"Are we there yet?"
"We're just a hop, skip and a jump away."
Rhajat groaned petulantly. "That's what you said last time. We've been hopping, skipping and or jumping for long enough as it is."
She was answered with a meek whisper, "…we're almost there. I promise."
It had already been displeasing enough to wake up and discover her house had been decorated with balloons – she had reiterated on several occasions to her parents that she did not wish to celebrate her Birthday – but what bothered her even more was Percy's activity when they had arranged to meet-up. He'd subtly insinuated he had organised something and insisted she wear a blindfold until they reached the destination.
In addition to her hatred of surprises, she was now deprived of her vision. Just what so special that needed to be kept a secret?
After what seemed like an eternity, Percy finally released her hand, no doubt signifying they'd arrived. "OK, you can remove the blindfold on three. Are you ready? One…"
Rhajat ignored the countdown and irritably removed the fabric. At first glance, it appeared as if a child's tea party had been arranged from the selection of assorted snacks and nibbles decorating the baby-blue blanket. But upon further examination, she realised it was something far more disturbing.
It was a picnic.
Bewildered, Rhajat gestured accusingly. "And what's this?"
Percy smiled hopefully. "It's a surprise Birthday picnic party…thing. Surprise?"
The usual energy in his voice was strikingly absent; Rhajat could tell he was uneasy.
The young man's smile faltered. "I - I know you said you didn't want to do anything for your birthday, but…I had to do something to celebrate. I kinda thought to myself, 'if I were her and wanted to celebrate my birthday quietly and privately, what would I do and where would I go?' Then Mum suggested I throw a picnic and I was like 'yeah, she might actually like that…I hope.' If not, then…"
His typical bashful smile returned. "What do you think? Do you like it?"
She didn't honestly know how she felt about it. All she could acknowledge were her inflamed cheeks and butterfly infested stomach – symptoms she often experienced in his presence.
But studying the picnic, she was reminded of the hand-crafted saddle and the rose he'd presented – other gifts she didn't anticipate. It had never been the items themselves that moved her rather what they symbolised – his passion. Though simple in concept, they'd all perfectly captured and illustrated the ingenuous and youthful intimacy she adored in him. There'd been something unabashedly sincere and beautiful about the gestures, and assessing the new surprise she'd been presented evoked the same level of flustered excitement.
"You're speechless", he laughed nervously,"that's either really good or really bad."
Rhajat hadn't realised she'd been silent; she was far too occupied her conflicting emotions.
She turned to him and asked curiously, "did you organise this…by yourself?"
Percy confirmed meekly. "Well, not entirely. Dad and Ace helped me carry the supplies here – all the food and drinks and stuff." He grinned. "Dad was in charge of carrying the blanket, but then he accidentally tripped, sending the rolled-up blanket down the hill. Ace managed to retrieve it before it made it to the water. Yeah, that might explain the…missing fabric."
Following his gaze, Rhajat acknowledged the absence one of the blanket's corners. The visible teeth and fang marks suggested who may have been responsible.
Returning to him, she was met with a desperate, pleading gaze. "Please say something."
Remorseful for suspending her validation, Rhajat finally answered. "This is all…very unexpected."
Percy sighed deeply before she could continue. "I knew you'd say that" he whispered sorrowfully before lazily kneeling down and retrieving the plates of food and arranging them in the basket. "I'll…I'll start cleaning up." He shook his head angrily, averting his eyes. "This was a mistake. I'm…I'm sorry for wasting your time." He sneered bitterly. "Well done, Percy. What are you, six? Nobody goes to picnics anymore."
The young man's verbal self-reflection evoked intense regret in Rhajat. Why had she been so ungrateful and unreasonable? Evidently, Percy had exhausted a lot of energy to create the perfect setting, and she'd just rejected the gesture.
Reassessing her motivations, Rhajat concluded that if he really wanted to celebrate her Birthday, then she would allow him.
"Stop."
Percy's frantic movements came to a halt.
Closing her eyes, she sighed apologetically. "I didn't say I disapproved. This is just a lot to absorb."
"I know. We'll go…somewhere else. Honestly."
Shaking her head, she declared confidently, "no, I want to stay."
"Really? Isn't this…childish?"
Rhajat smirked, "oh, it is, but I haven't eaten all day."
Evidently, it proved effective as Percy's bashful smile reemerged. "W-well, if you really want to."
Rhajat did, and wasted no time in accepting the invitation and sitting down on the blanket's available spot. After some adjustments, she'd managed to achieve a comfortable position and watched as Percy migrated beside her, retrieving a plate of sandwich quarters and politely offering them.
"I didn't know if you'd prefer sweet or savoury so I settled on the former."
Studying the plate, she carefully retrieved one containing a brown paste.
"It's hazelnut" answered Percy.
Returning the sandwich, Rhajat addressed him seriously. "I don't eat sweets, remember?"
As she expected, his eyes widened. "I knew that…", Percy groaned before bringing a hand to his forehead, "oh, I can't do anything right."
Unbeknownst to him, she'd been exaggerating for harmless amusement. From the available sandwiches, she noted the selection of assorted jams; strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and many more.
Retrieving an apricot jam sandwich, she smiled comfortingly. "I do, however, quite enjoy jam. I think I'll make an exception."
She was treated to a sigh of relief from Percy.
Nibbling on her snack, she watched as Percy received the glass bottle adjacent him and offered it. "Champagne, milady?"
Rhajat exchanged a glance between him and the bottle. "It's not actually champagne, is it?"
"No", he smiled bashfully, "it's just apple juice."
Acknowledging, she retrieved a plastic cup and allowed him to pour her a glass; he did so for his own too.
With half an apricot sandwich in one hand and a plastic cup of apple juice in another, Rhajat observed as Percy extended his cup towards her courteously.
Rhajat raised her own, and the two gently connected.
Rhajat could never have expected how much she would enjoy the time she spent with Percy during their picnic. She couldn't quite identify what it was that captivated her about it most, however. Was it the scenery, the intimacy, the occasion or a combination of multiple elements? Eventually, she concluded her boyfriend's thoughtful effort to please and surprise her was the definitive reason.
Turning to the young man nibbling excitedly on his sandwiches, Rhajat smiled appreciatively. "You've gone to a lot of effort, haven't you?"
Through a mouth full of bread, he smiled eagerly. "It was nothing", he muffled before swallowing. "No! I mean – it wasn't nothing. It was…"
Rhajat understood what he was insinuating. "I hope you understand this wasn't necessary. I honestly would've been content if we just spent the day together."
Percy shrugged. "I know, I know. I didn't really need to, but I wanted to."
"…I'm impressed."
A snort escaped the young man. "I know you're just saying that. This is childish; I know it is. You're just saying that 'cause you don't wanna hurt my feelings."
That assumption couldn't have been further from the truth. To emphasise how honest she was, Rhajat tentatively placed a hand on his thigh. "I'm being serious. This is…incredible. All of this – it really is. Nobody has ever gone to these lengths…because of me."
Her body tensed upon feeling his hand grace her own and squeeze it gently.
"Well, nobody likes you as much as I do."
Such an innocent comment was enough to create a warm, euphoric sensation that enveloped her being; as if her heart wasn't already beating fast enough.
"In fact" he announced before reaching his hand deep within a pocket to recover something, "I can prove it…hopefully."
Rhajat watched intently as he retrieved a roll of paper held together with a red ribbon bow.
Percy extended the item towards her with a hopeful smile. "Happy Birthday."
She studied the paper as if it were a foreign object. "What is it? A finger painting?"
Percy laughed uneasily. "W-well, no. Not this time. I'll…I'll save that for next year's birthday.
"Then what is it?"
"...It's a poem."
Immediately, a soft snort of amusement escaped her lips; surely he had to be exaggerating. "It's not really a poem, is it?"
The enthusiasm had disappeared from his face, leaving an expression of hurt and contrite. The sincerity in his eyes reaffirmed that he had been speaking honestly.
"It is" he whispered with humiliation, "it's a poem I wrote about you."
Rhajat's eyes widened.
Retracting his hand, the young man lowered his gaze. "I…I wanted to give you something for your Birthday. I know there's all kinds of gifts and presents I could purchase in a shop, but I wanted to do something special. I…wanted to create something for you – something that would hopefully capture and express how I really feel about you, and how much you mean to me."
Percy slouched with defeat. "I decided I was gonna try writing something, but I really struggled at first. You probably know better than anybody else I'm not too good at articulating my thoughts." He squinted his eyes. "Is that the right word? Articulating?"
Rhajat confirmed with a nod.
"I knew what I wanted to say, but when it came time to putting pencil to paper, my brain malfunctioned. I was in desperate need of help, so I went to Mitama for some help." He smiled warmly. "She's so smart, and an expert on high-koos or whatever these types of poems are called, so she really helped me."
Once again, the thought of her boyfriend associating with another girl evoked jealousy, especially somebody like Mitama – another adolescent girl Rhajat didn't cooperate with terribly well. Why couldn't she just accept that Percy had other female associates apart from her; he was entitled to speak with them.
Still trying to process everything she'd been informed with, Rhajat's gaze migrated to the poem in question clutched in his hands. "You wrote this?"
Percy nodded. "Yeah. I mean – yeah, she wrote some of it, but most of it's mine. I just said all kinds of things about you that came into my mind and she wrote them down in poem form - if that makes any sense."
The same intense excitement and curiosity she'd experienced before tickled her stomach. Although still struggling to accept the discovery, if Percy had written something about her, she desperately wished to hear it; especially if it did express his true feelings.
Rhajat politely gestured towards the item. "If you wrote it" she whispered, "and wish to present it, then you won't mind reciting it as well."
Fear enveloped his face. "You want me to read it?"
She confirmed with a nod.
The terror and embarrassment he visibly expressed intensified. "I don't think I can…"
Expecting as much, Rhajat continued her ruse; she knew how to coerce him into reciting it. Feigning disappointment, she folded her arms. "I thought you cared about me?"
He immediately protested, "I do! I promise that I do! It's – it's not that I can't read it out, it's just…" he averted his gaze, "it's embarrassing."
Rhajat knew better than anybody else of Percy's resolve and courage; she knew what he was capable of, and reciting a simple collection of words was something he surely could accomplish.
Nestling herself closer, Rhajat adopted a sincere tone. "If you really wish to tell me how you feel, I would very much prefer to hear you express it verbally rather than letting me read it."
Everything she'd declared had been the honest truth. A verbal profession of the heart was so much more meaningful and evocative than a selection of stanzas on a page, and if what he'd written was anything like she'd heard him speak about her before, she knew she'd adore hearing it recited.
After a moment of silence, Percy eventually answered, exchanging hesitant glances between her and the gift. "Do you really want me to…?"
"Yes, I do."
It wasn't long before his fearful demeanour turned to one of feigned confidence.
Reaching beside him, Percy recovered and unfolded the paper, offering a reluctant smile. "I hope it isn't too cheesy..."
Despite the possibilities, Rhajat doubted that very much. Nestling into a comfortable position and waited.
Percy cleared his throat before reciting,
"Sunrise in her eyes
A passion within my heart
Moonlight in her smile
An eternal flame
She shines like a burning star
Falling from the sky
Charm and intellect
Her grace, splendour, elegance
And light, unrivalled
Guardian angel
Her touch caresses my soul
For her, I aspire."
Removing the page from his face, Percy concerned. "What do you think? Too much? It was kind of a first draft. If you don't like this one, I've written some others just in case…"
For what seemed like the first time, Rhajat was a loss for words. While admittedly rather short and simple, the wealth of intensity, zealousness and passion he'd demonstrated through those words was enough to suck the breath from her being. Uncharacteristically, she couldn't conceive any harmless, teasing comments or even highlight aspects for improvement; what he'd done had been executed flawlessly and effortlessly.
Still, she had a reputation to maintain, and did not wish for Percy to start perceiving her as an easily-smitten romantic. Rhajat bowed her head politely. "…It was beautiful."
"Really?"
She reassured him with an honest smile. "Thank you" she whispered, still desperately trying to process all of his words. "I…did not know you idolised me with such high esteem."
"Everything I said, I meant one-hundred percent", he reassured, placing a hand over his chest.
He did not need to emphasise; Rhajat already knew intimately well.
He offered the page. "It's yours to keep. You can do whatever you want with it."
Rhajat knew exactly what to store the gift; it would make a worthy addition in her scrapbook composed of her favourite literary pieces.
Accepting the paper, she sheepishly studied the words, repeating the contents back to herself. "I will cherish it always."
Percy exhaled with exaggerated with relief.
Securing the poem in her pocket, Rhajat studied the younger man with. "Now, if only there were a way for me to return the gesture."
"I know a way you can repay me", he mused, smiling mischievously.
Rhajat interpreted what he'd insinuated immediately. Under any other circumstance, she would've declined with her usual exaggerated annoyance. However, for everything he'd done, she believed he was entitled to a reward. But most importantly, there was nothing more she could've wanted to do than express her own appreciation for him and his efforts.
Adopting a seductive smile, she inched herself closer, prompting Percy to recoil reluctantly. She felt the young boy physically tense upon making contact as she slowly traced a finger down his chest. "You've earned this", she whispered.
Without waiting for a response, Rhajat gently connected her lips with his. He did not return the embrace – from his inactivity, he was evidently too alarmed to move – but Rhajat spared no thought.
After breaking the connection, she was inwardly satisfied to witness the expression of pure shock and surprise on his face – the exact reaction she anticipated. To complete the ruse, the young woman traced a finger daintily through her hair and adopted an innocent smile, as if to convey she too was embarrassed.
It wasn't long until the young man finally processed what had happened. Rhajat was treated to an extended whistle of enthusiasm as Percy began to imitate writing with his fingers.
"And that's two."
Rhajat raised an eyebrow. "You're keeping tally?"
He smiled excitedly, "of course. When I earn I total of five, my next drink is free."
An abrupt laugh escaped her mouth before she silenced herself with her hand. She smirked. "That might have been the only funny thing you've ever said."
"So…the big 'one eight' - how do you feel? Older? Wiser?" Percy asked curiously.
Rhajat shook her head. "I haven't felt any change at all. I don't feel any older than I was yesterday."
Percy shrugged dismissively before smiling hopefully. "Well, maybe not yet. I mean – you're an adult now. This is the beginning of a brand new journey. Just thinks of all the amazing things you couldn't do before."
She turned to him, concerned as to what he was suggesting.
"I know I won't be able to accompany you…not yet at least; being sixteen and all. But I'm still really excited for you."
The young woman physically tensed upon feeling his hand embrace hers. "I just hope there are some things we can still do together, even if I am still under aged."
A confronting and conflicting fantasy reemerged in her mind – one that she'd desperately tried to suppress and ignore on numerous occasions when in his presence. Thankfully, she successfully dispelled it as soon as it appeared. He was still young, she'd reinforce with herself; he was not ready for that level of intimacy, and neither was she.
Adopting a weak smile, she reassured her expectant young boyfriend that her new status would never influence their relationship.
She lied, however, and hated herself for exaggerating the truth. She hated herself even more, however, for accepting her thoughts and fantasies about him did in fact reflect how she wished their relationship would progress.
Unbeknownst to him, there was an activity she did wish to explore with him now that she was an adult.
To touch is to heal, to hurt is to steal / If you want to kiss the sky, you better learn how to kneel
She's the wave / She turns the tide / She sees the man inside the child