Invisible String

Chapter 3

My phone buzzed and I saw a message from him. I don't mind walking. wanna come by my place?  I got excited. Sure. When should I come over?                                                                               Now?                                                                                                                                                                               Okay, ill be there in 15.                                     

And with that, I walked downstairs with my purse and phone in hand, and told Gigi I was off. She was already reading a book, lounging lazily. I grabbed my bike, a little white one, and hopped on. I realized then that my mini dress was hardly appropriate clothing for biking, but I brushed this aside, and kept my legs closed, chuckling to myself, as I rode off. There was hardly a breeze, even biking, due to the hotness of the early afternoon. I was glad id chose to wear some shoes, not flats or heels. I pedalled my way through the city, people busying themselves on a regular Friday afternoon, old ladies at the market, men reading newspapers at cafes, and children out playing, chasing pigeons. I passed some other bikers as I went, already knowing the route to his house. I pulled into the driveway, and hopped off my bike, and rang the doorbell. Again, the intercom greeted me, with "Hey, I'll be right down." I responded, "Okay-do you have a bike by any chance?" I was relieved when he said, "Yeah, ill bring it down, then?" I nodded, then realized he couldn't see me, and said, "Mhm, yeah." He chuckled. "Okay." I waited for him as I heard the footsteps and bike wheels turn as he wheeled it down the stairs. He opened the door and I melted at the sight of him. "Hey." He grinned, and I smiled too. "Hi." I paused and he said, "so? biking?" I nodded. "I want to show you a beautiful place, but it's a little out of the city. Do you mind biking?" He shook his head. " Not at all, are you kidding?" I laughed with him as we walked our bikes out onto the street, and said, "Well good, because I don't drive, and I doubt you have a car here." he turned to me, surprised. "You don't drive?" I shook my head, a bit embarrassed, hoping this quality could maybe be endearing. "No, I don't know how." I laughed nervously. "So does Gigi drive then? I assume one of you must, if you're travelling in and out of the city." I was a bit taken aback at how much he remembered about me. Not that it's all that hard to remember, but nonetheless I felt very appreciative that he listened so much. "yeah, uhuh, she's been driving since she was 13. I always relied on her, or other people - or just biking." I shrugged." He shook his head, and chuckled. "You're the first person I've met like that." I looked at him. "no way." He nodded in this kind of slow way. "uhuh. honest." He looked at me and said "ready to go?" I got on my bike and he followed, and I tried not to flash him as I did so in my small dress. He chuckled as he watched my attempt. "Not exactly the best thing to wear biking," I said, "But oh well." And with that, I got myself on the seat, and began to ride. We biked pretty slowly, I noticed he was looking around for a lot of the time, admiring the countryside slowly come into view as the city faded away. We biked on a trail through fields of tall grass, the horizon a pale blue sky, and the distant lonely mountains. After about 20 minutes of biking, we got to a little town, called Cisnadiara. As I slowed down, he followed, and I said, "Are you thirsty? I'm gonna go in and get some water," Signaling towards the little store down the road. He nodded, and we biked slowly down to the market. I got off my bike, leaned it against the doorway, and walked inside, getting a rush of air conditioning that hit my face pleasantly. I took a bottle of water and checked out, and with a bell tingle the door of the shop opened and James entered and removed his sunglasses. though a bit sweaty, he looked amazing, I thought, and turned back to the counter and paid. As I turned away to leave my head smacked his chest as I ran into him, and I quickly apologized as he laughed and carefully moved me aside with his hands on my shoulders, and paid the cashier. I waited for him, and he casually bumped into me playfully on the way out. I watched him go, then sighed and followed. The hot sun felt stronger now that id been in the air-conditioned building, as I walked to my bike and met James. We stood by our bikes, and drank for longer than usual; the heat and exercise's doing, I imagined. When I put my water bottle down, I said, "So, see over there," I pointed, and he turned to see. "That's the monastery, and over here," I pointed to the opposite direction, "Is a beautiful old church, it's no longer used but its a beautiful temple, and the view is amazing. It's a bit of a hike, but I love going there." he nodded. "Sounds great, I'm glad you brought me here. I wanted to get more of a rural view of this place, too." We locked our bikes, and then walked to where the trail began. "You know, id love to show you the village where my family lives, its such a pretty countryside, and the views of the mountains are even better." He nodded. "So would i. I mean, I could see it. Just without anyone knowing." I thought about this. "That's true." "I leave the day after tomorrow." He said glumly. "Why the tone?" He chuckled, "Well, see, I probably wouldn't have been too upset about it, but you completely have made me want to see more. Honestly, I'm really glad I met you, a local to show me the wonders of Transylvania," I blushed. "I've hardly done that." He shook his head, "You have, you have, I really wouldn't have known about this place, and look at this view." He gestured, and we were not that far up, but the view over the houses and across the land was already visible. I looked at him, and laughed, then pushed his shoulder. "C'mon, this is not the view. Were not there yet." I continued up the trail. "So tell me about Gigi, how did you meet?" He asked honestly. Again, I appreciated his natural curiosity. "Well, our dads met when they were around 12," I began, "No kidding?" I nodded. "and then they kind of started dating these two girls at the same time when they were 27, and then they became friends, and then they got married at the same time, and pregnant at the same time, and soon Gigi and I were born, and from there, our families have been practically one big family." He looked impressed. "That's so cool. You guys are like sisters then." I nodded. "I do think of her as my soul sister - if you believe in that kind of stuff, I mean." "what, soulmates?" he shrugged. "I don't really know. I think your story, that's pretty good proof." I laughed. "But then, I don't know if there's only one person for everyone, romantically or platonically." "Really?" "But then," he sighed. "Sometimes I really hope there is. I feel like I've become less sceptical of the idea, though. It could be plausible. I really just don't know." I smiled. "Well, I do." He chuckled. "Well, not to pry, but have you, um, do you think you have?" I turned to him. "have I what?" "Met your soulmate. You don't have to tell me, " I smiled, and I could feel myself glowing. "I don't know." And he laughed as I sauntered up the hill. "You have an energy, has anyone ever told you that?" I turned my head as he caught up with me. "mhm. I purposefully radiate energy, we all do. I think mine is just strong because I believe in it, and I believe that giving good energy will be received back." I said it simply, but he tilted his head a bit. "I think the same thing." As we walked up the hill, I said, "so if we're on the subject of my liking - you know, energy, soulmates, " he laughed. "tell me, do you believe in all this stuff, the spirituality, that kind of thing?" He shrugged. "I think I'm starting to." I smiled. "Don't let me ramble, please, I could go on all day about this. It's my moms doing I think, sometimes she's too much even for me." "You're not, I enjoy it, you're teaching me a lot." I sighed, and said, "goodness, when it's you who could teach me so much. I mean I'm literally talking to the epitome of success in the exact field of which I want, and here I am going on about energy." "No no no, honestly you seem to know more than me, I've been successful because of luck." "Thats not true." I said. "No it is, I mean I've never seen your work, but from what I know, you're passionate, and you want it, and you work hard for it. You have everything it takes." I was flattered. "Thank you, but I think talent is pretty important, and I'm not quite sure I have it." "If I do, so do you." I shook my head in amazement at how likeable this man was. "Can I just say you're basically the nicest person? No one says stuff like that to me, and even if you're just trying to make me feel better because you're kind, you've no idea how much that means." He laughed and ran a hand through his curly hair. "Thank you. I'm certainly not the nicest, that is not true. I just am being honest with you. You're the type of person who just doesn't see their value as others do. Maybe I'm like that too." "well, it's an amicable trait, so don't beat yourself up for it." He smiled at me, I smiled back. We walked in silence for a moment. The peace of the birds chirping, the sunlight covering the green fields of land, and rooves of houses, the trees lining the sky in a picket fence way. there were wildflowers all around the trail, and I stopped to pick one to put in my hair. "looks good," He said. "you want one?" I asked, and grabbed a matching one for him. "Sure," he said, looking amused as he put one behind his ear. "see, that's pretty." I said lightly, and he chuckled. We talked for a little while more as we hiked. Just little anecdotes from our lives, getting to know one another,  understanding each other. I noticed how much I loved the way he told stories, his hand gestures and his eyes lit up, animated with revisiting memories he chose to share with me. I hope I didn't talk his ear off, and I chided myself silently for this, in case it had happened which I'm sure it had. I had a tendency to talk far more than is right or mannered, but it was just the way I was. I had to focus on holding back thoughts, and words, so I could let him talk too. But still, with him, I wanted to listen. I wanted to watch him talk, to hear his voice, for him to share as much as he wanted to me. I loved it all. 

We got to the top of the hill, and looked out at the view. he exhaled slowly. "This is so surreal. thank you." The mountains in the distance, the hills covered in trees and cottages and fields of flowers, the little towns beneath us, the cloudless sky, and the sun covered roads made the view a beautiful breathtaking sight. I'd seen it before, but it still caught my breath. There were so many colours, so many details, it looked like a painting. The sky was still, calm. The trees lining the mountains were forest green, in comparison to the bright green grass that covered every inch of the land in the distance, outside of the towns. Everything looked so small up here, and it gave me an immense feeling of peace. Not a cloud in the sky, nor a breeze through the leaves on the ground at our feet. I turned to him. "Of course, isn't it wonderful?" he nodded. He looked quite mesmerized. "It really is." I looked at him, which caught his attention. he took his eyes off the view and onto me. I grabbed his hand, and pulled him towards the Church. It was a bold move, but I felt comfortable with him. he made me feel good, and I felt like I knew him a lot longer than I had. He laughed as I tugged him. "Okay, let's see." We took big steps over the tall grass, and walked into the church. The paint coating was chipping, parts of the stone were broken, but it was magnificent. We walked inside, and it was a very dark, cold room, due to the brick walls, and tall ceilings. The windows were fogged up, but light streamed through them. the top of the church was a wooden arch, and there were doors very high up on the walls, that must have once had stairs leading up to them. the doorways were in very narrow passageways, made of concrete, and there was a little curve in the stone where the entry to the door began. I hopped up onto it, as it was a nice seat, and looked at the big and empty room. at the far north side, there was a large window, that let light stream right down to a spot where there was a statue, and a few people sat there, praying. James hopped up next to me, in front of the second door, and we sat in silence for a bit. "This is so mysterious," he whispered. I nodded. "I know. Imagine all these walls have seen. Centuries of change." He let out a sigh, and looked up. "do these doors lead to anything?" I smiled. "I'm sure they do." He looked puzzled. "Haven't you looked?" I nodded. "Oh yes, but once you walk up the stairs behind the door, you get to another door." "And?" "Locked." "ah." "I wonder, though." I said. Then I hopped down, and walked over to where the people were praying. they had left now. I sat on my knees, and crossed. I prayed for a moment. I crossed again, and got up. I walked over to him, where he had presumably watched me, and signalled to leave. He hopped down, and followed me. Once we were out of the other side of the church, there was a whole other view, this one more of a rural countryside, less of towns, more thick agriculture and farmland. the heat of the late afternoon was immense after being within the cool walls of the church. I felt a bit of sweat on my forehead. The sun was a bit blinding, so i walked over to the shade of a brick wall that was the only thing between us on this hill, and the cliff. i sat on the cold grass, and played with some wildflowers, making a crown. "That was so cool. I've been to places like this in France, but this is sure a first." I looked at his face, lit with sunlight. His curls framed his face perfectly. "So have I. It makes me feel so calm when I'm up here." "I know what you mean." He turned his head to me. "So, what was life like in San Francisco?" He asked me. I sipped some of my water bottle that I'd brought. "It was good. It was pretty free for me, I got to spend time with my friends, bike to parks, spend the weekend days by the beach. I got to go to parties on Friday nights, and things like that. It was pretty chill, not too much excitement or anything. What about you?" He sighed. "Not much." I laughed. "really? You weren't acting then?" He shrugged. "here and there, not much. I only really took off with Moon River. I wasn't expecting that much attention." I nodded. "Otherwise, it was great. I went to a school of arts, and I learned a lot there." I smiled, remembering this about him. I wouldn't tell him that, though. We spent the rest of the afternoon talking, and hiked back down, and biked home. We biked through the fields that seemed even more beautiful with that glow of the sun slowly setting, a small rustle through the grass from the summer breeze, and the pink and blue skies. Birds chirped, and the sound with the silence of the still nature and our pedalling was euphonic.