Title: Echo

Author: Azul Bloom

"Tell me."

Peter eyed her with caution. Hidden somewhere in the honey brown of her iris were specks of green much like the color of his own. She was a cunning one and Peter could not so easily let his guard down.

"I've told you so many times."

"No, you haven't." She smiled playfully, making those green specks even brighter.

Exasperated, he let out a huff, but the corner of his lips did curl up, so she doubled her efforts and twisted a lock of hair in her finger. He looked away so to grin without her noticing.

"I came through your window."

"And why?"

"Because I was drawn to it."

"Why drawn?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I just was."

She giggled and plucked a dandelion from the grass, gently blowing it apart and into the soft wind. "I guess you came to take my brother." She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and bit down on her bottom lip.

"Maybe." He locked his hands behind his head and lay back onto the grass. Watching the clouds slowly drift toward the ocean.

"Then what?" she asked after a moment had passed and Peter had yet to continue.

Peter twiddled a blade of grass in his hand. "Then you woke."

"And?"

"And… I asked you to come with me." He said it with such carelessness.

"Oh, Peter." She said as she picked a chrysanthemum next. "You say it as if you use those same words with everyone."

"Not everyone." It was his voice that spoke, but he was not aware of having thought that response. It was as if it came from some where else. Perhaps some time else.

Beth tickled the tip of his nose with the flower and he gingerly swapped her hand away, but she would not stop. The giggling grew louder when he tickled her belly and she rocked back and forth on her ankles tucked below her.

"Stop Peter!" she cried out and wiped a tear from her eye as soon as he ceased. He returned his hands behind his head and went back to looking up at the clouds.

"Peter, you will miss me when I go home tomorrow, won't you?"

"Of course." He said. "But soon enough it will be Spring again…and we'll be here once more."

"And you promise you'll return for me."

"Yes, I do."

"And that you won't forget?"

"No, I won't"

Beth held the flower to her nose and took in the fresh scent. "It will be a bit tricky, but I think I'll be able to persuade my parents into letting me visit Grandpa Mike next Easter too."

"Easter?"

"Yes…my spring vacation."

Peter shot up puzzled. "But…then how will I find you if you're away?"

Beth tore a petal from her flower and flicked it at his face. "Oh, silly. That's what I'm saying. I'll be waiting for you in that same room…by that very window."

Her answer really didn't help clarify anything. Seeing the confusion hesitating in his face, she tried again. "That window that so called you that night is not my window. We were visiting my grandfather."

She noticed the tension in his brow as if he was deep in thought. "No worries, Peter. I'll be there."

"No worries." He repeated but absentmindedly, but then as she got up and slapped the grass from her skirt he added, "It's not your window."

"What?" Beth asked for he had mumbled the phrase.

Peter snapped out of the distant trance. "Nothing. Never mind."