All I hide

Chapter 3

"Sam." My mother's soft voice reaches my ears as I scribble away in my colouring book, adding red to a smiling elephant having a bath in a lake. "Sam, where are you honey?"

"Here, Mum!" I yell back then cover my mouth and look at Alex in panic, smiling when he's still asleep. I don't know why he sleeps so much but Mum said it's because babies need sleep to grow.

Someone enters the living room and I look back to see Mum approach the table where I'm sitting. "We're going to have guests today," she tells me. "My friend is coming over with her son. He's the same age as you so play with him and make him feel comfortable, okay? He's a little shy."

I nod then show her my picture. "I coloured him red because grey is boring."

"It's beautiful." She ruffles my hair then checks up on Alex, moving the blanket away from his face, before leaving the room.

An hour passes before the doorbell rings. I lift my head from the table and rub the sleep out of my eyes as Mum brings the guests to the living room. There's a lady with light brown hair and blue eyes and a boy who looks like her holding onto her sleeve as he looks at the floor.

"Sam," my mother says as she ushers me over. "This is my friend Anja and her son John."

"Hi Sam. It's lovely to meet you," Anja greets me cheerily, holding out her hand.

I shake her hand and look at John, who's still looking at the floor. "Do you want to help me finish my picture?" I ask him.

He turns his attention to me but doesn't say anything, his ocean blue eyes taking me in. I'm glad I brushed my hair that morning because it would be embarrassing if he saw how messy I usually am. I notice that his hair is a little long as it's almost reaching his eyes but it's also really fluffy and his lashes are long too. He's not too much taller than me but seems a bit grumpy. Did he not want to come here and play with me?

"Umm we can do something else if you want," I offer when he still doesn't respond.

"John, go on," Anja encourages and gently shrugs her arm out of his grip. He clenches his fist when she does that. "Play with Sam. I'll be in the kitchen if you need me."

Our mothers leave the room and now we're both alone, Alex sleeping peacefully in his rocking cradle and completely unaware of how awkward I feel. But even if he was awake what would he do? He's only four months old.

"...I'll colour with you," John says quietly.

"Huh?"

He sighs, his expression slightly frustrated as he steps closer to me. "I said I'll help you finish your picture."

"Okay." I nod and lead him to the table. Picking up my red crayon, I continue colouring the elephant.

He grabs the purple crayon and gets to work on the leaves. "Why is the elephant red?"

"Why are the leaves purple?" I counter.

"Why not?" he shrugs. "It makes it more interesting."

"I used red because grey is boring." I look at him and he's concentrating on filling in each leaf properly, not like my messy scribbles.

"Why do you think that?"

"It's so dull. Grey clouds mean rain. Grey oceans have dangerous waves. It's not bright or happy."

"But isn't that also beautiful?" He meets my gaze and I realise what I mistook for grumpiness is actually a deep and quiet interest for the world. "The sound of rain is soothing. It's the world's way of telling us it's okay to feel sad because sometimes it cries too. Grey oceans and thunderstorms show us that it's feeling angry and hurt. But that's okay too because it's not scared to show it and ask for help. Just because something isn't bright or happy, doesn't make it any less worthy or beautiful."