Keep driving ~ hs

two

It all started when I was 8 and he was 9. I was sitting in my back garden with my father as he showed me how to paint the foreground in a painting without messing up the perfectly blended blue sky which I had painted earlier. I remember being conflicted on whether I should paint people in the beach scene I was painting. I decided not to. After a little while I had really gotten into it. I've loved painting ever since I was 4 years old. My mum says I really take after my father as he was also a painter. Not a famous one yet one who had enough talent to sell a few of his works.

After a bit my dad had gone back inside and I was completely consumed in painting. So much so that I didn't realise that a massive orange ball had been chucked into our garden and was laying right by my foot until I heard a quiet squeak of nervousness coming from the other side of the fence. I turned my head to see a boy, around my age who was flushed red with long grown out curls creeping into his eyes. I opened my mouth to call out to him but before I could he scurried off inside the house.

"That was weird" I mumble, turning back to my painting.

I decided that if he didn't want the ball back, then it would stay here until he asked for it back. Call me delusional but the ball gave me a feel of comfort back then.

However I didn't have to wait long as soon as I heard the soles of shoes padding down into the garden. It was the same boy.

He stopped in bewilderment as if he was surprised to see me there yet composed himself quickly, and plastered a smile on his face.

"hi I'm harry" he looked at me expectantly with his green eyes, sticking his hand out.

I look down at his hand and hesitantly shake it.

"Sorry if i creeped you out earlier, it's just my mum has always said that you should meet people face to face and i don't think introducing myself to you from over a fence would be very polite" he rambles, moving his hands in front of him to express this.

I instantly sighed out in relief, I had been worried that it would be another one of those neighbour's kids interactions where they awkwardly would walk in, grab their ball, run out and thank my mum while they were running back home. I was glad Harry was a bit kinder.

I smiled "hi i'm aria, its fine don't worry. Did you want to get your ball back?"

He nodded enthusiastically and popped a grin that welcomed his dimples.

Whenever i look back at this memory i like to think that this is when i fell in love with him. Sure it's a bit unusual, I had talked to him all of 3 minutes so maybe it wasn't actually love. Maybe I just felt something that indicated that he would be special. That he would have a prominent role in my life. Honestly, I don't know.

He took the ball from my hands as I handed it to him.

"Thanks aria" he said, the ball secured under his arm and curled along his hip.

I nodded and gave him an awkward thumbs up which I cursed myself for days for doing.

He laughed and nodded ,eyes twinkling with amusement, turning back around into the house.

"See you around" he said as he was walking back home.

Oh yes, I definitely saw him around.