I felt sick to my stomach. It wasn’t the food, Kye was a super cook and the produce was fresh everyday. It wasn’t homesickness; I didn’t have time to have thoughts over the adults whom looked after me but I did feel rotten about what I’d done. It was the feeling, the notion that lurched inside every time Kye passed by or smiled. A feeling that set off a firework of emotion, a happy feeling- which I wanted but I just couldn’t have.
Kye was fishing around in the fridge, pulling out a soda for himself. My heart softened, even though the feeling was sickening I loved it. He was just so… Kye. He smiled sending a sprite of electric to my heart,
“You ok?” He slurped the drink in a cool swift movement, lurching it up to drink more.
“Yeah, just absorbing. So many things…”
“Yeah. Maybe we should go out, keep your thoughts away from… everything.”
I got up and walked over to the sofa he was sitting on, that weird look in his eyes.
“Sounds good. But where?”
“There’s a pretty little part around the corner, with blossom tree’s, a lake and a cool breeze is always blowing through. Wanna go there?”
I nodded feeling too full of the previous meal, “Ok, but um… could I go get some different clothes, fresher ones.”
Kye nodded, passing me the unlimited credit card, and adding, “The shops just downstairs. Be quick.”
I took the card and hurried to the flat’s door and arriving at the small boutique below. The shop was empty accept for the middle aged woman serving at the desk, currently stuck on a crossword puzzle.
The clothes here were nice, a vintage style of tops and dressing with jeans and shorts. I began to search through the rails, looking for something that suited me. I edged to the end of the row before sweeping a hanger off. It was a brownish dress, decorated with pink and green flowers, the style of it had a tight corset and then a smooth fabric flowed to the knee.
I took the hanger to the desk and passed the woman the credit card. The card was white and unbranded, but still shinny and normally sized. Without noticing she pushed the bag into my hands and gave back the card. She cleared her throat as if to say ‘go away I need to finish this puzzle’.
“Consequence” I muffled.
“What?” she asked.
“3 across, the result of an action, duh?”
Then I hurried back upstairs to an empty room. I could hear the whistle of hot water spraying down in the bathroom.
I walked to my room and, deciding I was clean, began to undress to change.
The dress was unbelievably soft, a smooth material which was so comfortable against me skin.
I looked into my reflection, seeing how the dress complemented my figure so well… I looked hot.
I heard a door close and decided Kye must be back in the main room. With one more glance in the mirror, I headed into the next room. Kye watched as I wondered in, in my new dress.
“Wow” he muttered under his breathe and I pretended not to hear to avoid awkward conversation.
Kye was in a green striped polo shirt and tattered jeans; I felt a little self conscious because I looked a bit posh-er. He smiled, standing up and walking over to the door.
“Should we go?” He opened the door as I nodded, followed by me springing my way out.
“That dress is nice,” his cheeky façade washed over his face, “like the dresses back home”
“We have to wear dresses?” The idea seemed silly; I could do much stuff in a dress.
“Yup, its tradition! I know fairy tale or what?” He let out a small laugh but then realised I hadn’t joined in, “Yeah you do, but any style you like!”
“mkay”
The street that leads off the high street was still empty, this whole place seemed to be, and I couldn’t help but feel lonely. Lonely for love, I mean Kye was here but he didn’t love me, and my family did and even though they weren’t real, I did miss them.
Kye walked silently through thought as well, I could tell he was by the way he wasn’t staring at me, and I couldn’t help but want to know what he was feeling.
“What are you thinking, Kye?”
He jumped out of the moment and back to me,
“Nothing much, just thinking.”
“Please Kye.”
“Nah”
Boys are so arrogant! Girls let them know their thoughts, their feelings (cringe)- so why don’t they! Kye was so nice, kind even but he never let me know his thoughts… they were probably of some prettier girl with blond hair, an overuse of make up and a overly female voice saying- ‘I’m so happy I’m your girlfriend’.
I scrunched up my noise but Kye was looking again so I pretended I was sneezing, he looked away- down the road.
A car grumbled past, an old thing with scratches and bad metal work. It looked like me fathers car. I remember it from childhood, this one was blue but my fathers had been emerald green. We called the car Eliza, I can’t think why, but we always did. And we’d drive around in her singing- why, why, why Eliza. Like the Delilah song but that had to be changed to Eliza. Ever outing we’d drive Eliza, singing along, all around the city. The small open toped convertible, with a fabric top we never used, always had a breeze running by…. Even in the countryside, where the smell was less than pleasant.
I smile jumped onto my face as the memory ended, feeling complete inside.
“Where’s this park then?” I said.
“Around the corner… see here.” He pointed at the small metal gate with a sign – Welcome to SunnylanePark-. Behind it was a glorious sight, the grass, the lake. I ran and pushed through the gate, there had been no parks in my old town, and I’d missed them.
The grass that cloaked the grass was a fresh lime green, dew dripping down and growing taller by the second. Under it was a layer of soil, a dark mixture giving life to the greenery.
Then there were the trees, big, strong with delicate leaves of orange and autumnal red. They stood tall, watching over the park, with branches stretching out and twigs falling to the ground with a crunch.
The lake was in the middle of the park, it was massive and wide. The water shimmered in the early evening sun, little ripples of silvery light glittering on the
stretch of liquid. There were several ducks, all the traditional brown with a green slash, gathered in a corner by the taller of the reeds. Also there were swans, large, white, majestic creatures dotted around the lake.
I breathed in. A glorious tang wafted into my noise. It was a concoction of smells, a medley of plants and animals. It was glorious.
“Wow” I was quite taken back.
“I know, right”
But the thing that took me back the most, were the people. The town Kye lived in, whenever I’d seen it, had been lonely, except from the occasional shop assistant this place was deserted. But the park was heaving! Men, women, children, of all ages.
“There are so many people…”
“Yeah, most people spend their time here. Ever working or just enjoying their spare time. Children meet here, dogs walk here, old folks stroll here, and everyone talks here.” He looked back to my eyes before pointing at the back bit, a little hill-like grass mound. “Let’s go over there, its more… private!”
Kye walked a little faster, in front of me now, and I couldn’t help but see him sweep along the path. His movements were angelic, strong.
I loved him.
Everything about him.
When we reached the top of the little mound, where it was a lot more private, Kye stopped and waited for me to join him.
“You really do look very pretty Ebony”
I blushed; trying to flick some hair over me embarrassed face.
“Seriously, you look great”
“Kye, what are you on about?” I’d caught up with him now.
“Nothing, I just… wanted to say.”
Weird. Kye’d lost it, seriously. I didn’t know what was up but it was massive. First the funny looks, then the trailing off into thought and now the strange complementing.
“Look I want to tell you something” He spoke clearly looking straight into my eyes.
“Go on”
“It’s tricky”
“Hey Kye, what’s wrong? You can tell me, I won’t breathe a word.”
“I know. I… just…” He held his gaze, still in my deep eyes, like he could see into my sole.
And then it hit me.
The funny looks… The thoughts… The complementing…
He liked me.
I must be hallucinating, how could Kye like me?
But then he began to speak again,
“Ebony, I know we don’t really know each other but… I… l…”
I knew what he was going to say, I knew the moment was now. So I tiptoed up,
pushed my face forward,
until
our lips
touched.