Paradise

♤9♤

It's the next day when I find myself at the academy again. Today's a bit different though. I ignore all of my classes except for lunch with the girls and head straight for my park.

Yes. My park.

It was going out of business because in this time and day where we have so many updated versions of gadgets and fun technological developments, no one would actually want to choose a slide over that.

But I know I would. I never grew up with any of that gadget crap and only found out about it when the Songs took me in. Other than that, I would always run off from where I was staying to go to this park.

Luckily, we saved it just before it got demolished.

At present, Rainbow Park is empty. As always. Despite this, everything is still in good condition due to the maintenance guys we hire to ensure that the park's facilities are still up and going. There are also five park caretakers that we hired to take shifts at taking care of Rainbow everyday so none of the material actually rusts or breaks.

I sit on the bench with my legs spread and lean back, letting the serenity that this empty park brings, envelop me.

Throwing my head back, I sigh in content.

Until my peaceful session is interrupted by a loud rustling of leaves crunching under someone's feet. Loud footsteps indicate that whoever this person is, is headed in my direction but I make no attempt to move from my position.

I stay in my place, anticipating the visitor but shift when I don't feel a presence near me.

I allow my eyes to flutter open and scan the area until my beady eyes land on a fully clothed figure. And not just any figure. As I refocus my vision on the boy, I see that he's wearing the Park Academy uniform.

Intrigue blooms in my chest but the fatigue that washes over me keeps me in it's grasps, holding me in place. So, I lean back and relax.

Until I feel a presence near me.

So much for peace and quiet.

I remain unmoving until a click sound startles me to my awakening.

My eyes fly open in haste and I almost sigh in relief when I see that the camera isn't aimed towards me.

It's aimed towards a little squirrel that's eating an acorn cutely. I tilt my head at it and then allow my eyes to shift to the boy who's taking the picture.

He seems so engrossed in it that he doesn't even notice me sitting here and watching him. I scan him and see his silver hair down to his thin lips, then back up to his perfect eyebrows which are scrunched up in concentration. His nose is high and defined and I notice how it flares a bit when the squirrel moves away from his camera's line of sight.

I smile a bit.

Looking out onto the horizon, I see that the sun is starting to set and the shades of red and the progressively darkening blue blend perfectly together. The sun is now a ball of fiery red as it very slowly lowers into god knows where.

I turn to the photographer who's still struggling to keep the squirrel in place until I feel frustration run through my veins at his madness.

"Why don't you just capture this picturesque view instead of wasting your time on a living organism that won't even cater to your photographic needs?" I declare, visibly making him jump at the sudden intrusive voice.

His turns his head to me and we both cringe at the crack that reaches our ears. I'm surprised he didn't get a whiplash.

As our eyes meet, I immediately recognize the boy and raise a brow.