Kindan

UNO

The sky. Such peace that I found just by glancing at the sky-- with the sun shining, sparkling with its golden elixir whilst the misty clouds pranced around it. And sometimes, I'd see a plane fly past. Someday, I thought, perhaps I'd get to ride one.

And just run away. . .

I sighed. That was enough daydreaming for today. Glancing at my wrist watch, I realised it was time. Usually I'd spend an hour or two more in the library, but mom had specially made a reservation for us at a restaurant tonight. That was rare. . .very rare.

And I surely didn't wish to be late for that. I didn't wish to make her wait. The notes were quickly packed, folders assembled and put back into the bag; By the time it was a little over four-thirty, I had checked out of the library and into the local bus.

Commuting like this was a therapy of its own. My head against the seat, my eyes against the sky. Or sometimes, just closed. It was one of those days where I preferred them closed. . . until they weren't anymore.

The cause was the cedar scent again on the seat beside me. Familiar. Way too familiar. And my eyes sure did open to greet her.

What could be the coincidence?

I had seen her in the corridors; The new girl at school, the one who had been a pain in the ass for the discipline committee—the girl who smelled like cedar. Our eyes met. I turned away.

Indeed, it was just a coincidence. I saw the guitar in between her legs. Perhaps she practiced somewhere nearby. But she surely didn't seem the type to play guitar, I wondered glancing back at her just once more.

Tousled jet-black hair peeking out from the baseball cap, her face hid behind a black mask. This girl relished in the shades of black. But perhaps for a good reason; it complimented her grey eyes afterall.

Before I knew it, the bus came to yet another halt. This time it was my stop. But it wasn't just me who got up from the seat. Hell, she beat me to it. And by the time that I boarded out, she was nowhere to be found—gone with the wind, was she?

I took another quick look around the street, finally giving up on the curiosity that the girl had sprouted inside of me. It was back to just me, in a pool of unfamiliar faces. Something about being alone like this, just another passing face for the people around me brought forward a sense of comfort. Like a breath of fresh air against my face, coaxing—almost whispering out how trivial my existence was.

And only under such graceful moments, the thought of my grades, my performance and career ceased to exist—Almost as if they aren't here. Almost as if I am not here.

The restaurant wasn't all that hard to find. I knew its location like the back of my hand. Afterall, it was one of the few places, very few places that we used to come by, my mom and I. Our weekend spot. It had been years since, enough time for the onslaught of changes. She'd turned her small business into a rising enterprise and I was now leading the School Committee and well near graduating high-school.

The gravel beneath my feet crunched as I took the last turn, and there it stood. La Monserito, engraved in italics against the velvet sign board. It wasn't all too grand, but that never halted any of the prominent figures from around the town to dine here. As Mom would often quote, You don't need a silver fork to eat good food.

I took my time ushering in and being led towards the reservation. It was towards the right corner of the dining area, facing the standing skyscrapers. Mom loved it. She'd spin these little stories, about rookie players somehow winning their way up to the top of those skyscrapers. And her face, it'd hold a story of its own.

She wanted it, to be a part of those stories.

My steps came to a halt near the table. And there she was, smiling ever so graciously with eyes that sparkled. My mother, Samantha Sullivans. Her smile however wasn't directed at me, rather being consumed by the two guests who sat across from her.

The guests, I blinked a few times to be sure my eyes weren't playing tricks. It was her again, the girl in black and a baseball cap.

"Ash Sinclaire" I murmured, a little too loud for it to be a whisper.

And just like that, I won everyone's attention who was seated on the table. It was mom who addressed me first, her eyes beckoning me to take a seat.

"So I'll assume that both of you have met already?"

Ash's gaze found mine for a second, before we both found ourselves looking back at mom and the man who sat amused beside her. "Yes ma, we share our math class actually." I finally uttered, passing a smile to the table.

I took my seat beside the Raven-head.

"Right. Math class." She chimed, her lips twisting into a grin. And just like that, the table was quick to dissolve into conversations, beginning with proper introductions. The man seated beside mom was actually Mark Sinclaire, along with his daughter Ash.

He'd been collaborating with mom for the past year or so. I sure was aware of that beforehand, as was Ash but what came as a surprise for both of us was what came right after.

"Well, I am sure you girls know that this meeting isn't business-related." Mom said, glancing at Mark once before her eyes were trained back on us. They softened. "Mark and I have been business associates since over a year now. I don't know when and how it happened., but this relationship slowly transformed into something over meaningful for the both of us."

"We're dating" It was Mark who said it, his hand slowly intertwining with mom's. "And we feel serious about this."

"We concluded it was for the best to let you both know before we took any. . decisions." Mom chimed in, leaning forward as she placed her hand on top of mine. It was a gentle squeeze.

She smiled. A smile not meant for any of those fancy tabloids, no. A smile for family.

I knew what was happening here. To a stranger's eyes, their statement would sound like a declaration, an announcement for the children. Perhaps, an act?

But things couldn't be far from that. As I looked into mom's eyes, I saw her waiting for an answer. His face was no different, gaze switching between his daughter and I. This meeting was meant to be a discussion, union of two families with mutual consent. Even the consent of the children.

And so I nodded my head—a firm acknowledgement. Perhaps a rash decision from my end, but I trusted her. I trusted her when it came to family. 

"Does that mean the dinner's on you both?" Ava smirked, vaporizing tension from the table. The table was quick to dissolve into chuckles. I leaned towards the raven-head, close enough to whisper in her ear, "I think tonight is an ideal situation to blackmail them as much as we can."

That only made the wineglass in her hand to come forward and-

Clink!

"I think we'll get along well, Bella."