21. Meeting Ryder
Age 6
I first met Ryder outside church. It wasn't hard to find him, he was the one kneeling down in the grass praying. I thought him an odd character, but somehow the way his fair hair glowed in the sunshine and the serene expression on his face made me skirt him and continue staring till my aunty slapped me.
"Silly girl!" she admonished. "Trust me to get saddled with the lass who still believes in faeries..."
I didn't believe in faeries, but I wanted too. I wanted to believe so bad like that boy sitting in the middle of the tombstones. I could tell that he believed. Everything about him just glowed.
"Aunt Clara, may I visit that boy over there?"
Aunt Clara looked scared. I wanted to put my arms around her and tell her it was alright. I wasn't scared. And I was the one who was going up to him and ask him to speak about faeries. Before she could resist my beliefs, I started to skip through the gravestones until I stopped right before him, blocking out the sunshine. I waited for him to peek and see it was me.
"I've been waiting for you," he murmured. "And the faeries were too..."
"You mean they're here?" I eagarly asked and looked around the clearing. I couldn't see anything, hear anything, but I knew if I closed my eyes and believed, that I would. All I got was a solemn nod but it was enough for me to sit down and cross my legs alongside him. For a while I watched the fireflies dance around his long, sweeping eyelashes but then I began to get bored and started to fidget.
"Stop that," he snapped, with his eyes still closed and I stilled in wonder, staring at him as if he were the devine himself. A secret curve began forming around his mouth as if he was amused by my reaction without even having to see. "The faeries told me," he informed and he reached out a palm so I could hold it.
I accepted it with reverence, gingerly holding onto his thumb as I ignored his internal sigh of happiness. And then he opened his eyes, and oh were they the most prettiest eyes on a boy I've ever seen. They were blue and green and stormy and joyous all at once. I wanted to be his eyes and the windows to his soul for ever and ever.
"Ryder."
My mouth formed a small pout. "Oh?"
"My name is Ryder."
And then he held my hand so hard and so tight that I wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Ryder blinked, and his golden eyelashes fanned against his porcelain skin. Under the midnight sun, he looked so saintly and pure that I knew that my quest of searching for faeries had only just begun. Ryder was just the brink of the magic. And yet I wanted him to be my friend forever and eternity and even in heaven too, if he hadn't gotten bored by me then.
Ryder was watching me closely. "Will you be my friend?" he asked and for a while, sorrow tugged on his brow. "I don't have many of those."
I couldn't understand why. Ryder could see faeries! And he let me hold his hand. My elder brother just ran away and shrieked cooties whenever I tried to do that with him. Dropping Ryder's hand, I flew at him and gave the biggest hug I could give. I put all my heart and soul into it so that Ryder would stop feeling lonely and be happy again. He was just going to be the greatest friend, I knew it.
"Yes!" I cried. "We'll be friends forever and ever, I can just feel it!"
Ryder didn't smile but I could see the hope shining in his dark eyes. It was bright like the sun and the moon and all the galaxies inbetween. And then he looked at the ground and blushed.
I could tell. His ears had just turned red.
"You'll just forget me like all the others," he muttered but I could still hear the hope in his voice. He was a believer! Exactly like me! Ryder was looking more and more exciting by the minute. I continued hugging him and turned my head so I could whisper into his ear. My lips felt funny as it brushed against his skin but it was a nice kind of funny. I could get used to it, if I were allowed.
"Never," I assured him as in the background I heard Aunt Clara screeching for me to get off my backside, so I didn't ruin my sunday mass dress. Aunt Clara could be mean when she wanted so I hopped up from the ground and turned to face her, grinning slightly. "It's alright, Aunt Clara!" I shouted. "I was just talking to my new best friend..."
But by the time I turned around to introduce Ryder, he was gone. "Goodbye," I said waving slightly before skipping to join my aunt.
Okay people, I'm kinda scared...I've never ventured this terrority before but I've really wanted too...
Contrary to what the prologue might sound like, this story ain't fantasy. It's going to be a bitter-sweet journey though and I have a feeling I might cry more than once writing it...
I'd like to hear what you think. Should I continue? What will happen next? Anything.
Thanks, I'd really appreciate it. xoxoxo Sabreal.