A Little Too Much

Chapter 1

--

"Honey.. do you want mommy to tell you a story?" 

She asked her son in a gentle manner, having this soft sweet smile plastered across her lips. Moving her child's frail body closer, her long slender fingers seemed to have developed a habit of caressing his son's hair. 

"Mmh....?"

Accustomed to warmth, the child moved back and snuggled closer to her mom. 

Satisfied at her child's way of response, she held her son's small and delicate hands on her own, enclosing it together with protection and fondness. 

"Yes... mommy will tell you a story.. would you like to hear it?" 

After she finished her sentence, her son nodded his head in an abrupt way making her laugh; voice glazed with honey and overflowing sweetness. 

"...Once upon a time, there was a normal girl.." 

"...She never caused trouble,  she is very obedient.." 

"...She is known to be very quiet, but is also very kind hearted. This was the reason why her family and friends love her."

"...She doesn't like to be around a lot of people, but when she's with people that she's familiar of, she talks a lot more, but not too much." 

She then squeezed her son's hands with fondness, whilst flashing a sweet smile that never ceased to leave her face. 

"...At school, she isn't too smart, but she does well in her studies.."

"...She doesn't look that pretty, but she always looks fine and simple.."

"....and she isn't that outgoing with her classmates.."

"but... there was this one girl."

"...This one girl that she became friends with..."

Then she stopped. 

Remained staring at her son's small yet delicate hands. 

A box opened; one that's not locked in the first place. 

Fingers shuddering-- a sudden cold that reflects her eyes and sealed her lips.

Silence lingered with what seem like ages, that her son looked up to meet her mother's eyes; blocked with a series of  scattered, tiny bits of hair. He looked to his hands, then to his mom's, then to his hands again, blinking in curiosity. Thinking her mom felt cold, he held his mom's thumb, covering her left hand with both of his tiny hands. 

Such a sweet gesture, yet her mom remained unmoved. 

.. 

Few moments passed and her mom finally snapped back to the bed where she's sitting behind his son, as if she woke up from a trance.

His son looked up in wonder, and she replied with a fragile smile, so fragile, that her smile would wear off even in the tinniest of sound. 

"This girl taught her many things..."

"Such as silly jokes.." 

"Shared even the food that they both already have.." 

"Cried even at the smallest thing.."

She trailed off; voice with a tinge of tremble. Yet, she managed to form a genuine smile after saying those last words. After a silence of picking letters and forming  of words, she continued on with her story.

"..Until one day..."

"This normal girl.. " 

She held her son's fingers, raising it up a bit, enough for her to see.  She smiled again, genuine, yet it feels like an odd façade. She then toned down her voice as she spoke in such a delicate manner, like a voice about to break; but is filled both with beauty and grace. 

"She... learned how to fall in love.."