❝Just Like Heaven❞ [English]

❝Anxious Boy❞

Girl.
I drew a circle on the window, it was the least likely figure I could have made, but my fingers slipped on their own. I planned to draw a face, a gesture, but it wasn't like I was happy, I wasn't comfortable.

"Do you know this way?"

I glanced at my father, thinking about his question. It had a double purpose, I sensed it. Saying yes to him would mean one more reproach for walking that way alone.

"No" actually I did know just a bit about the north after the town

"This path is safe to get to the farm" he explained, looking to his right where I was sitting, he pointed to a distant hill, the sun on the horizon touched the tip of that panorama, a quite rocky mountain full of trees "There is where you should never go, they call it fang mountain, it takes you to a town near a lake, but there is a small pack of wolves"

"And why haven't the wolves come here"

"It's controlled" he paused "Respect nature, use your intuition from time to time, but also keep in mind what I say to avoid problems, okay?"

"Sure" I blurted out quickly.

That was all he said the whole way. Until we reached the plains of grass and pumpkins, it was a harvest that surrounded the huge farm, there were four stables, two horses, a mill, the barn where the white tablecloth tables were already, and people carrying wooden baskets full of straw for decoration. I was excited.

We parked in front of the driveway, I opened the door, rushing out of the truck, with my backpack in my hands, Mrs. Adler smiled happily when she saw me.

"Zoe!" She hugged me tightly, her grey hair was long to the waist, she was wearing a brown skirt and a white shirt. As hippie as ever. "I'm so glad your father brought you in early."

"Janis" greeted my father handing me a couple more suitcases with candles and orange leaves that he planned to hang all over the field "Good morning"

"Good morning Peter"

"Zoe, I'll be in the barn, I still have to work, you will help Janis, okay?"

"It will be fine Peter" she assured with a sweet tone and at the same time irritated, she was the only one who spoke so freely to my father.

"Okay," he murmured about to leave.

We both turned to see Alice, her blonde hair tied in a braid, she was wearing a knee-length blue polka dot dress, and a smaller pumpkin in her hands. She also looked at us, specifically at my father, without any gesture, just serious, almost sorry, her thin and small pink lips formed a thin line. Noticing my gaze she continued on her way. I sighed in disgust. My father had already entered the farm.

"Come on Zoe, I'll help you with that" Janis smiled at me carrying one of the backpacks "We're going to have a lot of fun, do you already have your costume?"

"Yes, and you Mrs Adler?"

"I'll stay like this, it's the only night where those hideous ladies don't criticize my dress," she said, making us both laugh.

(...)

Boy.
Having Simon in his room was the strangest thing, the boy had spent a good time browsing through Robert's books and guitar. And he was grateful that his special notebooks were hidden under his bed.

"Have you noticed how pale we are?" she sat in front of his mirror, looking at him through it.

"Yes"

"I was thinking of bringing makeup but our colour is enough" he took out a blue bottle with a scarlet liquid inside and a brush from his pockets, he put it on the floor in front of him "Sit down" he ordered gently.

Robert sat facing him with a certain distrust, he had never dressed up, he was not used to Halloween, and in his neighbourhood, almost no one went out to ask for candies. But this time it wasn't Halloween... right?

"You chose the same shirts"

"I thought it would be nice to dress up the same" he shrugged, carefully pouring the brush into the painting "As vampires"

"It was an excellent idea" Robert smiled, it was the first time he had done it in front of Simon. They both giggled when the brush touched his chin. "What is it?"

"Fake blood" he explained concentrating on his work "It will only be a line, I wrung a little on the shirt, they were on sale at the curiosity shop" he separated seeing it as a work of art "Do you have eyeliner?"

"Why?" he asked confused

"We need it under the eyes"

🍁

"Honey! You are amazing!" exclaimed his mother as soon as they both came down the stairs.

"It's a good costume" added Leonor.

Robert's cheeks were flushed, his parents were looking at them, Mr Wallace was watching, her friend's mother was also there, she had shown up with her family that afternoon, her mother's insistence to bring her home. Anyway, all the attention was on that pair.

"Wait guys," said his father, taking the snapshot that was identical to Robert's. He motioned for them to stand on the ladder. Both boys tried to smile, barely a grimace left their lips. And at the end of that photo session, everyone in the room applauded as if they had done something extraordinary.

"We'd better hurry, the road is long," Mr Wallace announced, with some candles and the raspberry pie his wife had made. Because that is supposed to be the tradition, each unexpected family or person at the celebration brings a present. It didn't matter if it was flowers or food, and anyone who heard about the meeting could go.

The adults got into the car first, separating into two groups so they could be comfortable. Robert and Simon would go with Eleanor, and their parents with Mr Wallace, since they knew the way better.

As much as he denied it himself, he was anxious, he had the small hope of seeing the girl, Zoe, perhaps this time he would speak to her in a good way, or he would admire the girls face so that on sleepless nights, he would remember her features.

That girl seemed to have been sent from the same heaven.