His nights grew like sponges, fully immersed and over soaked with the pressure of having a secret. Insecurities imprisoned him inside of his own mind when he tried to talk to his love. Love is what he wanted, but his problems shackled him to the safety of his house. As this story unfolds, we must enter the creative, yet odd brain of Wayne Newlib. Along with having a name “tailor made” for mocking, Wayne has a unique problem that he deals with daily. Stress doesn’t break his perfect complexion, or swirl his thoughts into mush, like most people. When encountering happiness, or thoughts of hope, Wayne’s head fills with a strange smelling gas, and it detaches from his neck before floating away. Whatever, or whoever made Wayne had a sick sense of humor, adding a string that trails beneath his gravity defying head for him to hold onto like a balloon. When his head is attached to his neck, the string lies in his stomach, leading up his throat and attaching to his uvula. A slight gag lies in Wayne’s throat constantly, but overtime he’s developed an immunity to the discomfort. Life is fairly normal for Wayne, as long as he takes his medication. About six months ago, Wayne and his mother went to the doctor to see what could be done for his problem. Not the floating head problem, the depression one. He had spent his days carefully making sure his mother wouldn’t find out about his spontaneously detaching cranium
“So, what brings you in today?” the doctor softly asks.
“Um, I don’t know. I guess I just don’t wanna be sad anymore.”
After 38 minutes and 56 seconds of staring at the clock, he finally got the prescription he was hoping for. “Azithromil to fix the sadness” he thought. This new drug found its way into Wayne’s daily routine, and now living without it isn’t an option. At first it bothered him having to take medicine to feel normal, but now he just takes it and leaves for school, not giving himself any time to be sad about it. After leaving out the door, he walks to the bus stop to wait. Once at school he watches the clock and counts the seconds down to freedom, not speaking one bit during this time. Although he doesn’t say much, his head is full of ideas to inspire. At lunch Wayne sits with his friends, but still doesn’t say anything in fear of losing his head. After lunch he sits quietly in class for a few more hours before riding the bus back home. This is what Wayne’s life is like during the daytime. However, when night falls his head is in the air. Thinking about things that start with “What if I could just”, and these things bring along the feeling. That feeling he gets right before his crown lifts from his neck, the feeling of fright mixed with hope. Once the door to his room is unlocked and the light finds its way back through the window, it’s time for silence again, because no one can know. Wayne pulls the string in his hand, and follows it up until he grasps his head and secures it for the day. Once it’s on, it’s off to another day at school.
“Mr. Newlib!” The teacher calls while checking attendance.
“Um, here.” Wayne squeezes out.
After speaking, he can feel his hands starting to sweat. He looks to his left to see a wide eyed girl staring at him.
“I’m shy too!” the girl shouts  “I know it doesn’t seem like it or whatever, but I’m like actually a pretty shy person, like this one time at camp me and my friend were like…”
Wayne stops listening to The Annoyance and focuses his attention on his crush. Michelle Brookes. Wayne wanted nothing more than to be her love. Michelle has naturally curly hair, and chubby cheeks that for some reason made her prettier in Wayne’s eyes. She is the most perfect girl Wayne has ever seen, but he knows she will never be his.
“Are you even listening to me?” The Annoyance shrieked
Wayne ignored the girl and let his mind drift back to Michelle. Why would such a perfect girl be so quite? He thought to himself. While pondering, he found himself examining her while she read. He liked the way she tapped her foot when she concentrates. He liked the way she looked. He liked the way she breathed. Wayne’s eyes drifted towards the clock, where he found himself yet again counting the seconds. After 43 seconds his eyes returned to Michelle’s seat, but she wasn’t there. He searched the room to find her sharpening her pencil by the teacher’s desk. She started towards her desk, but when she went to lift her leg, her feet seemed to be entangled. The class roared with laughter as Michelle hit the ground. Not saying a word she sat up and turned her blood red face towards the laughter. Suddenly, a heavy silence fell over the classroom. Teardrops were falling from the ceiling as Michelle held the string attached to her floating head. Wayne felt his eyes begin to well up with tears at the sight. Time had frozen, and there was Michelle at the front of the room, holding her crying face on a string, while her headless body shook with fear. Tears raced down Wayne’s face as he stood up and began walking. He marched through the silence and stood next to Michelle
“I think you look beautiful.” Wayne said.
At that moment he felt the string in his throat getting tighter.
“And, and, I don’t even know you, but dammit, I think I love you.”
He could see her eyes smiling as she blushed. Soon Wayne’s vision began to rise up above the class as his head lifted up next to hers. Side by side Michelle and Wayne stood, grasping the strings tightly. The pungent gas filled the room as Michelle pulled the string toward Wayne. He felt her breath in his ear as she softly said, “Dammit, I think I love you, too”.