"Jack! Jack!" I called out, running down Summerfeild drive, looking for the blonde haired teen. In one hand I was clutching a small black device, the cell phone he had forgotten at my house. The other hand was fisted tightly over my heart, beating laboriously from the stress of running. Ever since I could recall I'd had a heart problem, preventing me from doing anything strenuous like sports, running, or even playing with other kids my age. It stunted me a bit socially but I lead a relatively full and happy life so I couldn't really complain. Shaking myself out of my reverie I kept running despite the tug of my heart and the burn of exhaustion. This was the most exercise I'd done in my life and it served as a wake up call as to how out of shape I truly was. Ignoring my stamina, or lack there of, I called out for Jack again. Not seeing him further down the street I decided I'd have better luck going down west Jefferson.
"Jack!" I turned another corner just to, quite literally, run into the boy I'd been searching for.
He straightened easily back into his previous vertical position and offered a hand which I took gratefully, trying to regain my breath and a bit of poise.
"J-jack y-you for-got your phone." My sentence came out quiet and broken but he had heard it, thank god. His reaction for a moment was nothing but a blank stare directed at his phone that I was now holding out until something seemed to click in his mind and he grabbed it and my hand with a smile. "Thank-you Draga Mea but you didn't have to exert yourself like this just for me." The light reprimand, if you could even call it that, was made even less serious with the use of his nickname for me. His eyes shone with worry while his voice was soft and gentle; carrying a smooth, rhythmic undertone that could enchant anyone who heard it, a Siren's song with no threat. To put it one way, once more I was star-struck by the boy in front of me. I looked down, not able to stand the intensity of his deep Hazel orbs that seemed to be searching for something. While his tone was light diverting, his eyes were not. Not letting me off that easily, he tilted my face back towards his with a gentle hand under my chin. He seemed to have found something in my own eyes that settled a question not spoken, for he lent back up to his full height and dropped his hand to mine.
"Come on, I'll take you back home. You've probably gotten quite a bit father than you've realized." I blushed at that and the feel of his hand wrapped securely around mine, but took a moment to survey my surroundings.
'He's right, I've never even been here before. I thought I was still on Jefferson.' I realized idly. My mind was more occupied by the fact that I was walking home, hand in hand, with the most heartbreakingly perfect boy I could ever hope to meet. As I watched the sparrows and finches fly by, the gardens full of petunias and snapdragons blow in the light autumn breeze and the children of all age, race, and religion play together the burden that was so often on my heart lifted a bit allowing a light, airy feeling to envelope me. I smiled widely and started humming a nameless tune. My eyes lit up as we neared a park close to my neighborhood. I wanted to go so badly but I remembered I was only allowed if there was someone with me, and Jack was only walking me home. The tune died and my mood dampened, I allowed a childish pout to find its way onto my lips. As we got to the entrance Jack stopped, I tilted my head to show my confusion. Was he offering to stay and play with me? I didn't even have to ask what we were doing because he picked that exact moment to pull me gently onto the soft grass and towards the swings. We got on and began swinging, I swung higher and higher each time. My breath was becoming quick and heavy again from the activity when I felt a push from behind and saw Jack accelerating me to the highest safe height. Giggles rang through the air as he stopped and I slowed to a static position. After that we went on the slide, monkey bars, and the metal dome. I was having the most fun I'd had in a long time and Jack was watching with an amused smile when a song rang out.
'On a cold winter morning, in the time before the light-' It was cut off when Jack flipped open his phone.
"Hello?" he greeted, after a moment of the other person talking he sighed.
"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can. Bye." he closed the device with a small 'snap' and turned to smile down at me once more.
"I have to get home so lets get you to yours now ok?" I looked down, reluctant to leave, when a thought struck me hard,
'I'm being selfish. Really I'm lucky he's here at all. He didn't have to walk me home or play with me but here he is.' In a sudden burst of boldness I took his hand like he had with mine earlier and set off at a casual pace. This seemed to slightly surprise him but he just smiled and gripped my hand more firmly. As we walked I zoned out once more, only aware of the boy next to me and our intertwined hands. 'What would others think if they saw us?' I wondered,
'Would they think that we're together?' My cheeks heated up in a soft blush at the thought. If Jack noticed he probably just passed it off as an aftereffect from all the activity I've had today.
'No, its not likely, he is 16 and im only 12. They'd probably think he's my older brother, maybe a cousin or friend, but not a boyfriend.' Vaguely I realized that we had stopped and that Jack was leaning down towards me with his hands on my shoulders.
"Draga Mea. Draga Mea, you're home." Snapping out of it I saw that the house we were in front of was in fact mine. I looked down sadly and a chuckle emitted from Jack, making my cheeks once more flush a light rosy color. He made me look him in the eyes, like he did last time, with a hand on my chin.
"Draga Mea, its not goodbye forever you know." he told me, his voice (like always) soft and honey sweet. I forced out an embarrassed 'I know' before he embraced me. Without a second thought I hugged back tightly and buried my face in his chest, still not wanting him to go.
"I'll make you a promise ok? Am I trustworthy enough that you'll believe I'll keep it?" he asked, holding me at half an arm's length. I nodded looking into those honest hazel eyes and had a hard time finding my way out. He gave me a dazzling smile, not helping my case,
"Ok then. I promise you that I'll come over as much as I possibly can. Also no matter what I'll always just be a phone call or e-mail away. So, if you ever need me, I'll be there." The sincerity in his voice and eyes told me that he really meant it but no one can know what might happen in the future. Despite my cynical thoughts I found myself nodding and answering softly with an honest
"I believe you." I did believe him, wholeheartedly, and would continue to believe until he gave me ample reason not to. With one last hug and a goodbye he left, leaving me to a new swarm of thoughts. That night I slept fitfully, my dreams filled with images of him and I. Too early the next morning my mother woke me.
"Faethe you have to get up now, we have a guest and I don't want you sleeping if he or your brothers want to watch TV.
"Huh?" I opened my eyes to see the living room's light décor and felt the rough couch beneath me.
'Oh yea, I fell asleep watching a Korean drama. Wait visitor? He? That mean Jack's here!' Just as I came to that conclusion my brothers, Jerry who was 17, and Matt who was 16, walked in followed closely by Jack, wearing loose fitting jeans, a band tee, and black and red converse. Compared to my brothers' shorts and baggy shirts he looked like a clothing model, all outfitted and waiting for the photographer's order. I nearly drooled, instead though I blinked up at them as Matt threw the covers off of me, revealing the boxer bottoms and a matching tank with rainbows, hearts, an lips on them.
"Matt!" I whined embarrassed and now cold. Jer awed at my curled up form and scooped me up before depositing me on the loveseat. As if completing some sort of chain of relocation,(my own) Jack recovered me with a blanket and flashed me a smile before all three of them plopped down on the couch and Matt turned on the wrestling channel, I was so out of there.
"If any of you need to go to the bathroom do it now, 'cause I'm going to take a shower ok?" I threw over my shoulder and turned the corner to my room. As I stripped and slid on my red Sakura tree bath robe a weird question came to me,
'Why does Jack call me Draga Mea? Does it mean something? Oh god! What if it means little sister or something?' With my mental freak out going on I almost ran right into the person who filled my head, occupying almost every thought I'd had that day. I gave a small
'EEP!' in surprise earning another chuckle from the blonde. My previous thoughts were pushed back and I pouted blowing a piece of hair out of my face,
"What's so funny?" I asked. My words came out slightly slurred as a result of me trying to keep pouting as I spoke.
"You." was his reply as he brushed the rest of the offending hair behind my ear, his hand grazing my cheek as he did so. I fought hard to keep down a blush and he tapped my nose.
"You know, if you keep making that expression your face like that it will freeze like that. Not that I mind, it IS kind of cute but it doesn't quite fit you."
'Whaaaat?' my head screamed and a cheesy grin planted itself on my heated facial features. 'Looks like the blush won this time.' I thought and made a quick escape into the confines of the bathroom before he could notice my escalation at him calling me cute. I rushed through my shower wanting to see Jack again, although in a much less embarrassing situation. Within 15 minutes of escaping I was back in my room and getting dressed to, inevitably, get myself into a situation just like this last one. "Jerrryy!" I called and glomped him from behind then just hanging from his back.
"What is it baby girl?" he asked, probably wanting to know why there was a 'parasite'-Matt's words not mine- on his back.
"Imma Koala!" I cheered making 'Om Nom Nom' sounds like I was eating a bamboo leaf, which his hair currently played the role of. He laughed along with Matt and Jack but our fun was cut short when the doorbell rang.
"Umm I'll get it?" I volunteered, confused as to who it could be since the usual visitors were already here. The boys traded glances and Jack stood up.
"I'll come with you I guess, these guys are getting pretty boring." he joked. Together we walked to the door. I was too short to see through the peephole so I just flung the door open to see a man 21 years old with shaggy brown hair, a muscular build, and loving green eyes. Quite unsurprisingly he was dressed in some baggy camo pants and a random graphic tee, with the usual Nike shoes. He frowned teasingly at me,
"What have I told you about just opening the door without knowing who it is?" I frowned back, "Not to. I guess you were right to say that, don't want undesirables getting in." with that I slammed the door in his face.