The Mirror

The Mirror.

I walked up to Josh. He sat on the bank of a river, looking out at the water. He heard my footsteps. He turned to me, with a look of hope and loneliness. I sat beside him, a sad smile on my face.
"Let me help you." I said, looking into his eyes. He glared at me and moved away slightly.
"No. You can't. I can't let you get hurt. You- You mean to much to me." He looked away, moving his arms to hold up his knees which he had drawn to his chest. We kept quiet for a few minutes, and then I saw his head tilt to the sky.
"I'm like a mirror. I see things, and I play them back. Remembering another person's pain as if it were my own, and it hurts me, Dorothy. I can't do it. I broke. Like shards of glass. And- and now I feel like I have noth-" I cut him off, drawing him into a hug. He was shaking with sadness, and started to cry silently. He didn't hug me back, but I didn't care. He was letting me. He never let anyone touch him, let alone hug him.
"Then why don't you let me help you put the mirror back togeth-"
"NO!" He pulled away from me, pushing me away again.
"You'll get hurt. Like everyone ALWAYS does! I can't- I can't let you. Please don't." I looked at him and then shook my head.
"Are you that much of an idiot?" He looked at me, tears streaming down his face.
"I have been through more than you can believe. A few cuts won't get rid of me. You, should know that." He sniffed. I turned and got up, walking away. He called out to me.
"I could help you bandage them. If you promise to stay." I stopped, a sad smile crossing my lips. I turned to him, walking, sitting beside him. I intertwined my fingers with his, smiling at him.
"If you will let me, I will be your glue for your broken shards, but I will get cut."
"And I will be there to bandage them." He said softly.
"And I will let you."