The Radiant Reira

8. The First Heartbreak

While Reira was preparing the snacks, Orion was looking at the collage of photos of Reira and her family. He didn't have this. His family never went on vacation or spent any real time together. When his father visits home after a business trip, Orion tries to bond with him but it never works out and his father ends up ignoring him. His mother is so caught up in work in which he feels that she forgets that she has a child.

Reira walked in with the snacks and the milkshakes, only to see him staring at the wall of photos. "Were you born in Japan?" He asked.

"Yeah, my parents adopted me from there and we stayed there for a few years." She smiled, "Have you always lived in this town?"

"Yeah. No real outside experience" He expressed.

She set down the food and took a seat while he was still standing facing the wall of photos. He noticed a little boy in a couple of photos who looked like Reira. She was sitting down waiting for him to sit with her.

"Who's the boy in this photo?" He asked. She put her drink down and looked up, "which photo?"

"This one, with the cherry blossoms." He pointed.

Reira sighed, "My brother..."

She looked sad and he automatically regretted asking her that after seeing the look on her face.

"I'm sorry," He said.

Reira took a second and explained to him why she's now an only child. "Car accident." She said, "He died in a car accident a couple of years ago and it hasn't really ever been the same since." She looked down. "I'm sorry to get all depressed, I-"

He sighed and looked at her, "No I'm sorry, I didn't know." He saw her holding her tears in. "Oh Reira, I'm so sorry."

Reira's teary eyes turned into a waterfall and she continuously kept apologizing.

He felt really bad seeing her cry, "Is it okay if I hug you?" She nodded as he made his way over to where she was sitting.

"It's just that my family is so supportive and we truly are a happy family-" She sniffled, "But it's been hard being an only child for the past couple of years, and being here has felt extremely lonely, I mean people aren't really nice to me and I feel like I have to act like it doesn't bother me-" Her tears began to calm down.

"I understand," He said in a reassuring voice. "I mean I've never lost someone in that way but I understand how it feels to be lonely... and feeling the need to put on an act sometimes, you know?"

"I thought that being positive would just make things better but sometimes, I feel fake." She looked down. "The truth is, I don't know how I'm crying in front of you right now."

"Wait, why?" He asked.

"I don't cry in front of anyone except my parents and honestly, this whole project thing, plus working with you, has made this move so much better."

He was surprised to know that he made her feel this way. "Reira, I.." He took a pause, "I feel the same way about you"

The milkshakes were melting and they began talking for hours. Orion told her about his family which resulted in her understanding why he is the way he is. Hardship. The two teenagers truly connected through discussing the hard parts of life, but they were drawn to each other from the beginning through both their openness and kindness.

"I guess you could say it was my first heartbreak." He said after explaining his situation with his mother.

"It's interesting how both of our first heartbreaks have to do with family." She said.

"I mean in my case it could be worse, I know my parents love me to some extent, I just think they are too caught up with work." He said, "As for you, you still have parents who at least show that they love you."

"Yeah" She smiled as she had a moment of gratitude for her parents. "But Orion, I know you feel that you don't have anyone sometimes, but you have me if that means something"

His eyes widened, "I have you?"

"Yes, you have me." She smiled.

After the tears and the talks of sorrow, they managed to laugh and continue enjoying each other's company until it became late.