heart strings♥

chapter five: Their age of parting...

They were ten years old~

"Hey, what's up with you?" Alex asked as he adjusted the strings of his new gray guitar. "You've been spacing out and sighing since last week. I thought it would pass but now you somehow look like you're about to cry. What's wrong?"

Raysa was lying on the grass and then she spread her arms widely. "You shouldn't do that, you'll get stuff stuck in your hair again," Alex warned.

"Ugh!" Raysa said scooping a handful of hair, "I really wanna cut it!" Alex just laughed and continued with his guitar. He already knows how Raysa wishes to cut her hair. She's so boyish in actions sometimes, that she even taught Alex to spit anywhere if he got pissed. She even plays with boys in her class. And she thinks her long hair is a burden.

"You think I'd look good with short hair?" Raysa asks sitting up to see his expression. Alex stopped working to judge the picture of Raysa with short hair..."Hmmm..." he began. Raysa waited, what he thinks matters most to her. "Yeah... I think it'd look really cute," Alex said with a smile.

Raysa smiled back but then her face saddened. She had to tell him. It would be a mistake not to. But she didn't know how to tell him. "Hey, can I come over your house?" Raysa asked.

"Yeah, sure," Alex said. He was still wondering what could be bothering her, but he decided not to ask again, knowing that she'd tell him when she can.

"Hey, come here and listen to this," Alex said waving a hand for her to come near. They sat on the couch, shoulder to shoulder while Alex placed the earphone in her ear. "Huh, my voice sounds clearer this time...wait, was that you who chuckled?" Raysa asked.

"That's because you were doing your homework while singing. And I saw that most of the answers were wrong," Alex explained with a grin.

"You should've told me they were wrong! I could've avoided a scolding from my teacher!" Raysa said punching him in the shoulder.

"Hey, wanna go for a swim?" Alex said.

"I didn't bring any extras" Raysa said.

"Don' worry, you can borrow some of mine," Alex shrugged.

"Oh, really? Got any extra underwear for me too?" Raysa asked.

"You have a point..." Alex put two fingers in his mouth and whistled, the sound echoed throughout the house.

"You called, young master Raven?" Helen asks, appearing immediately after Alex' whistle.

"Can you get Raysa her clothes from her house? We're going for a swim."

"I'll go immediately." Helen ran off and disappeared. Raysa remembered the first time Helen appeared in her front door bringing a message from Alex. And now, everyone in her house is used to Helen.

"Spoiled only child," Raysa mutters.

"It's one of the things that makes me so charming," Alex says making Raysa roll her eyes at him as they headed for his pool.

"Stop it!" Raysa shouts tugging her arm unsuccessfully out of his grip. Alex laughs an evil smile spreading across his face, seeing how girly Raysa was acting which is a very rare occassion. Alex was bringing Raysa to the deepest part of the pool again. And when Raysa couldn't feel the floor anymore, she clung desperately to Alex, "I hate you," she muttered. Alex just laughed, "Love you too."

After having fun with scaring and drowning each other, Alex finally asked, "So what's been bothering you?"

Raysa pursed her lips, "I...I'm moving," she said blinking back tears. She peeked at Alex and saw the shock in his face. "I'm sorry, I know I should've told you sooner but I couldn't..." Raysa said. She sunk in the water to let her tears disappear. Alex pulled her up, his face pained, his cute deep blue eyes were sad, he said "Why? When?"