She Sent Me Violets

1. Ophelia Says This Never Happened

I'm just gonna straight up warn you that I'm a highly unreliable narrator. And why? Because all of these events happened the way they will be told. One after another. Rushed, with zero time for processing or documentation.

And I am relying on my memory. And even though I've never read anything on memory to back me up, I believe it's flawed. Because two hours ago I had poured myself a cup of coffee but now I can taste the lingering warmth of ginger chai on my tongue.

But I promise, it'll get more and more true as it progresses. Cause the most accurate memories always seem to be the most recent. Again, I have no sources to back this up, but based on my own experiences, I hold these words to be true.

The first time I saw Ophelia, I was six. No, seven. Shit, I don't remember. We were very young, though. Barely even conscious of our individual existence.

The other kids and I were playing dodgeball during recess. Matthew Higgins who would soon grow up to be my bestest bestfriend (and boyfriend for two months before I realised what a raging lesbian I was) and at the time was my mortal enemy, threw that ball so fucking hard at my face I'm pretty sure I would've died.

Anyway, I didn't die. Because six, or seven, (or eight) year old me was the fucking LeBron James of kindergarten dodgeball. I dodged that flying missile so flawlessly the other kids came over to give me pats on the back. And if you've never had other kids give you pats on the back as a kid, I apologise, cause that's the closest you'll ever feel to being a god.

Anyway, that ball just kept flying. And flying. All the way to the other side of the playground. It was like some invisible force was pulling it. Which is why I've always suspected Ophelia of being a witch. Or being the daughter of some forgotten, ancient powerful being.

Fate is so corny and boring. Destiny is such a fib. Divine intervention is sad. But I believe, truly, with my whole heart that Ophelia's parents, fourth dimensional beings of royalty that had sent their daughter to bless our fallen race, must've sent that ball rolling through the thicket.

She'll read this and laugh. And say, "Rob, you can be so romantic sometimes."

But I never forgot that day. Ever. I never talked to her after that, it's true. But I never forgot that day at recess.

Anway, even though I was the star of the game, things had to continue. So I crawled through a space between the bushes as the branches scratched my skin. When I came to the clearing, I found my ball. Lodged at the feet of a fairy. I really did think she was a fairy.

And when she looked up at me, I thought of the DVD Barbie movie collection dad had bought me for my birthday last year. She looked like one of the fairies from Mariposa or whatever it was called.

Her coily brown hair was in pigtails. And she wore a pink dress. No, a rainbow striped shirt with overalls. No, I'm sorry. Fuck I have such terrible memory. She wore...our school uniform?

Okay, I can't really recall. But she had these huge round glasses sitting on her face and pretty pins in her hair.

"Hi." She said. "This your ball?"

I crawled on all fours out the thicket and walked to her. I picked up the ball. She was wearing Mary Janes. I remembered trying to throw the ones mum had gotten me. "Thanks."

She smiled. And I smiled too. Cause why not?

"What're you drawing?" I asked.

Her eyes lit up instantly. It was like she had been waiting for someone to ask. And that's when I realised she was alone. All the kids were at the playground waiting for me to return with the ball. And she was here. Drawing unicorns and shit.

What a weird kid, I thought.

"It's a comic. Do you read comics?"

My turn to get excited. "Yeah. Like Batman, The Joker, that stuff? My older brother has a vintage collection!" I sat down next to her and looked at her drawings, then frowned. "This doesn't look like a comic." I remarked.

She coloured in what must've been an elf or princess or cross between the two. "It is." She laughed. "It tells a story."

"Rooooooooobbb!" Mattew called.

"Coming!" I stood up with the ball and got on my knees to crawl back to the other side. But just before I left, I turned around. "Are you new?" I asked.

She laughed and shook her head no. "No. But I was sick so I haven't been coming to school."

"Oh. I'm Robin. I moved here with my mum a few months ago."

"My name is Ophelia."

"Rooooooobbbbb!"

Ophelia says she doesn't remember this. At all. But I do. I still do. I always will.