Skies & Florets

Chapter 3

The afternoon sun is warm and golden, casting long shadows across the playground as Quentin and I run around, our laughter echoing through the air.

We're in the middle of a game of hide and seek, and right now, I'm "it." Quentin is somewhere nearby, hiding behind a tree or maybe under the jungle gym, and I'm determined to find him.

"Ready or not, here I come!" I shout, my voice full of playful determination.

I start creeping around the playground, my eyes scanning every possible hiding spot.

I can't help but smile as I think about how good Quentin is at this game. He's always finding the best places to hide, but I'm pretty good at finding him too. I head toward the big oak tree near the edge of the playground, convinced he might be hiding behind it.

As I near the tree, I hear a faint rustling sound, like someone trying to be very, very quiet. My heart s k i p s with excitement. I tiptoe closer, my eyes narrowed, and just as I'm about to jump out and surprise him—

"Oof!"

Quentin and I collide, our foreheads bumping together with a soft thud.

For a split second, there's nothing but surprise on both our faces, and then we both burst into laughter. We're laughing so hard that we're nearly doubled over, the sound of it filling the playground like a chorus of giggles.

"I found you!" I manage to say between laughs, rubbing my forehead where we bumped.

Quentin grins, rubbing his own head. "I think we found each other!"

We both collapse onto the grass, still giggling, the game momentarily forgotten.

The sky above us is a perfect blue, dotted with a few fluffy white clouds, and for a moment, everything feels just right.

But then Quentin's laughter fades a little, and he looks at me with a hint of concern. "Are you okay, Lilac? Did I hurt you?"

I shake my head, still smiling. "No, I'm okay. It didn't hurt much."

But Quentin isn't convinced. He sits up, his eyes narrowing as he studies the spot where our heads bumped. "You sure? I don't want you to get a bump or anything."