Teacups and Parachutes

Rory

"Hey Gran, I'm done running errands." I said, walking into the bookstore, bags in my hands.

"Thanks Rory. Now, in a few minutes, you're gonna start working, so busy yourself." My Gran, Martha, said.

"Got it." I looked around the bookstore for something entertaining when my eyes fell upon the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Her red face was stuffed into her Nicholas Sparks novel, blonde hair tucked behind her ear. I made my way over to her and sat beside her.

"Hello." I said, turning towards her.

"Hi? Do I know you?" She asked, her impossibly blue eyes widening.

"Rory, stop frightening her! Sorry, Maude, that's Rory, my grandson." Gran explained. I grinned. Maude looked to be about my age, maybe younger.

"Nice to meet you." She said, turning back to her book.

"Will you talk to me?" I whispered. "If I'm not doing anything, Gran will make me work." She laughed.

"Sure. How are you, Rory?" Her laugh sounded amazing, like little bells.

"I'm wonderful, Maude. How are you?" She sighed.

"In all honesty, not very well." That makes two of us. Ever since I had left my abusive parents and came to America to be with Gran I felt like I was mid-free fall.

"And why is that?" I asked, pushing the thoughts out of my head.

She shook her head, telling me that she didn't want to talk about it. "Rory, are you from Australia?" Maude asked out of the blue.

"Actually, I am. How did you know?"

"The accent is a big giveaway."

"So I've been told." I nodded. "Do you want to see something?" I asked her, standing.

"You're not gonna flash me or anything, right?" She asked, alarmed. I laughed

"You'll just have to see." I whispered, taking her hand. "I found this place once when I was younger." I opened the door to my bedroom, pulling Maude in. "It was empty before, but my Gran let me move in here." She followed me in and sat next to me on the couch. After a moment of silence, she pulled something out of her purse.

"Do you wanna listen?" She asked, holding up the iPod. I nodded, taking the earbud she handed me. Once she started the music, I was shocked.

"You listen to Mumford & Sons?" I exclaimed. They were my favorite band.

"Yup." Maude handed me the iPod so I could look through it.

"Wow, you have like, all the albums!"

"You can borrow it if you want." She took out a pen and grabbed my wrist, writing what looked like her address. "Just drop it off here when you're done with it." She took a sip of her tea.

"Thanks."

"No, thank you. This was fun." She stood up, smiling.

"Don't leave." I pleaded, taking her hand and pulling her back down.

"Fine." She sighed.

"Thank you. We don't usually get people my age at the bookstore, so I'm pretty lonely most of the time. You're my first friend in ages."

"You too, actually." She agreed.

"I doubt that. A pretty girl like you must be very popular." I said. And I was telling the truth. She was stunning.

"Thanks." She said, blushing. She took one of the earbuds and closed her eyes, soaking up the therapy of the music.

After a few minutes, she fell asleep on my shoulder. I stood up and wrapped her in my afghan before starting to leave the room. I heard a faint whimper, and when I turned around, I noticed the tears tumbling down Maude's face. I quickly left the room.

"Hey Gran?" I yelled once the door was safely shut behind me.

"Yes Rory?" Gran replied, stirring up a cup of coffee.

"What's the deal with Maude? I mean, she just seems so sad." Gran sighed before taking a seat.

"You know that boyfriend she used to bring around all the time?" I nodded. I had seen Maude at the shop before, but she was always with a boy, so I never said anything to her. "He died." I gasped. She was grieving. Then I had no chance. But I couldn't stop myself from being attracted to her. She was classically beautiful, and her eyes just drew you in.

I heard a loud scream. "That's probably her." Gran said. I nodded making my way to the door.

"Oh, you're awake." I said, coming into the room. "You passed out, and I didn't want to wake you."

"Thank you, but I better leave." She stood up, grabbing her purse and heading out.

"Your iPod!" I said, sprinting after her.

"I told you, you can borrow it. Just drop it off when you're done. I gave you the address, right?" I nodded.

"And, if you don't mind me asking, well, it's just, when you were sleeping, you were, you were crying. Why?" I asked, taking her hand. Her eye twitched, sending a flood of tears out of her eyes. "Shhh, it's alright. Come 'ere." I wrapped her up in a hug, taking in her scent of vanilla.

All of a sudden, she pushed herself out of the hug, a new set of tears making their way down her face. She shook her head, and I knew what she meant. She wasn't ready for a relationship. I felt the disappointment like a slap in the face

"Oh." I looked at her, trying to keep the sadness out of my eyes. "I get it. Sorry." I turned around, stuffed my hands into my pockets, and went back inside.

Once the door to the shop was closed behind me, I slumped against it. What was I thinking? I needed a nap. I made my way towards my room, collapsing onto the couch, immediately falling unconscious.

"You're useless." A voice sneered. My father. I had this nightmare enough to know his voice.

"No I'm not!" I screamed. We were on top of a sky scraper, causing me to break into a sweat. I hated heights.

"Yes you are, and you deserve to die!" He pushed me off of the building. I fell and fell and-

"And I will wait, I will wait, for you," I heard, jolting me awake. I wiped the sweat for my forehead and stood up. Was that Maude? No, impossible.

"Gram, what's going on out there?" I yelled, coming out of my room. "Oh, hi. What do you want?" I said when I saw Maude sitting outside of my door with a guitar. I tried to push away the feeling to grab her in my arms.

She continued to sing; "And I will wait, I will wait, for you,

So break my step,

And relent,

You forgave, and I won't forget

Know what-" She sang until I ripped the guitar from her hands, picked her up, and spun her around.

"Thank you." I whispered into her neck. I felt my heart being tugged up, and I knew that I was in love. Maude was like a parachute, saving me from my fall. She raised my spirits even thought was feeling anything but happy.

"You're welcome, Teacup." She said. I smiled. I would ask her what the nickname meant later.

"You're cute, Parachute." I smiled at the nickname I had coined, and held her in my arms for a little longer.

And then, I knew I had been saved.