Sunday Stephens and her family recently moved to Sydney. She and her sister are overjoyed to find out that their house isn't quite ready for them to move in yet, so they are to stay with some of their neighbours for a couple weeks. Sunday is soon to...
We walked in silence for a while, just appreciating each other's company. I had no idea where I was going at all, and I didn't know where Ruel was going. But in order for him to trust me, I had to trust him. So I did. I just followed wherever he was going.
We walked for about 10 minutes around the neighbourhood, before Ruel stopped outside of an old house at the top of a hill. It was old, wooden, and looked to be falling apart. The paint was peeling, the windows were fogged, and the wood looked to be rotting. This was not exactly what I was expecting to say the least.
"Uh it's...lovely," I plastered on a smile, unconvincingly.
"This isn't what I'm showing you," he replied, gesturing for me to follow him. He led me in through the door of the house, making me uneasy. This house looked abandoned, and I didn't really feel like getting arrested for trespassing.
"Are you sure this isn't illegal?" I asked, as he led me through a doorway and up a rotting spiral of stairs.
"Just trust me," he looked back at me for a second, continuing to walk up the stairs. He was much faster than I was, I don't know if it was because I was slow or if he was just fast. He stopped suddenly at the top of the stairs, scaring me. I fell forward onto his back, earning a mouthful of his jacket. I steadied myself as he stared at me weirdly. I guess I had just fallen into him but still. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I replied, shaking my head back into reality.
"Come on then," he stepped out of the way, making space for me to come up. I did so, stepping into an small, open room, with half walls and no roof. Paper scattered the floor, as I was used to at this point, but otherwise, it was nicely decorated. In the corner was a mattress with a blanket, where he slept I assumed, a guitar (of course), plenty of plants to compliment the room, and paintings scattering the walls. Had he been living here?
"It looks lovely Ruel," I smiled, looking around the room. I was being truthful. It did look lovely. I dreamed if owning a place like this myself one day. He didn't respond. When I turned to look at him, I saw he was sitting quietly on the floor, reading a book. Of course he had a book. I didn't say anything else, but continued looking around this little place he had.
I picked up one of the pieces of paper, curious as to what was written on them.
Everyone you hurt, every time you try.
What did that mean? I frowned, confused by the random collection of words. I tucked the piece of paper away in my pocket, and picked up another.
The hole that you left me to fill, just keeps getting longer.
Another random recollection of words.
"They're lyrics," Ruel stated, almost reading my mind. I turned to him, to see his head was still very much buried in his book. So they weren't random words. They were discarded song lyrics.
"Why did you throw them on the floor?" I asked, reading more of the small collections of words.
"They weren't good enough," he shrugged, as if it were nothing. He closed his book, looking up at me and my arms filled with discarded bits of paper. "Are you gonna keep them?"
"Yes, because I think they are lovely," I smiled, watching his eyes light up just the tiniest bit. "Do you come here often?"
"Yeah I do. I come every day. I was actually coming back from here when I found you after you were lost that one time," he replied, making me remember that, and how glad I was that he'd found me. "I like coming here to write. The night sky gives great inspiration."
I wanted to tell him that to see the moon and stars, all he had to do was look in the mirror. But I had done enough blurting today, so I didn't. Instead, I asked something else I had been wanting to know.
"What do you write about?"
"You know, heartbreak, love, the moon, movies, the usual," he shrugged again, taking this all way too casually.
I hummed in agreement, unaware of the habit I was catching onto. I didn't ask anything more, aware my questions could eventually get annoying. I sat beside him, pulling out a notebook. This was what I called my wonderful things book. It was precisely what it sounded like. I wrote down anything and everything wonderful. And to be frank, I think this place deserved a mention. I also tucked in the lyrics Ruel had written, because they were wonderful too. I closed the book and put it back in my pocket, looking back over at the boy sitting beside me.
I had so many things I found wonderful about him that I wanted to add. The way his hair fell over his face so gently, the splatters of colours in his eyes, his blush pink lips, the way his teeth formed to make a smile. But he was sitting right there and that would probably be weird.
But I had to add them at some point, because I think they were some of the most wonderful things I had ever seen. God, he was the most wonderful thing I had ever seen. And there he was, sitting next to me, gazing up into the sky, face touched by the cold. I think I could've watched him for hours and never get bored.
And before I could think, before I could feel, his gaze was on me. His hazel eyes were looking at me. Even though they looked green, I was happy I'd gotten the chance to see they were really a mix of all of the colours.
"Sunday?" he asked softly out of no where.
"Yes?" I replied, curious as to what he was going to ask.
"Why did you bother trying?" he asked in response. This was a very vague question, but I knew what he meant. He wanted to know why I had tried to help him. And so I told him. I wanted to be honest and open with him. I wanted him to know that I trusted him.
"I guess it's because I knew what you were and still are going through in a way," I sighed, watching his face crinkle in confusion. "I got heartbroken and locked myself in my room and drowned myself in books just like you did. But nobody bothered to try with me, so I had to get over it myself. So I guess I wanted to be that person for you."
A/N i'm sorry to cut this chapter short but i am not functioning properly right now. I am going to die. And you guys are going to die with me:)
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ADKSKSI I LOVE THEM SO MUCH THIS IS THE REASON I LIVE. YOURE WELCOME! CREDS TO BIRD FOR KILLING ME FIRST
also happy birthday and well done to ruel for turning 19, we all love you and hope you're keeping safe in LA:)
As always remember to eat something, drink some water and get some sleep! your body needs it. Love you all lots and lots
- Grape 🍇🤍
29/10/21
Quote of the day
Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.
