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Sol and Luna. The Sun and Moon. Yin and Yang, maybe? They were almost polar opposites. Night and day. Black and white. And yet, they were perfect together, in harmony.
Runa liked that comparison. But why?
She didn't know. At least, not yet. She was in deep thought trying to figure that out. Too deep in thought to be doing what they were supposed to.
Butterflies in her stomach? No, this was more like a swirling windstorm that kept growing in her stomach. She was almost afraid of it. She was afraid of windstorms as well. Or just storms in general. Runa didn't like the noise, nor the dark skies. It was ridiculous to think for a second that the skies would never clear again, but the thought would always come slithering back from the back of her mind, like a snake.
Another comparison. Runa found those comforting in times of need and anxiety. This was one of those times. Runa was taking a walk with their best friend, Maria, on the day before she would leave for Barcelona. Runa was so...bitter about their best friend leaving. It was fine if it was somewhere close, or somewhere they knew, but Barcelona was just so far from Philadelphia.
Runa's mind ventured back to the past. It would have been fine. Second grade me wouldn't have protested so badly about this. Second grade me wouldn't care this much.
Runa and Maria weren't even far from second grade. After all, they were just 10. Fifth grade.
Everything goes downhill from there, Bailey had said. He was in sixth grade. Runa remembered how he would act when teachers got mad at morning assemblies. How could he say that? He was always so laid-back.
"What're you thinking of, V?" Maria asked, a soft smile gracing her face.
Runa turned away, biting the inside of her cheek. "Things."
"Like?"
"Like how much I hope you'll enjoy Barcelona." Runa mentally slapped themself at that. That was so cheesy. "I—I hope you find your prince there," she stuttered.
"Oh. Thank you?" Maria replied as a question. Then she laughed, patting her friend's shoulder.
"Thank you?" Runa repeated, cracking up.
"I hope you'll find a prince here too, V." Maria slung her arm over Runa's shoulders. "Maybe it's Bailey and we just don't know it yet."
But you're already my princess, Runa thought disappointedly. Instead, she leaned away. "Bailey? No way!"
"Why not? You're already super close. He caught you when you fell off the sandbox last year."
"There was a big rat!"
Maria arched her eyebrows. "You helped catch it anyway."
Runa pursed her lips and cupped her palm over the opposite elbow. "Well, yeah..."
"You're brave, alright? So don't worry about me."
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