Petrichor (boyxboy)

Prologue

The forest boundary following us along the road ever since we entered the provincial parameters of Sylva acted as the longest welcoming reception in my mentality. Like a mile long honorary guard, they valiantly raised their swords for their majesties. It's like the trees are bending closer, swaying their branches as if they are waving. Animals were abundant along the roads; some of them were racing with our car. I saw more animal during the ride than I ever had in my entire ride.

A warm fuzzy feeling bloomed in my chest. It was a feeling of coming home. A feeling I didn't dare and better not dwell on.

We had always been on the move ever since I could remember. It was because of my mother's work as a supervisor that we had to leave our place every six months. The pair of us had travel the entire North American continent from west coast to east coast and settled in almost all of the states. I didn’t mind moving because I knew it was important for us. It was our source of living. But it was really difficult. I left my friends and then try to fit in the next town. It is exhausting to repeatedly introduce my name and to find friends I knew I will leave after six months over and over again.

But there was one time I remember that we stay in a particular place for more than a year. I enrolled and left fifth grade at the same school year. I could remember forging a good and strong friendship with two boys. I was really happy then. But then, mom got promoted as a supervisor and we had to move. I wondered what had happened to those two.

I turned to my mom, Ella Ashton. The smile plastered on her face never left her ever since our move to Sylva began. I couldn’t help noticing she was more radiant than usual. More radiant than when we were in the eastern coast with healthy tan, more radiant after a spa visit. She seemed . . . content.

“What?” Mom asked, noticing me staring at her.

That was embarrassing even to my own mother. It was really rude to gawk at people. But, she had been really weird. She was the one pushing me around to pack my things a week before we left.

“You look so happy, mom.”

Her smile broke into a wide grin.

“Have I told you this is my home town?”

To say I was surprised was a major understatement. I and my mom were close. But to just find out that this was the place where all her childhood story happened just now was disturbing. Then I remembered I was born here, at Sylva. I forgot that one detail.

“Why didn’t you tell me? It’s like a homecoming. In the least, I'll be seeing my birth place for the first time."

My mom chuckled.

"Jay, this isn't you first time."

"Really?" I ask incredulously. Did she come back here when I was 3 or 4? Because seriously I can't remember.

"Don't you remember your fifth grade? You took it up here. You even made friends... I remember this one… what's his name.... Adam. Oh yes, him. You two were so close you never leave each other at school time."

Now that she mentioned it, the memories weren't that far from coming back. I remembered our apartment, the school and places I had been to but it felt like I never been there. The memories were distant and blurry at best. I came across a hazy memory of a dirty blonde haired boy with deep blue eyes like the ocean. I tried to clarify the image but I just got a sudden raging headache. Grimacing, I massaged my temple and willed the pain away.

"Yeah... he had this messy dirty blonde hair." I said.

"I guess you remembered." Mom said.

Mom swerved to the left and I saw Fyllo Town. It wasn't that big as New York, our precedent home. Houses didn't gyrate with one another and no skyscraper blocked the horizon. There were trees. Lots and lots of them. The air hanged cool and fresh. No angry horns blasting. No pollution. Just plain simple nature. The extreme contrast of city and suburban life caught my attention.

May be it wouldn't be too bad if we stay here permanently. The stray thought, even if it was a wistful thinking, cracks a smile on my lips.