Okay get comfortable cause this chapters a long one. A few years has past and things are gettign interesting for our young Legato. Hope you like it.
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"Close your eyes Legato, and no peeking!" Lydia squealed.
She covered his eyes with her hands and led him into the house. It was difficult for her, he had grown so much taller than her in the past few years. She stood on her tiptoes trying to keep her hands firmly pressed against his eyes.
It was his birthday, he was sixteen years old.
He didn't feel sixteen, he felt so much older than that, at least his mind felt that way.
He tripped slightly on the front step, and heard the door creak open.
"Okay you can open them." she whispered in his ear.
Strange that her breath on his neck would give him the shivers.
It must have been all the excitement.
He opened his eyes, while his mother, and Lydia shouted surprise and began singing happily.
He looked at the glowing cake on the table. It must have cost his mother a small fortune to get all the ingredients, and the candles. He also noticed the gifts that lay on the table.
The smile on his face faded, "mother you really shouldn't have. I mean how could we afford-"
His mother waved a hand, "You're sixteen, do you think I would let this day go by uncelebrated? Blow out your candles and stop worrying."
Ever obedient to his mothers wishes, the smile returned and he blew out all the candles in one breath.
His gifts weren't much, mostly new clothing and other necessities. But he knew how difficult it was for his mother to get them so every item was a treasure to him.
After the last gift was opened he felt a flutter in his gut when he realized none of the gifts were from Lydia.
No matter; the fact that his only friend was there was enough.
They all ate the delicious frosted cake and spent a very happy evening together.
"Legato" his mother said looking at the clock on the wall, "it's late, Lydia should be getting home soon."
"Let me help you clean up first," Lydia said picking up the dishes.
"No let me do that, Legato will walk you home."
It was not unusual for Legato to walk Lydia home, but lately he had been looking forward to their nighttime walks more and more. And he wasn't really sure why.
They walked out onto the dusty road. A weird, awkward-but-not silence surrounding them.
The walk was easier tonight, the moon was almost full, it bathed the desert in cool, blue light. Making a usually dark and hazardous trek much more pleasant.
He glanced over at Lydia.
It was so odd. Only a year or so ago he saw her as just...just Lydia.
He remembered how she used to be so loud and pushy, sometimes even downright bossy. Her outgoing personality had helped him come out of his shell. She would nag him, and nag him to try new things until he'd get so annoyed with her that he'd do anything just to shut her up.
But now. Now she was different. She was more peaceful, more sweet to him.
In the beginning it was very foreign to him. His friend had changed, and he didn't know how to react.
He tried to avoid her at first, hoping that the Lydia he knew would come barreling back to him ordering him to do this or that. But that never happened, she left him to his solitude thinking that was what he wanted.
That was the good thing about Lydia, when he asked for space she gave it to him willingly.
But those few unwanted weeks away from her were the horrid. He felt himself longing to her hear footsteps on the porch, or her contagious laughter. Until one day he couldn't stand not being without his friend.
When he finally came around to seeing her again he had given her a sheepish excuse that he had been busy. He wasn't sure if she had bought it or not, but he didn't care as long as she was near him again.
Ever since then things were different between them. They still joked, and had fun together, but there was a peculiar air between them.
There were times when they would just be talking, and he felt like she was looking through him...no within him. It made his throat tighten when she did that. But when her dark eyes were not upon him he felt even worse.
All these memories, and feelings were swirling in his head, he didn't notice that she was calling his name.
"Legato, you're staring." she said quietly.
He cleared his throat, "sorry."
"That's alright, so how does it feel to be sixteen?" she asked.
He shrugged, "okay I guess, it doesn't feel any different."
"I guess it won't for awhile." she said.
There was that awkward-but-not silence again.
Legato took the chance to glance at his friend again. She used to wear her hair in braids, but now it hung free down her back. Legato liked it much better this way. He watched her fidget a bit, she must have noticed that he was staring again.
He was about to apologize when she suddenly stopped..
"Legato I-"
he smiled meekly, "I'm sorry I'm staring again."
"No-no that's not it I-"she rummaged in her pockets a bit and pulled out a small box, "I wanted to give you this, but not in front of your mom."
Legato smiled, she had bought him a gift after all....
He opened it and found a black ring inside.
"It's onyx, I saw it in town and thought of you."
He stood there baffled by the gift. Sure it was a great gift, and he was happy that she had remembered. But didn't giving a ring to someone usually mean something?
"I -uh" he stammered.
Lydia shook her head, "you hate it don't you, I'm sorry I'll take it back if you don't want it. I just thought....since you and I are such good friends...and you mean so much." her voice trailed off.
She knew it had been the wrong thing to give him.
Legato watched her drowning in her embarrassment. He hated seeing her so uncomfortable.
"I love it Lydia, I do. No one's ever given me such a gift." he immediately began trying it on each finger, until it slipped easily on the middle finger of his left hand.
He felt her embarrassment disintegrate as she admired the ring on his finger.
"I'm glad you like it Legato." she said smiling.
They walked in happy silence together.
She was so relieved that he had liked his gift. In the past few months he had become so much more to her than just a friend. She knew the ring was an inappropriate gift, they weren't anything more than friends, but it looked like it had been made just for him. And she wanted to get him something truly special. Som thing that said she wanted to be so much more to him than just a friend.
They finally had reached her house, Legato walked her to the front gate of her home, "umm, I'll see later?" he said.
Lydia smiled, "you bet."
Legato started to walk away.
"Legato?" she said before he hadn't gotten too far.
"Yeah?'
She fidgeted a bit more before growing calm, it was now or never.
"Happy Birthday Legato."
With that she stood on her tiptoes and gave him quick kiss.
Legato stood frozen, while her lips touched his. It was so quick he barely had enough time to feel how soft they were. She looked into his eyes for a brief moment and walked into her house.
After walking a few yards his heart finally stopped racing.
This had been the best birthday yet.
Okay there you go a nice four page story. I'm gonna try to be a bit more consistent with my updates now that I'm used to the new job and all. I hope you enjoyed it.