the paperboy finally saw something more beautiful than his night sky.
“My name is…”
Ruuku Writes 