Secrets To Our Past

Chapter 16: Glowing Gem

Alyssa POV

Alyssa gazed at the night sky, littered with twinkling dots, with a bored expression.

She just really felt overwhelmed, with all the attention everyone was giving her. She loved it, it made her feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. She just didn't know how to handle the attention.

Sure, she was fine with her friends considering her, that was normal to her. But when everyone who she'd never gotten to know, or even thought of talking to came up to her and wished her, she felt all awkward in that moment.

Damn me and my introvert life.

And now she was waiting for Sven Svensson. He couldn't even find the time to say two words so they had to meet up at some weird hour of night.

'Hey, Alyssa!'

A voice thick with accent sounded from the balcony entrance and she turned her head to see the short Swede.

'Hello Sven.'

'Whew, crazy hour, at least the stars are pretty. Anyways, I wanted to give you something and what I wanted to give attracted a lot of attention, unwanted attention at that.'

Alyssa wasn't expecting that last part.

'Oh really? Good to hear.'

Sven wasn't totally blind to her body language and the emptiness in her tone.

'You okay, kiddo? You seem...not like yourself.'

'Huh? "Not like myself?" How?'

'Well for instance, you have a lot of enthusiasm with whatever you say, and always have expressive hand gestures. I'm kinda...observant towards people. Also your tone sounds so empty? Who're you trying to be, Burt?'

'Pffft, no, it's just...I'm not used to all the attention people are giving me, so I think I'm just having an emotional burnout.'

Sven clapped her shoulder.

'I know exactly how you feel. You'll get used to it. Also, happy birthday, kiddo.

'You didn't come all the way just to say that right?'

Sven patted his pockets and apparently caught a hold of something in it.
'...No. I have something to give you, as I said. Here you go.'

He pulled out his hand to reveal a platinum pendant, with an amethyst set in it. The gem glowed with shades of purple, pink and blue.

Alyssa was dumbfounded. She had no idea what to say for such a pretty thing, she could only widen her sapphire eyes and cover her mouth with her hands.

'I...I...'

'You like it? Come here, so I can tie it around you.'

Alyssa turned around slowly, and stood in silence as he tied it around her neck. She then looked at the gem glistening on her front.

'Oh my god...I...I don't know what to say...'

'It's okay. I can tell that you love it. Glad you-mmmmmffff!'

The rest of his sentence was drowned since Alyssa had hugged him tightly. She had no idea what made her so this, but it was the only way she could properly express herself.

Apparently Sven understood what she was trying to express, since he patted her head and hugged her back.

'Thank you so much....I..I love it..', she said quietly.

'You still are a small child at heart, aren't you? You're welcome kiddo.'

They let go and stood in silence for a few minutes.