The One Who Stole the Sky

Gasping

The door slammed so hard and sharp that Max nearly put a thick, black line right through his painting.

"Liesel, don't slam the door like that, you know it scares me." Max waved his paintbrush in the air.

"Sorry, writing is giving me trouble." Liesel threw her books down on the coffee table and jumped back on the couch.

"What is it?" Max wheeled his way over and looked at Liesel from above as she stared up at him where she laid on the couch.

"Nobody believes I can become a writer. Even for a few coins in a corner section of a newspaper. They disagree with all of my ideas." Liesel sighed.

"Why?" Max squints his face in surprise.

"I don't know. I have done bad on all of my essays and pre-writings." Liesel choked in frustration.

"It will get better, you know. Maybe everyone is envious of the way you write so...refreshing." Max swished his paintbrush in his rinsing cup, nearly spilling it atop Liesel.

"That's what you say. But it won't. I am definitely losing it. I don't know what I'm doing wrong, but no one will ever want my books once I write them." Liesel looked at Max, hoping he would say something, but instead he only smiled back.

"I will want your books." Max casually mumbled with his paintbrush in his mouth. Liesel pathetically laughed.

"Besides one person..."

"Three persons!" Max exclaimed. Liesel looked at him puzzled.

"Frau Ilsa, Alex Steiner, and myself." Max nodded.

"Well, besides three people, no one else will want my books." Liesel jumped up and in doing so, head-butted Max.

"Sorry." Liesel apologized.

"What got you up so urgently?" Max asked as he rubbed his head.

"I should call Frau Ilsa. I haven't talked to her since I got here." Liesel ran to the end table near the door where the telephone sat, and dialed in Frau's digits. There was no answer for the while she called.

"Alright, Mr. Steiner it is." Liesel re-dialed and waited for Mr. Steiner.

"Mr. Steiner." He greeted in a cheerful tone.

"It's me, Liesel. Do you know if Ilsa is alright? I tried to call her..." Liesel trailed off.

"Liesel! Where are you? We all thought you got kidnapped or something of the sort." He worried very much about the girl his son was going to marry.

"I'm in Munich now, becoming a writer. Everything is fine, so you need not to worry about me." Liesel purposely left out Max because she did not want him to get charged with kidnapping or abduction or anything of the sort.

"That's wonderful to hear! Ilsa is doing well, besides panicking about where you went." He laughed.

"Tell her I'm doing fine," Liesel ordered in a serious tone, "and that I'm sorry."

"I will tell her first thing when I get done at work. I'll walk right over to her house and tell her." Alex promised.

"Thank you. I will talk to you again soon." Liesel hung up and looked at Max with a solemn look.

"Liesel, I promise you that you will become so well-known. Just give it time, and you will see how you have come so far to achieve your dream." Max put his hand on her shoulder.

Liesel looked up at him and smiled with a closed mouth.

"I do have a book in mind..." Liesel thought.

"Tell me, what is it about?" Max wondered with hungry eyes.

"I cannot say, only when it is published." Liesel wandered behind Max's chair where he was painting, and watched him from over his head.

"Please?" Max bent his head back so that he could see Liesel, but upside down of course.

"Nein." Liesel sung down to him. She thought it would be about the war, but more importantly to her how she, being a German, came to love a Jew named Max. Here, she would write all of her feelings and thoughts that were too scary to show. It would help her cope with such a frustration that poisoned her mind.

"Still haven't gotten over Sylvia , or are you ready for a fresh start?" Liesel asked. It had been a month or so, and Max hasn't really said much about that situation.

"No, I think I can be moving on soon." Max leaned back and looked at his artwork for a moment, then turned to Liesel.

"Still haven't gotten over Rudy, or are you ready for a fresh start?" Max repeated back in a generous, heart warming voice.

"I think it's been long enough, yes, I can move on perhaps." Liesel answered.

"Anyone in your classes worth mentioning?" Max teased.

"None of them compare to my ideal boyfriend or husband or whatever." Liesel mentally pictured Max, since he was her ideal match anyways.

"I see, I'm sure you're standards are pretty high, you are very stubborn." Max turns around now and faces Liesel, whose face is shining bright red.

"Maybe, but in time you will know." That is the only thing Liesel could think of to say to him.

"You confuse me, Liesel. Maybe even frustrate." He tapped a paintbrush almost nervously on his lap while looking at Liesel.

"I do not know what you mean." Liesel somehow felt insecure.

"Me either." Max sighed. He began to look sad again and couldn't help but let it happen.

Liesel slowly approached him and laid her hand on top of his. In an instant, he looked up at her, and gave a weak smile.

"Liesel, I don't know what's good for me anymore. I dragged you here, Sylvia left me, and my feelings are shot numb." Liesel stared at Max.

"I want to be here. Sylvia left because she couldn't see how amazing of a man you are."

"Amazing?" Max rolled his eyes.

"Yes, you are amazing. You brought me here, and now I'm in a writing school because of you.  You work hard, and make others feel happy and appreciated. You are selfless and warm, and a handsome young man who can do this." Liesel had just realized something, she had spoken her mind about how Max makes her feel.