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I have a dear, awkward-as-can-be and somewhat socially inept little friend who's been clinging onto me since school started. She's sweet, has no fashion sense, and is utterly obsessed with anime and manga, particularly the popular shows (see: Naruto, Bleach, Death Note, etc). I am, however, constantly disturbed by the overprotective nature of her parents. They don't allow her internet access, which seems the greatest of their faults, but also won't let her listen to certain types of music, threaten punishment if she leaves the house while they're gone, and keep her woefully underexposed to the world at large. This would be a fine set of restrictions for and elementary school student, but this girl is a freshman in high school.

Thus, I've taken a leaf out of Glinda's book and decided to make her my new project. For several years now Ive been on a one-woman quest to save humanity, one morose, depressed, or ignorant teenager at a time, and she, as so many, kind of fell into my lap (though "morose" and "ignorant" don't really apply. Naive, maybe, but not ignorant). Granted, she's also incredibly sweet and--get this--she looks up to me. To me! This, friends, is a startling development when you're living in my world. It's hard not to let power like that go to your head, particularly when you're so self-aware, and sensitive to others. I know what it's like to be under the influence of someone older, cooler, less reserved and more liberated--heady and brilliant, like a buzz. It leaves me giddy when I'm with those people, and (vain as I know this sounds) I can only imagine the same in her, at least a touch. I'll talk to her about personal freedoms, sneaking around her parents, the loveliness that is well-written shonen-ai, and original fiction. She laughs loudly and smiles wide and tells me about the latest chibi fancomic she's drawn (all of which are exceptionally good for her age), and I can't help but see a little bit (okay, a lot) of myself in her.

That's probably what draws me so close, and makes me so passionate about being the catalyst to her change--I want to save her from becoming myself. That, and the fact that even with all of her "flaws", she is one of THE sweetest, most genuine people I've ever met. Human beings are amazing creatures if you look at them right, and she definitely fits that category.

inordinately,
~muse