The Leaf Catcher (on hold)

A Bucket List of Wonder

Chapter 5

"Hi," I breathed as I came to a stop in front of Kaiden, slightly out of breath from both power-walking and excitement.

"Hi there," His eyes smiled up at me as he scooted over, leaving a space of bare, smooth wood for me to occupy. "How was your weekend?" He asked as I sat down, dumping my bag on the floor and balancing my sketchbook on my bruised knees.

I don't know why, but I always have bruises on my legs. Always - especially when I was a child. It wasn't that I bruised very easily; although when I did, a beautiful array of blues and purples bubbled to the surface of my skin. Most people hate bruises; they think they're ugly and painful.

I've always thought differently.

I remember back in my eighth summer when I fell of my bike, losing control of the handlebars and crashing into a ditch. I managed to contract a hefty price of bruising on my arms. They'd looked so special in my small eyes; a whole compilation of colours interwoven between each other, dotting sporadically over my bones, that I hadn't thought they were bruises.

I'd described them as nebulae to my dad, after I'd recently been shown a presentation about stars at school. I hadn't really know what a nebula was, not really; I'd just recognised a smililar pattern and blurted the word out.

Needless to say, he'd taken me to hospital to have my head checked out.

That wasn't the last time I'd been to hospital with him.

Don't think about it, Meg. Don't do that. Not now.

"My weekend was pretty uneventful, thanks. I didn't really do much. How was yours?" I replied.

Kaiden opened his mouth to answer me, but out of nowhere - and I mean that, I didn't even see her coming, let alone hear her - Minnie flew onto his lap, jumping energetically up and down. Kaiden wrapped his hands around her little waist, ensuring that she didn't fall down as she precariously perched on his knees.

She had absolutely no idea that she was in danger, just like any other child. Completely and blissfully oblivious of everything but their mind.

"Whoa there tiger!" He exclaimed, smiling down at her. Minnie bounced, her brown hair flying up and down, making her look ridiculously like dumbo...with hair for ears.

Wow, Meg. Your mind really is something special, isn't it?

I rolled my eyes at myself, slapping my cheek gently in mock disparagement and then realised what I was doing, and abruptly focused on my hands, curling them into fists on my sketchbook as my cheeks blushed. Nora was the one who'd started me doing that, and I guess it had turned into a habit.

I really hoped he hadn't seen that, though.

"Kaiiiiiiiden!" She whined, still bouncing. "Can we please get ice cream now? Please, please please. Tommy knocked over my sand castle and I don't want to play with him anymore."

I glanced over at Tommy, who had followed his friend over there. He was looking proudly at Minnie, his tooth grin lighting up his mischievous face.

"Did he now?" I enquired, raising my eyebrows at him as he turned to me. His grin turned sheepish, and he fidgeted his feet.

Minnie flipped around, her little legs splaying all over the place. Kaiden tightened his grip, and I marvelled at the care he took with her.

"Oh hey!" She exclaimed, smiling shyly at me. "You were the girl on Friday. You're Tommy's sister,"

"Indeed I am," I said, chuckling at her informative tone.

"Is she staying, Kai? Is she our friend?"