Our Glowing Hearts

Cookies

I groggily rolled out of bed and tumbled onto the floor with a groan. I hate mornings. As I heaved myself up from the floor, I felt around my neck for my heart necklace. Good. It was still there. I had to wear it all times, and it actually made me feel safer... more normal. 

I looked over at my clock at saw it was 7:00, crap, I had about fifteen minutes to get ready and be out the door and on my way to school. I quickly made my bed, got ready, and ran down the stairs, bumping into my mother. 

"Oof! Sweetie, be careful!"

"Sorry Mom, I just have to get to school!" I said rather impatiently, and slipped past her and to the kitchen. I grabbed an apple and went out the door. 

"Bye Meira!" My parents said, their necklaces glowing brightly. I smiled at them for a minute and felt a little throb in my heart. I was constantly waiting for the day when my necklace would glow bright and I would find my soulmate like they both did. I waved and walked out the door.

---

Though it was rather boring, math seemed to come to me easily. Just constant steps and rules are what make up the subject, some rules are easy to forget and hard, and some are easy.

"Meira, how do you do this?" My friend, April asked. She ran her hands through her strawberry-blonde hair in frustration. 

"You just distribute the x's and y's and you multiply that by ten." I said simply. Though she looked a little confused, she nodded and started to try them on her own. About ten minutes later, our math teacher dismissed us. 

"Do you have Science next?" April asked with a smile on her face, showing off her pearly whites.

I rolled my eyes playfully and smiled, "April, school's almost out, have I ever had Science with you this year? No, I have English." 

"Sorry, I forgot." She face palmed. I laughed and practically ran to English, hoping not to be late. You see, our English teacher, Ms. Lotte, isn't the nicest person ever. I arrive at the classroom and take a seat in the back. 

"Alright class, today we are going to be studying poems. I'm pretty sure you all know what a poem is, you're all what? 16? 17?" 

"16." I said as I joined in all the other students in saying how old they are. 

"Good, good. Okay, for class today, I want you to write a poem about something you're passionate about! No Haiku's or easy poems. Dig deep, create meaning!" 

I rolled my eyes and began picking a topic to write about. I could write about the world... but that's depressing. I guess I could pick something deep and meaningful... but I wasn't really feeling like it. my eyes wandered to the window. 

It was a cloudless, piercing blue right now, but I yearned to see the sunset. I loved the colors of the ending day- Hey! that's something I can write about.

At the end of the day

When the sun goes to sleep

And the moon comes out to play

And the stars are visible

The colors of the sky darken to black

Mixing, swirling, fading into each other

Pink, yellow, blue, purple, even green

The ending of the day is just as beautiful

As the start

Alright, that seemed like it could pass. I handed the poem in and took a nap for the rest of the period. After that, the last class of the day, I headed home.

---

"Meira, come here for a minute!" My dad shouted from downstairs. I hopped out of my chair, where I had been studying for a science test for the past hour, and headed downstairs. 

"Yeah?" 

"I need you to take these cookies over to the new neighbors." My dad pointed to a plate of expertly baked cookies on the table as he pulled his jacket on. 

"I would go meet them myself, but I have an emergency meeting at work." He gave me a quick hug and darted out the door, leaving me with a plate of cookies and no idea where the new neighbors lived. 

I looked outside the window and saw a big moving truck across the street two doors down. Unless there were two new neighbors, I'm pretty sure that's where they lived. I took a cookie off the plate and ate it before I slipped my shoes on and headed out.

I walked over to the house of the new neighbors and wondered who was moving in. Maybe a new family with little kids that I could babysit for money. Or perhaps a newly-wed couple looking to start their new life. My parents would like that, there weren't many other families or couples in my neighborhood. Of course, it could just be another old couple with kids that moved out long ago, coming to our neighborhood to die. 

I sighed and walked up to the front door. I hesitated before knocking, if I didn't knock, I wouldn't have to risk an awkward encounter. I shook my head and knocked twice. 

"One minute!" I heard faintly from inside the house. There was still time to set the plate down and run away from awkwardness. 

I hear footsteps coming towards the door and brace myself. A boy with longish blonde hair and bright blue eyes opened the door. "Hi..." I started as he swung open the door and almost hit me in the face with the screen.

"Hey." He said, and we both stood there in silence for a few seconds.

"Um... I'm Meira, I live a few doors down."

"Oh, cool." A few more seconds went by without anybody talking. I started to study him. He was fairly tall, with jeans and a black t-shirt, his necklace tucked in.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see a faint glow, I look down slightly only to see that my heart-shaped necklace is starting to glow!

"Uh, here." I shoved the cookies in his hands and turned around, clutching my necklace.