This is my first attempt, so please go easy on me. If you have any suggestions or tips or notes please do let me know.
"Come on Jasper, it really isn't that…" Henry started as he looked behind him while turning the corner, facing his cousin. He was interrupted however by feeling lips upon his cheek. He saw his cousin look at him with wide eyes and turned his face. Before him he found a girl his own age wearing a pair of jeans shorts, a ocher colored tank top with a green colored plaid shirt over it and black sandals. She had long brown hair which was flowing loosely down reaching her waist with two strands on each side of her face held together in the back with a brown clip and green eyes. There was a big smile on her face as she looked happily into his eyes. Henry's eyes widened in recognition as he stared at the girl in front of him.
"I told you that I was going to give you a thank you kiss when we were older and I would think you were no longer disgusted by it." She said with a grin. As the initial shock wore of Henry's surprise gaze was replaced by an excited smile.
"Lena?" He asked happily as he wrapped the girl in his arms.
"Henry!" She almost whispered in his ear as her arms found their way around his waist. They stood there in the hallway, hugging, for a little while. People would stare at them but they didn't notice.
"Wait, Henry," Jasper said as he stared dumbfounded at his cousin. "You know the new girl?"
Henry and Lena let go of each other and turned to face Jasper, a smile on both their faces.
"Of course I know Lena; I've known her ever since I was five years old." Henry said as if it was the most oblivious thing in the world. "She was my best friend. –I like to think she still is."
"Hold on a moment," Jasper said as he raised an eyebrow, looking straight at Lena. "Why did you kiss him?"
"Because I told him once I would." Lena said with a shrug.
"Why?" Jasper questioned.
"That is a very long story. –You must be Jasper, Henry's cousin." The brunette girl said as she changed the subject, reaching out her hand.
"Uhm…" Jasper said as he shook his head before grabbing Lena's hand and shaking it. "Yeah."
"I've heard so many wonderful things about you when we were little." She said with a kind smile.
"Let me guess… about my legendary parties." Jasper mumbled as he rolled his eyes.
"Among other things." Lena replied with a grin before turning to Henry. "Oh, it's been so long since I've last seen you!"
"It has been very long, hasn't it?" Henry exclaimed happily. "I tried sending you letters but I always got them back."
"Me too!" The girl said almost sadly. "I guess we both moved at the same time once and thus didn't know where to send the letters to anymore."
"I suppose so." Henry said in the same tone Lena just used before a grin appeared on his face. "You are still wearing the necklace."
"Of course!" The girl called in a high voice. "I almost never take it off!"
Jasper didn't know what to do but to just stare at the two reunited friends. He looked over to the girl's neck to find a brown leather necklace with a pewter Celtic pendant hanging from it. What is so special about that necklace? Jasper asked himself as he repeated the two their sentences. It was a gift from Henry for her! He smiled as he realized the oblivious.
"So uhm…" Jasper started, interrupting his cousin and the new girl. "How do you two know each other?"
"Oh, Lena's parents are anthropologists as well." Henry said to Jasper. "Our parents worked together for a while when we were five."
"Seeming as we were five and there wasn't a lot we could do there we started playing together." Lena said as she continued on. "Soon we were best friends. Over the years we would meet each other again in different places and we would send each other letters."
"Until we lost touch…" Henry finished as he looked at his long lost friend again with a fond smile. "It's really great seeing you again."
"You too Henry, you too." Lena answered as she gave him the same smile back.
"You know," Jasper said, pulling the two back. "You two are kinda creepy together."
"What?" Henry asked confused. Jasper could see the exact same confusion in Lena.
"Why?" She asked, her voice sounding almost hurt.
"It's just the way you two seem to finish each other's sentences." Jasper said with a crooked smile.
"I suppose there are some things we never unlearn." Lena said with a single laugh.
"You used to do that?" Jasper asked surprised.
"All the time." Lena smiled. "Much worse than right now."
"Wait a moment." Henry said as something hit him. "You are the new girl?"
"Guilty as charged." Lena responded with a big smile. Henry turned to his cousin.
"So Lena is the new hot girl all the guys are talking about?" Henry asked his cousin almost confused.
"New hot girl?" Lena questioned.
"That is what every other guy in this school refers you to." Jasper said nervously.
"But Japer, only a few minutes ago you sai-" Henry started before being cut off by his cousin who put his hands on Henry's mouth. Shut up! Jasper mouthed to his cousin before nervously flashing a smile at Lena who was staring at the twosome amused.
"It's alright you know." Lena said with a chuckle. "I've been called worse."
Jasper pulled his hand back, slightly embarrassed as Henry and Lena chuckled.
"There you two are." A low voice said from behind the blonde boy and brunette girl. Jasper looked up whereas Henry and Lena turned around. In front of them stood a middle aged man wearing a suit. "Ah, I see you've met our newest student."
"Met?" Jasper asked, before continuing in a mocking voice. "Didn't you know, jungle boy and new girl are best friends?"
"Really?" The dean questioned with a kind smile.
"Yes, Uncle Bryan." Henry said with his trade mark smile. "I've known Lena since we were five years old."
"Well, isn't that nice." Dean Bartlett said as he looked at his nephew and his new student. "I was going to ask Mr. O'Herlihy to show Lena around but seeming as you two already know each other so well…"
"Jasper and I will show her around." Henry said, that smile never disappearing,
"You were going to ask Hunter?" Jasper snorted.
"I have to go to an important meeting now," The dean said as he turned to look as Lena. "Would you like to join us for dinner tonight? Maggie is coming as well."
"Uhm…" Lena said startled as she looked at Henry and Jasper for a moment, whom were encouraging her. "Sure, I would love to."
"Good." He answered with a kind smile. "Well, I'd better go now or I'll be late. I'll see you three tonight."
"See you later dad." Jasper said as the dean started walking away. The three teenagers stood there in the hallway in silence for a little while until a soft grumble interrupted the silence. They all chuckled.
"Let's go get lunch." Jasper said. "Or my stomach will complain even more."
"Good idea." Henry and Lena said in unison.
"So creepy." Jasper muttered as they started walking, causing Henry and Lena to laugh.
They sat at a table together by the food court in the museum while enjoying their lunch, especially Jasper. Another brunette girl joined them not much later.
"Maggie!" Henry exclaimed at the girl. "I want you to meet my friend Lena."
"Hi. Nice to meet you," Maggie said kindly as the two girls shook hands. "You must be the new girl."
"Yeah," Lena said with a small sigh. "That's me."
"So, you two know each other?" Maggie asked while she took a bite from her salad as she eyed both Henry and Lena.
"Yes." Henry said with a happy smile. "We've know each other for many years."
"Your parents are anthropologists, right?" Maggie asked as she looked at Lena.
"Yeah, it's because of them that Henry and I know each other." Lena said with a smile.
"That's cool." Maggie said smiling back.
"I still don't know why you kissed Henry on the cheek." Jasper said as he raised an eyebrow.
"You kissed Henry?" Maggie asked as she almost choked on her salad. Henry and Lena shared a look before they turned back to their friends with a grin.
"Well, long story short. I was about to be forcibly married when Henry saved me," Lena said with a chuckle as she placed a hand on Henry's arm. "My hero."
"You were about to get married?" Jasper asked confused.
"We were somewhere, our parents had left us alone in the city while they went to explore and work, and a prince had caught his eye on Lena." Henry started as Lena pulled back her hand. "We were only twelve at the time and there was only one way to get her out of the engagement."
"How?" Maggie asked seriously.
"Henry challenged the prince to a duel. Whoever would win would well, they'd get me." Lena continued. "Henry won, even though the prince cheated by stabbing him with a knife. The king was so ashamed after that that he banished his son from his kingdom."
"You were stabbed?" Jasper asked as the spoon with which he was eating his pudding fell from his mouth.
"Yes, I still have the scar." Henry said to his cousin as he lifted up his shirt a bit to reveal an old scar.
"Oh, I am so sorry about that Henry." Lena said sincerely as she saw the mark.
"It's not your fault." Henry assured as he put his shirt back down. "Important thing is that you didn't get married at the age of twelve."
"Yeah!" Lena exclaimed. "That is a very good thing!"
"Wow." Maggie said as she sat there in her chair. "That's just… wow."
"Exactly." Jasper said as he stared at nothing in particular before returning his gaze to Henry and Lena. "Still doesn't explain that kiss."
"It was my way of thanking him." Lena said as she gave Jasper a smile. "We were little back then and both a bit repulsed by the idea of kissing a person of the other gender. So I promised him that if we were older, and no longer repulsed I would give him a kiss, and then bought him a bracelet."
"And I am still wearing it." Henry said with his trade mark smile as he pulled his sleeve up a bit to show his friends. Lena couldn't help but smile brightly.
"Ooh, that is so cute." Jasper said, mockingly. "Henry here is still wearing the bracelet and Lena is still wearing the necklace, how adorable."
"Shut up!" Maggie said as she slapped Jasper at his arm. "It's cute."
"Aww…" Jasper whined as he rubbed his arm.
"Baby," Maggie mumbled. "Common, let's go or we'll be late for class."
They all stood up as they took their bags and walked back to the school building. The day passed by as they all would talk and ask question to each other. Jasper and Maggie found out a lot about Henry that they didn't know, as well about their new friend. At the end of the school day they all split up, Maggie went to go do her job at the school's Natural Museum Complex, Jasper went ahead home to do some school work etc. and Henry went to go do his job in the Doum Rooms and Lena joined him seeming as she just got a job there as well. As they walked through the hallway the twosome would reminisce on old days.
"Hey Griffin," A voice called. "You're not supposed to bring people down here."
"It's alright Garko," Henry started. "Lena starts working here, starting today."
"Alright then." And then they could just hear footsteps walking away. Henry shrugged at Lena and continued walking. After a minute they reached the door to Henry's work space, Henry opened the door allowing Lena to walk inside first. Lena walked over to the window and stared out into the basement.
"Wow." She said in amazement. "And in all those boxes are ancient old artifacts…"
"It is quite impressive isn't it?" Henry asked as he smiled at the sight of his old friend.
"You'd think I'd be more used to it, wouldn't you?" Lena asked with a crooked smile as she turned around to face Henry. "Having anthropologist parents and so, but nope, not used to it."
Henry laughed. "Come on, help me with a few boxes?"
"Sure." Lena smiled as she pushed herself away from the window, following Henry into the big basement. All around them were wooden crates of all sizes causing Lena to feel quite small.
"Do you remember Argentina?" Henry asked, pulling Lena away from gazing at the boxes.
"How could I forget?" Lena scoffed. "You caused me to fall of that waterfall!"
"That was a complete accident!" Henry called, defending himself. "And I did dive in behind you to save you, did I not?"
"Yes you did." Lena said reluctantly.
"Anyways, remember the little store we found?" Henry continued.
"Of course, there were so many pretty things out there." Lena said as she thought back. "There was this one particular bracelet I wanted; unfortunately I didn't have the money."
Henry went into his pocket and took out a hemp bracelet with dark blue and dark brown in it and little metal plate saying 'Serenity'. Henry smiled as he saw his friend came to a halt as she looked at the bracelet in surprise, shock, happiness and amazement all at once.
"Oh my gosh," Lena cried out. "Henry!"
"I went back for it the next day." Henry said as he started tying the bracelet around Lena's wrist. "I put it with one of the letters, unfortunately it never reached you."
"You kept it all this time?" Lena asked softly as she ran a finger of the letters on the metal plate.
"I was hoping I would see you again one day." Henry smiled warmly.
"Thank you!" Lena said as she wrapped her arms around Henry's waist, resting her head on his chest. Henry smiled as he wrapped his own arms around Lena and pulled her a bit closer. The hug lasted for a few more seconds until Lena ended the hug. She gave Henry a kiss on his cheek while pulling back.
"Thank you, Henry." Lena said a single tear escaping her eyes. "I love it."
"Why are you crying?" Henry asked gently as he stroked away the tear with his thumb.
"Because I really missed you." Lena said as another tear fell, with a little smile.
"I missed you too." Henry replied with a small smile as he put his hand on Lena's upper arm. "Come on, we've got work to do."
"Yeah." Lena said softly as she wiped away the tears. Henry lead the way as his hand was on Lena's waist and Lena's head was resting on his shoulder. Henry couldn't help but smile as he couldn't stop thinking about how happy he truly was to have his dearest friend back into his life. Words couldn't describe how much he missed having her around.
