5 5 : Stars and the Sky

Cicadas chirped in the distance as he waited patiently for my answer.

My heart was thumping violently in my chest a million reasons flooding my senses as to why I shouldn't take is hand.

His name called for danger...he dealt with things no teenager should mess with,his eyes always held a hooded broken look as if trying to block the world....he was in love.

There were so many reasons for me to walk away ...to forget this day ....to move on.

But.

This boy standing there with those enrapturing eyes pulled me in like a magnet .In those eyes I saw adventurous possibilities . I didn't take his hand for him . I took it for me so that I could see a world beyond the vision of my pale blue eyes.

Tristan dragged me up a sloped dirt path leading somewhere up above,I couldn't see what was up there but my heart thumped in anticipation.

A dead log was fallen over and covered in moss, I was about to jump over it when he snaked his arms around my thighs and lifted me up. The action took me by surprise and a small gasp escaped my lips.

My hair fell into his face and I heard him inhaling it making my cheeks burn scorching red.

His minty breath mingled with mine and involuntarily, my stomach clenched.

The dark haired boy put me down and continued walking with brisk steps .

I fisted my hands to contain my flustered state and followed behind him.

Huge pine trees gave off an amazing aura to this place ,it was very easy to get lost here.

The trees thinned out in the horizon of my vision and my heart started thumbing hard with excitement .

The long walk was starting to tire my legs but I kept pushing them to reach the top.

A few more steps and I would be there ,I inhaled large gulps of fresh air and hoisted my foot up to take huge steps.

Tristan halted in his track.

The trees cleared out to a cliff .

I held my breath and my legs came to a stop.

We were so high up in the mountains now that I could see the whole city from here.

It was a twinkling galaxy of gold and silver.

Cars whizzed by down below , their head lights seen as a myriad of colours.

I could see the crowd in Chinese Chicken Spot as small tiny dots and even our school at the outskirts of Bloomville town .

The river Rayne parted the mountain lovers and flowed blissfully by,the forest inside the grilled fence was a canopy of green for miles and miles.

This is breathtaking.

"I know "

He heard my whisper .

There was a single oak tree in the middle of the clearing.

It stood tall and strong almost like a lone warrior.There was a swing hanging from a branch of the tree.

In this eerily silent place so high up....... I felt magical.

"Do you come here often ?"

Tristan walked to the edge of the cliff . He was a dark silhouette under the stars and covered in the blanket of night I thought that it was so easy for him to jump.

"Sometimes when there is too much noise and too little peace "

I nodded my head .

"Don't tell me you haven't brought anyone here "

"I haven't " he smiled "The swing is too embarrassing ".

His words made me smile .

"Well it is a bit juvenile "

He snorted "As if you haven't been thinking about sitting on it a while later "

True.

I joined him at the edge of the cliff.Now we were like two clouds edging close to the end.

"How did you find this place" , I asked softly too afraid to break the bristling calmness .

He shrugged"I like wandering ".

Silence .

"You didn't like Inferno didn't you ".

His words caught me off guard but I pretended to ignore it .

"I don't get how anyone could enjoy such noise but....maybe it's me..maybe it's just me who...... can't deal with it."

He scoffed"No one enjoys noise you drown in it ,the more you drown ,the lesser you feel the pain and when all that is left is a dull wound you feel free.......it's good ".

His words felt like the words of a mad man and his eyes felt caged ....those eyes have seen so much misery ...

So much pain.

My heart thumped with a longing to comfort him, to assure him that there awaits a better future but I couldn't because I didn't know ....I didn't know if there was a better future.

"Will you push the swing for me?"

A small smile grazed his lips at my question , the side of it was cut but it didn't seem like he cared.

I ran to the tree and sat on the swing excitement bubbling in my chest .Tonight I wanted to take both of our minds off the harsh stuff.

Tristan ran up to the swing and his long fingers curled around the ropes.

"Pull fast OK !"

"Hold on tight "

He said and pulled back hard, the ropes of the swing made a strained noise before he let go .

"Wooooooooooooooo"

I cried as the swing rocked forward swiftly, cutting the air and making a swishing sound .

The cold air I loved so much bit hard into skin .

I raised my legs when I reached the top and my hair tumbled down .

I looked up to see a full moon through the little space between the trees and branches.

I laughed ,Tristan caught the ropes again and pulled back .

But he didn't let go and just waited for a while holding me in mid air . I shook the swing with my ass so that he would let it go but the oak tree's branch started shaking vigorously as well.

"You know you get a little out of control when you are excited "said Tristan .

I rolled my eyes at his comment and swished through the air.

Well women need their fun don't they ?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"What was your best memory as a kid ."

I asked Tristan ,our feet were dangling off the oak tree as we sat on a branch and looked out into the city.

He thought for a moment.

"Hmmm I don't have one "

"Everybody has one "

"Not me "

I prodded about his answer in my mind .

"When you said you go to Inferno to drown what did you mean ?"

He stared at me for a long moment and I stared right back. The hoodie covered his face in a shadow but the moonlight illuminated his tan cheekbones . He was beautiful ....I have never seen anyone like him.

"Its my escape Rose when my life tries to kill me I go there to escape ...call it as a different way of relaxation " ,he said doubtfully like he still was figuring out what he was doing there.

"Where do you escape to.....Rose ?"

It was my turn to stare because..... I didn't know. All my life I was trying to push through one day at a time there was never a time I thought about a hobby or relaxation and even when I did my mind never stayed thinking about it for long.

"I ....I don't know "

"That's a lie "

I shook my head no .

"Come one Rosie there should be something that lets you relax ....what is it ?"

Rosie.

There was a spark of curiosity in those brown eyes . Curiosity and something else ....

I pondered over his question for a few minutes .

Well now that I think about it ....

"OK well maybe there is a.... thing?"

It was more of a question towards myself than to him.

"Let's hear it ".

Tristan leaned forward and my stomach did a small flip.

"I ...you see that bridge over there "

I pointed a finger to the bridge overlooking the river Rayne.

"Yeah"he said.

"When I feel disconnected and tired I go there and when I look at the small ripples and the two mountain lovers I feel relaxed "

"Mountain lovers ?"

"Yeah look the mountains are parted by Rayne ...they'll never meet .I think of them as two people deeply in love ....always at sight but always apart ."

His brown eyes pierced into mine .

He smiled "That's ....that's beautiful."

Tristan's eyes turned distant.

" When I was a kid , Ryder ,Logan and I used to play soccer near this rich man's house . There was an apple tree in his lawn and we'd always find a way to jump off the gates and get all the apples because we hated him and wanted to get on his nerves . Once he set the dog loose on Ryder " he chuckled "That day was hilarious ".

"There is your favourite childhood memory ."

"Maybe "he said and looked to the side.

There was the ghost of a smile on his face .

We sat in silence for a while both of us enjoying the company of each other while we gazed at the beautiful city down below.

I looked up to the stars and imagined my Mom to be amongst them happy and content.

I am going to be alright Mom, I promise.

"You miss your Mom don't you ?"

I jolted awake from whatever dream I was in .

What a coincidence that he knew exactly what I was thinking about.

But I didn't know that he knew about her ....

"It's like an empty nothingness in my mind all the time like...vacuum. No matter what I do I can't fill it and I can't ignore it. The more I try to ignore the feeling the farther I feel from her and it scares me. I'm afraid I'll forget about her but I'm also afraid that if I don't forget about her I won't ever live again. "

I hope he understands what I'm going through .It pains me to talk about my dearest loss and if I spoke to someone who didn't understand.....I don't think I'll be able to handle it.

"Yeah well ....wherever she is she is in a happy place . And you are gonna love her till the end of time. And I don't know maybe that's what your Mom would want ....you safe and happy while she rests peacefully. "

My eyes welled up at his words ....

I rested my head on his shoulder and continued gazing into the Moon, the stars and the bright city lights below our shoes .

Maybe that's what my Mom would want , me happy and safe while she rests peacefully .

~~~~~~~~'

The car buzzed and came to a stop in front of my house .

Truth be told all I wanted was to stay in this car where I was covered in his pine forest scent .

Tristan waited for me to start a conversation as he gazed at my side with those smoldering eyes.

Dark locks fell into his forehead and my hands itched to push it back .

It's only on the way back home that I noticed how huge his car was .Tristan was more than six feet tall so to adjust in his seat I had to push forward by a few miles .

"So "

"So"

"I guess I'll be going "

I reached for the handle of the car hesitantly.

"Hey Rose "

I turned to look at him.

"I hope you liked my world "

I did actually .

Not the crazy world surrounding him but the one inside him , he was a good listener and he never pushed .... I was comfortable and at ease when talking to him.

I smiled ....it was genuine .

"I'll see you on Monday Sky "

His brown eyes lit up with a spark as a smile blossomed on his lips. He is just stunning with that wide smile.

I prevented myself from sighing in bliss and jumped out of the car.

Tristan looked at me one last time before he drove off.

I smiled to no one in particular and skipped to my front door.

Tonight was amazing, I haven't had this much fun since Mom left us .

I opened the door to my house and entered.

My steps froze and my heart clenched painfully in my chest as terror set in .

My limps started shivering as I observed my house .

Oh no this is a nightmare.

All the furniture was broken and the sofa was torn apart with a knife . The walls were scratched with a knife as well making the paint peel off.

All my Dad's liquor bottles were shattered and thrown on the floor.

Rats ran around my floor and I saw a few dead ones near the corners of the room.

I hitched my breath and read the note sprayed on the wall with red spray paint.

Next time your house will burn.

Author's Note:

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STORY TIME:

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