Black, strawberry kiss!
Crowned with laurel!
The suns rays, radiated warmly on the ground, the grass, flowers and trees swallowing the light greedily for the photosynthesis programme. Birds happily whistling as they soared through the blue sky, dogs yapping in a near by garden and a cat perched upon a fence watching the birds with predatory eyes. Field mice, clambering around on the ground, enjoying the rays upon the fur on their back, caterpillars munching away on the fresh green leaves on bushes and trees, butterflies, fluttering above flowers, their silk like wings, more like delicate petals. Bees buzzing from flower to flower collecting pollen, a few wasps enjoying the bins and even some beetles creeping on the blades of grass.
Summer was here, and it showed with the enjoyable dance of the animals, each having a purpose in Gods creation of nature. Mother nature, was being exceptionally kind that year, large blooming buds, greenery of rich life, and even children, parents, adults, and the elderly took note of this as they sat outside of their homes, the warmth bouncing on their skin in a splendid warmth.
Everyone and everything were outside, taking in the summer as much as they could, knowing this beautiful weather wouldn't last long. Clad in only short sleeved shirts of thin strap shirts and shorts or skirts, each human being in that particular town soaking in the weather with a possessiveness.
Winter was over, no snow was left and even the spring seemed short as the summer crept in quickly. Nobody complained however, they were happy to have wonderful sunshine on the rare occasions and that made them take advantage of it for as long as they had that weather.
Laurence Ren seemed to ignore the weather as she trudged around the town with a cap on her head of short bangs, her fringe covering her eyes- a pair of baggy jeans on her long legs and a t-shirt under a hoodey.
Her hands were stuffed in her pockets as she clambered up a cobbled hill up into the market. She was a little breathless, because of the heat and walk, but she calmed her pants as she stood against a wall and continued forward into the bustling market square. Wandering into the indoor market, escaping the grabbing persuasions of the outdoor stalls set up on that Saturday, Laurence remained squeezing past the shoppers until she came up to a stall. With a content sigh she made her way to what she wanted, looking up and down at the various DVDs that stood on shelves, awaiting for someone to bye them and watch them.
Laurence muttered the name under her breath of what she wanted, looking under her heavy fringe at the names pointing them out one by one until she grabbed a case and smirked contently, looking to her side to pay for it. The man in charge gave a nod as she handed him a note. She nodded satisfied and received her change thanking her for her sale and giving a wave as she left with a simple 'thanks' under her breath.
She didn't feel like escaping the cool underground, indoor market just yet and pondered around the other stalls, stopping at one or two to view the merchandise placed for sale.
"I wonder."
She mused picking up a medal that was sitting on the bench of one of the stalls which happened to sell vintage items such as medals, mugs, coins and even a few hair brushes. The stall was stacked with different items, from paintings and pictures, to chairs with great carved detail.
"Can I help you there?"
The owner of the stall asked with a pleasant smile. Laurence glanced up towards the tall man and shook her head, setting the medal back down with simple curiosity.
"No! I'm just looking."
She replied smoothly and continued on her way out of the indoor market and back out into the scorching hot market square, which hadn't emptied so much, but seemed to have multiplied from the past twenty minutes she had escaped into the indoor market.
She gave a smooth dash to the middle of the square, where a large statue of a horse and its knight stood. Sitting upon the statues steps she gave a puff, scratched her forehead lifting her bangs from her glassed eyes and took the DVD from the plastic bag, turning it over to read the blurb, letting her fringe fall back into place.
"I suppose it wouldn't be bad to watch with a friend… or something like that."
Laurence mumbled quietly to herself. She was alone that day, having to come into the town for whatever she wanted silently and simply because nobody wanted to spend their Saturday with her, so she wandered down to collect what she wanted and then she'd head home in hope that she would fine something to entertain herself with.
She was contently reading the blurb, giving a small nod as she skimmed her eyes across the back of the DVD glancing at the few images. Looking up briefly she noted the time on the clock overhead on a church. Frowning she glanced to her watch on her wrist, frowning once again as the hands were slowly ticking to one in the afternoon. She frowned fumbling for her phone and too look at the digital time. Surely enough the hands had been ticking quietly to one and she couldn't have moved so fast. She was up on her feet within an instant, stuffing the DVD into her bag and quickly speeding along in a timed walk. She kept glancing to her watch as she sped down the hill she had clambered and was soon in a rushed jog along the bridge, then into a dash as she turned the corner and up the path, passing shoppers, swerving around them as not to bump into them.
She remained running as she crossed over a busy road, jogging on the spot as the cars sped by, waiting for a chance to get over the busy road. She immediately dashed over at the chance and continued her run past a graveyard, having to pull off her jacket tying it around her waist as she paused for a moment to catch her breath. Since her stop was at a crossing she frowned watching the cars speed past, and just as she tied a knot around her waist she dashed over at her chance and was soon on the run again refusing to stop until she got back home.
She smiled as she was closing up to her home, her cheeks flushed from running, her legs shivering as she ran, her heart racing with anticipation and excitement. Turning another corner with a sharp skid on her feet she ran and ran until she was straining her body, but none-the-les she ran and ran until she got to the front door of her house. Opening it, she forced open the door, gasping in air, taking quick strides through the house, looking in the glass door to the living room, seeing it clean and tidy as she had left that morning. She gasped once again and dashed through the corridor through to the kitchen and out into the open back door and into the garden. She was breathless looking to a group of people who happily sat under the shade of an umbrella by a table. Wearing sunglasses and their own summer clothing, Laurence panted looking down to them clutching her fists. A male stood removing his sunglasses, his deep brown orbs staring at Laurence as she swallowed in the air greedily.
He was a tanned tall man with handsome facial features and a broad body complex. With his short black hair he could easily be classed under the tall, dark and handsome list.
Laurence stood her ground, raising her chin proudly as he approached her slowly. He smirked, pausing only a metre away from her as he raised his arms out his lips breaking into a large smile that was complimented with his sparkling white teeth.
"Yo… Kiddo."
He smiled, Laurence smiling, throwing herself into her arms as he gripped tightly onto her shoulders burying his nose into her hair after flinging it off to smell the sweet unique smell of her coloured hair. A scent of herbs and soap, fruits and her own scent of the wild musky scent of pine and oak. However as her nose was buried in his chest she only smelt sweat, and the odd smell of incense and foreign air. She smiled into his breast, enjoying the musky scent of the tall man.
"I missed you big bro."
She smiled enjoying the warmth from her brothers tanned skin. If anything apart from the heat, the warmth of twos skin would make even the hottest day unbearable, yet the two stood hugging each other until they couldn't take the heat any longer, pushing away from each other to take in deep breaths.
Sitting back at the table, Laurence pulled up her own chair as she was offered a can of herbal tea that her mother had bought especially from the Asian store in town. Selling many unusual foods, this could not be bought in a regular store, including different assortments of rice, seaweed, even juices and teas that were rare until they were introduced by the kindness of the foreign store.
She guzzled down the sweet liquid her mother shaking her head with a soft smile to her daughter. Laurence looked to her mother, to her elder brother to her youngest, then to her aunt who sat happily sipping on an ice cool glass of orange juice. Her youngest brother smirked to his sister, sticking out his tongue. Laurence responded in the only necessary way, sticking her tongue back out at him.
"So George… you were saying before."
Laurence's mother sighed swallowing a mouthful of apple juice, taking a draw of her cigarette calmly. George gave a sigh, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he gathered his glass of Orange juice that he had been given to cool himself down from the warm weather.
"Well like I was saying, I'm only on holiday from work for a week. So that gives me another five more days to get my souvenir shopping."
George smirked ruffling Laurence's hair as she calmly doodled on the table with her finger sipping contently on the iced tea. Her mother nodded with an understanding smile and touched Laurence's nose lightly wiping away a bit of muck that was possibly there since the beginning.
"I see. I'm sure dear Daniel would take you around the best stores."
The group laughed as Daniel smiled happily his short blonde hair glittering a much more bleacher colour than his usual hazel colour in the winter. George chuckled and nodded nudging his younger brother fondly.
"I'm sure he does. But."
Seriousness swept over the garden once again as a butterfly simply fluttered past Laurence, her eyes watching its wings behind her bangs thoughtfully wondering. Wondering, if she was ever a butterfly, would she ever be as free as the butterfly was in the open summer air. She gazed lightly at the butterfly her eyes never moving away from the delicate coloured wings as they battered together in sync as the small delicate finger moved from flower to flower.
"I would like to take Laurence back to Japan with me."
That was all Laurence heard. She blinked the movement causing the butterfly to fly away as her head jerked up to see her Brother and her Mother.
"You want to take Laurence to Japan with you. For how long?"
Her mother frowned. George smiled and stood pulling out a few leaflets, one for a school, and another for the plane ride. He smiled pulling out another leaflet for his own company in which he worked for. Her mother looked at the leaflets with mild interest, first the company leaflet. She was impressed by what she saw and it was shown by her wide green eyes. She looked to the plane leaflet next and nodded glancing through it. Then came the school leaflet, which she frowned at, unable to understand the words written.
"I was thinking a year or so. You seem to be having a few difficulties with Daniel. It is just a suggestion. Of course it is a suggestion between yourself and Laurence."
George sighed, gulping down some of the orange juice. Laurence was speechless as she only listened to her brother. She was silent; unable to understand what her brother was gong on about, why he was saying such things.
"I can understand that."
Her mother sighed, lighting another cigarette.
"And you're going to enrol her in this school right here."
Her mother questioned pointing to the school leaflet. George nodded with a kind smile gently moving away Laurence's long fringe. Laurence pulled away, refusing for her brother to see what was under her fringe, there was a reason she hid her eyes. Her brother sighed and gave a nod settling with a warm hand on her cheek.
"That is only if you are permitting me to take her."
George nodded gently stroking Laurence's soft hair soothing her unusual silent panic and wonder.
"Well Laurence has always said she has a fascination with the Japanese culture. I suppose I have no objection with it. Perhaps it might do her some good."
Her mother said lightly. George nodded with understanding. Laurence looked up; her mother had told him about what had happened. She knew she had. It was written across her mothers face quite clearly. But when. When had she told him to make him consider this big decision?
"I suppose I'll give her the rest of the week to pack and say good bye to her friends. And to also choose if she wants to come along. I'll collect her on the end of the week."
George smiled as Laurence clutched tightly onto her can. Her mother gave a soft nod and smiled.
"How about you stay for dinner. And maybe during the week we can go for a meal together with you and your wife."
George gave a nod chuckling lightly.
"I suppose a meal during the week would be nice. And I can't. I've got to get back to Anne as soon as possible."
George muttered. Nodding, Laurence simply looked to her brother, smiling and gave a quick nod.
"I'll come with you."
She smiled standing up equally to her brother whom had already stood to leave. George blinked before he placed his glasses on. Smiling he nodded quickly giving her a tight grip and nodded.
"Then I'll see you for dinner at that `cafe rouge`."
Laurence nodded as she waved to her elder brother, watching his back as he left. She turned sadly to her mother, aunt and younger brother who smiled to her. They were happy for Laurence, yet although they were happy it seemed like they were going to be sad when she left.
Laurence gave a sharp turn into the house and marched up into her bedroom where she remained for the rest of the day, thinking.
Laurence hadn't moved from her room since that day her elder brother had arrived. She left for the necessary things, such as food and to wash her face, teeth and even to get a warm bath to sooth the strain in her legs and arms, but she always trudged back to her room in her pyjamas silently watching the ceiling, or attempting to read a book to wash away her thoughts.
Nothing could scrub out the thoughts, not even the healing thoughts of TV which she had attempted a few times but got board as soon as she switched the screen on. So she remained lying on her bed just watching the ceiling and even going back to sleep. She was disturbed on the third day of being by herself, and she groaned as the covers were pulled off her, her mother towering over the bed sighing, smelling of strong menthol smoke that clung to her mothers breath.
"You've been up in your room for three days now. We're going for a meal with him today. You have two hours to sort yourself out before we leave the house. That means a fresh bath, you reek of sweat. And wear something nice. How about that summer dress your aunt bought you last year. You haven't worn that in a while."
Her mother insisted rummaging through the wardrobe in order to find the white dress she was talking about. Once finding the dress that was her objective she flung it over Laurence who groaned at the contact of the fabric. Sitting up she moaned seeing the dress and shuffled out of bed as her mother left the room.
Laurence trudging into the bathroom groaned as she stripped off her shirt and pants dipping into the warmth of the water, soaking her pores washing away the stench of sweat, and even dunking her head of short hair into the tub, washing away any dirty and tangles from the mass of bangs. With a quick scrub to her head and arms and legs she was out of the bath and drying her skin, shoving on the dress without a complaint. She dried her hair with the hairdryer, quickly taking a few moments to scrub a bit of lotion onto her cheeks, from some of the dry skin that was slowly disappearing.
She was drunk with the urge to sleep and although she was refusing to go back mentally, physically she truly wanted to just sleep away until she had to go to Japan.
However she stood after giving a quick comb of her fluffy hair and simply stood, puling a cardigan over her pale arms and trudging out of the room, slowly stepping down the stairs in a pair of white flats, that she had barely worn.
Surely enough she was five minutes early. She was having a slow day in getting ready and as she stepped down the stairs, her mother rushed to her tugging her out of the house and into their aunts car in which they then drove into the town for lunch with George and his wife Anne.
By the time Laurence, arrived home she couldn't believe Anne. She was beautiful and Laurence was happy that her elder brother had found someone to love, but yet the woman kept turning her nose up at Laurence. Glaring at her in anyway possible, with what Laurence noted, Anne had purposely knocked over a drink on her dress, she wasn't bothered that Anne had ruined the dress, but yet she had to wear it and the fact that it was white made the situation worse as she blushed. Anne had apologised, explaining that it was a accident, in which Laurence only nodded and dried most of it up. When George wasn't looking and no one else was, Anne would warn Laurence with a deep glare. When they were exciting the restaurant, Anne tugged Laurence back and snarled out.
"He's my man now. I don't care if he's your big brother. All the attention is for me got that."
Laurence was baffled, which made her days worse. She trudged along back to the car, waving goodbye to her brother who frowned and forcibly held her in a hug smiling, breathing in his little sisters scent which he admittedly loved. Laurence hugged him briefly and watched as Anne gave her a horrid glance just before she left.
The rest of the night went so painfully quick as she slept for the last fourth day. The last fifth day dedicated to her family helping her pack silently.
Her Aunt packed all of her shirts into the suitcase, folding them neatly while her mother pushed the rest of her jeans into the bottom. Her pyjamas were limited so they were stuffed in the large case. Her underwear was stuffed simply into a bag, and some of her favourite items, such as a bear, a few books, her mobile, and the few DVDs she had Laurence was set for Japan.
She had little items that she truly needed, so it was easily packed into her luggage for the rest of the year. She took a single picture of her family and smiled to each of them as she fumbled a camera into her bag, promising to take photos of her year in Japan. They nodded at this smiling at Laurence.
The day seemed so short for them, Laurence would be gone that evening and none would see her until the next summer holidays. So far away. Although it was spent silent, they were fumbled into a huddle on the couch watching a family film, only silently enjoying one another's company, until George called explaining he had the tickets and the plane would be leaving in the next hour and a half.
Once fumbling Laurence's things into the boot, and fumbling themselves into the car, they drove to the airport. They said their goodbyes upon meeting up with George who smiled to Laurence, and that was when the tears began to stroll freely down their cheeks.