Lavender Mist

A Real Friend

It wasn't the first time that Maggie was going for a walk with Timothy. He often talked to her at school, as she would be lonely on breaks and, except Pablo, he was her only friend. She liked it when he would share stories with her about trips, that he went to with his family. Maggie slightly envied him, because his parents took him, many times, to different corners of the world and countries, that she'd never had a chance to meet. Sometimes he would show her photos from his old camera. Tips of the mountains, endless oceans and forests with a sparkling carpet of snow... The girl felt like those living images sucked her into a new, distant world. Sometimes, she would yearn to explore those unknown parts of nature with Pablo. Although, she knew that it wasn't going to happen, as he couldn't leave the building that she closed him in.

Maggie was excited, while she was watching through the window and waiting for Timothy to appear before her frontyard. She put on her favourite, flowy dress, which she was gifted for her fourteenth birthday, and let her blond waves of hair freely crash over her shoulders. Rarely ever would she meet with someone, not being at school or with her family. She was used to Pablo making her company outside of the school yard and she couldn't be so candid with anyone like with him. Timothy appealed to her, but she would mostly only listen to him and answer him with simple sentences or with a shy smile.

Thinking, Maggie didn't notice that the boy, whom she was waiting for, was standing in front of the doorstep. She heard a ring of the doorbell, and then mother's hurried footsteps. She glanced at the exit from her room and, hesitating, headed towards the noises. Leaning onto the wooden door frame, she was coyly peeking at mother, who was talking to Timothy.

"Is Mag inside?," he asked, as he shifted his body weight onto his toes, trying to see over Maggie's mother. The girl heard her chuckling.

"Yes, she was waiting for you," she answered.

Maggie silently approached Timothy, who was watching her with his honey coloured eyes.

"Ready to go?," he asked with a quieter voice, as if he didn't want to frighten her.

Maggie nodded. She knew that she wasn't familiar with Timothy as much as with Pablo, but some unexplained trust grew inside her. It slightly reminded her of the days when she was just meeting Pablo and when she was molding him with her imagination, the way she wanted. His presence was a shield from loneliness and the big, unexplored world. He was the only person that she fully understood. Timothy's smile made her feel the similar way.

"Do you want to go to the park?," he asked her, as they were leaving the house and as her mother was saying goodbye to them. Maggie agreed once again and let him lead her through pathways framed by scenting, blossoming plants.

They were walking close to each other. Maggie could almost feel the warmth of his skin on her own. Although he seemed mysterious and strange, she could somehow tell what was happening inside his head. She knew that they were both enjoying the music of crystal clear, birds' voices. She stared at him with the corner of her eye and could notice that a smirk was still shinning on his face. Without much thinking, like an uncontrollable reflex, her fingers sought for his hand. She touched him with the tip of her pointfinger, after which he looked at her and let out a quiet, barely noticable giggle. He tangled his fingers with hers and they kept on mutely walking, though Maggie knew that his thoughts, just like hers, were louder than any sound that was coming to them.

"Tell me a story," her voice broke through a pile of sentences that were chasing through her mind.

Timothy thought for a moment, like he was exploring the hidden ends of his memory, looking for a good story. He took Maggie through gentle, short grass and the two of them got off the path, towards a rich tree. Its top was wide and covered with pinkish flowers, that created a pleasant shadow. Maggie felt a sweet scent in her nose when they sat under the tree, leaning on the thick trunk. The girl pulled her fingers through damp and cold strands of grass, as she was deeply breathing in the redeeming breath of spring.