Little Blue Hearts

Plastic Necklaces Mean Alot

"Jack, you can't say yourself. We've established this." I sighed and rested my chin on my lunchbag.

"I so can!" He ate the last of my apples and pushed back the Tupperware box. "I'm not answering 'Mason' again."

"Sure you won't, don't lie to yourself." Serena wiggled her eyebrows at Jack and Mason, and ended up laughing at Mason's disgusted face. "Fine, if you won't answer again then ask someone else."

Jack gazed around the lunch table, eyes locking on me. "Alice, truth or dare?" He grinned, knowing I was stuck either way. They always bugged me about my supposed crushes (I don't have one, honestly). If I were to choose dare, they would dare me to tell the truth. Unfair, I know, but it's not against any rules.

"Truth." I rolled my eyes, placing the empty Tupperware back in my lunch bag. I looked back up at him, awaiting my answer.

"Why do you wear that plastic necklace all the time?" He eyed the little blue half-heart hanging around my neck. I raised an eyebrow, they'd never asked that before.

I stole a glance at the clock. Twenty minutes of lunch left, I had time to tell a story. With an evil grin, I looked back to Jack. "You just got yourself into a long story time."

As I told the tale, my mind flashed back to childhood and played the memories like a movie.

I was standing by the creek, balancing on a rock. The running water and chirping birds made for a calming sound, and it was comforting knowing the little wood cabin where we were staying was so close.

I was listenening closely for the 'plop' of the pebble I had thrown in, but my ears caught sound of something else.

Piano keys sounded quietly in the air, and my eyes wandered, looking for the source of the noise. There wasn't a piano in our little wood cabin, but in the one a little further up the hill...

My eyes locked on the other cabin, and being naturally drawn to music, I climbed back up the river bank and through the thin line of trees that separated me and that sound. I could see two open French doors, leading into a living room. Inside sat a boy about my age, seven or so, maybe a year older... His hands were lightly dancing over the piano.

My eyes lit up with excitement, and I ran into the room, without even thinking. I sat next to the brown-haired boy, eagerly, and watched him play. He was playing Arabesque by Burgmüller. Once he finished, he turned his head to me with an accomplished smile.

"Hello." He said, tilting his head. "You're the girl from the other cabin... Did you like my song?"

I nodded vigorously, then looked at the piano again. "Can I play?" He nodded, and scooted to the side of the piano stool so I could sit in the middle. My short little legs dangled inches over the floor, while his were firmly planted on the ground. Placing my hands over the keys, I took a deep breath, and began playing one of my newer songs, Elfin Dance by Edvard Grieg. It was not a brilliant performance, as I was an overly ambitious little devil and it was rather difficult. He watched me, a little jealous, but entranced. After I finished, he applauded.

"Well? Stand up and take a bow, like it's a recital." He grinned.

I did stand and bow, and he clapped, so I bowed again. Wide grins were planted on our faced as we pretended. The two of us became fast friends in the three days I was staying there, and unbelievably close. We didn't even ever bother to ask each other's names. Before my family left for home, I ran to the nearby general store and bought two of those small plastic half-heart necklaces. I met him down by the river, and gave it to him, as well as a kiss on the cheek and a thank you for being a friend. He smiled, and placed the necklace around his neck.

"Wear it forever, then when we grow up, if we ever meet we know who we are." He told me, and I nodded, smiling. My parents called me, and with another goodbye, I ran back up to the car and my family drove away.

When I finished, there were five minutes of lunch left. The people at the table applauded me, and Denise held and examined the small charm hanging from my neck. "So you still wear it?" She asked, turning it around.

"Do you really think you'll meet him again one day?" Mason asked, placing his elbows on the table and folding them. "I dont."

Unashamed, I answered. "Of course I do. It's a tiny world." Spotting the clock hit one, I stood, twirling my lunchbag around my finger. "Gotta go." They nodded and waved goodbye, and I exited the cafeteria at a quick pace. I was playing a Sonatine by Ravel just now, and wanted to practice it in the music room. I was excited to play the piece, and was listening to it in my head, but I stopped short outside the music room.

From inside, the sweet sound of Clair de Lune by Debussy rang out into the hallway. My breath caught short in my throat.

Don't be stupid, it's not him. You're only thinking this because of the story. Don't get your hopes up.

My heart beat fast. Why was I so nervous? Maybe I was just scared. Scared it was him, or that it wasn't? More than two people play piano in this world, I thought to myself. God, I was confused. With shaking arms and shaking hands, like I was walking into a performance, I pushed open the door.