The apple tree always looked so lovely when it bloomed, the soft, pinkish petals reaching for the sky. Sunlight slanted down through the masses of the flowers, creating a perfect pool of shade in an exact circumference around the trunk. The spring breeze would whisper through those pinkish petals and rustle them in a gentle murmur that hummed pleasantly in Riza's ear, her eyes trained down on the leather bound book in her hands.
These days of the late spring were the best days. She always finished her chores early in the morning so that she could spend her afternoons underneath that apple tree with the book of her choice.
Now she was sitting on a blanket, resting her back against the trunk, with her feet tucked under her. The words on the page held little interest today; she leaned her head back and closed her eyes to let the slivers of sunlight burn their warmth into her skin. This feeling of being fleetingly content was more intriguing than any book.
She had her reasons and this one was long overdue. The house would be unusually lighter and brighter for the next two weeks; she wouldn't feel the need to constantly look over her shoulder to be sure her father wasn't there waiting for a minor mistake to blame her for. Another reason to leave a bruise along the ridge of her jaw. No; there would be none of that.
The breeze picked up and the tree swayed under its duress, her close cropped hair fluttering with it. She took in a deep breath and let it go slowly, hoping that this clean air would purify all the hopelessness that polluted her waking thoughts these days; she needed this. To feel this cool kiss of the wind and know that things will be alright.
The grass rustled and two muted thuds cause her eyes to open slowly. Her lips twitched when she saw him standing there with a book under his arm, a blush covering her cheeks so that they looked like the petals in the breeze above.
"He's gone," he said with a smile, his own dark hair ruffling with the wind.
She scooted over on the blanket and patted the empty space next to her. Sinuously, he folded himself down and their shoulders touched as they lapsed into silence, both of them opening their books to the desired page. She couldn't concentrate, of course, not with him sitting so close to her, but those slivers of sunlight burned through the spaces of the pinkish petals and the clean air brushed against her skin almost like a sign.
As long as he was around, things would always be alright.
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Thank you for reading! If you have time, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this one shot!