❝Just Like Heaven❞ [English]

❝Pale Angel❞

Curious Boy.
They stared at him, sometimes very fixed before dodging and pretending they weren't.
He looked at his outfit, wondering if that was the reason, even though it was nothing out of the ordinary, just dark colours and his hair up just the way he liked it, people were going around so colourful, maybe it was just that.

He chose three books that caught his attention, and a classic that he wanted to read from last year, now he had enough time to do it.
He walked over to the counter and rang a bell, no one was around, he rang it again and waited for nothing. He frowned a little and did it again, a boy of about his age approached chewing gum, clearly irritated.

"Okay, I heard," he grumbled, but his voice did not express any annoyance, but mockery, a bit cynical and funny. Robert tried not to be intimidated "The shelves are shit, they are from A to Z and always put the V in other parts that are not supposed to be, elementary school children are the worst"

"I guess so" he answered in a low voice, watching as he removed the labels and jotted down the titles in a small notebook.

"You aren't from around here? Ah?" he held that boy's gaze and shoved his hands back into his coat pockets

"No"

"Wow, Allan Poe, you like that kind of poetry."

"Yes," he swallowed "Do you read?"

"Nah, the pay is good here on vacation, I don't read anything I just take care of the shopping" he gave a wide smile "Do you want to take them now? Or do you prefer that we deliver them to you? Just give me your address"

"But I'm here" he shrugged, unintentionally, sounding obvious.

"I know" he laughed "We have that service, but I think the same thing" he put the books in a white plastic bag "Choose one" he pointed out the dividers that hung on small crochets, most of them had motivational phrases with cartoons, it was decided by one in blue with stars and a half-moon drawn in the middle. "I'm Simon, by the way" he handed him the purchases and looked at him attentively, but not in a bad way.

"Thanks, Simon" he nodded and left. People were quite strange here.

🍁

He was waiting impatiently sitting in front of his father, he talked about the streets and how gentle people were, he was not very interested in him, then he asked about the books he chose, that surprised him a lot.

He took out the poetry and passed it across the table, the man carefully read the prologue.

"At your age, I was not interested in poetry, I was fascinated by fiction" he returned it "You are very curious Robert," he said, almost with admiration.

He wanted to ask what he was referring to. But his mother arrived, without Mr Wallace, instead she brought a picture of some yellow flower.

"The store is fabulous" she exclaimed sitting down with them, a waiter finally brought the long-awaited pizza, Robert served himself first "I bought some seeds, they are in the car, it is splendid and a lovely girl brought sunflowers"

"Did you buy sunflowers?"

"And gardenias!"

Robert lost the thread of the conversation, poured himself a soda and opened the tomato sauce packets without delicacy, bringing the tips of his fingers smeared with pizza grease to his mouth. He bit into a considerable amount, he was hungry, his stomach rumbling with each bite.

He turned to look out the window, not even expecting it, it was like receiving a blow that caused his pulse to race. The image that came to his eyes left him stunned.

It was a girl on a bicycle, her skin seemed so delicate and shiny in the middle of all the grey panorama.

She wore bangs, her hair was very dark, like her eyes, and small pink lips. She wore yellow pants, a navy blue jacket like the sky drawn on her new separator, her converse were stained by a bit of mud, and she pedalled calmly along the sidewalk, on a mint coloured bicycle, very beautiful, vintage type.

She seemed like an illusion. Like a beautiful image worthy of a prestigious gallery. He became suspicious and interested at the same time. Very interested. He hardly remembered the last time he had felt that.

The girl did not turn around at any time, she continued her calm way down the sidewalk and got lost in the corner, he hated all the structures that obstructed her vision at that moment. He was tempted to run to the stoplight, and see where she was going.

"Honey" all the sounds and the rest came back to order he blinked confused looking at his mother "Are you okay? You turned pale"

"Yeah..." he shook his head "I'm fine, I was just hungry" The adults nodded.

How eager he had to run after that bike. He pressed his knuckles against the table. Who was she? Where did she come from?

He felt desperate.

He sighed.

But he couldn't do anything.

It was an illusion.

Just an illusion.