I never forgot him. He was always there, not always prominent, but there in the back of my mind. When I was younger I used to dream about him, too. I never really knew who he was. But he was like me. His hair was blond, curly, like mine. The only thing different about us, was the colour of our eyes. Mine were grey-ish green, such an ugly, boring colour. But his were the most startling blue. When he looked into your eyes he seemed to stare right through you, into your soul. He was shy and sensetive, only spoke when spoken to. He was artistic, and you never saw him without a book. His name was Nathan.
PART ONE-CLIO
It's raining. It feels like it never stops here. It thundered against the window drumming into my head, splattering the windows with drops the size of my fingernail. I'm sitting hunched up at the window seat in my kitchen with an old patchwork blanket wrapped around my shoulders. My mum is singing softly to herself in the kitchen as she stirs a large pot of my favourite soup.
" Clio?" My sister Amelie,calls down the stairs to me.
"What?" I answer as she walks into the kitchen. As always she makes me jealous just looking at her. Her long blonde curls are pinned in bun on the top of her head, framing her perfect oval face. The blossom colour dress she is wearing contrasts perfectly with her creamy skin. The heels she had on her feet made her perfectly curved figure seem even taller and she had a dazzling smile set on her face.
" I'm going to Jamie's birthday party mum, I'll be back by half one." She called into the kitchen before waving her umbrella at me and slipping out the front door. I looked back at the sketchbook lying in my lap, song lyrics stretching across the page in gold and silver pen. I pulled my headphones back over my ears and let the drum and bass drown out the rain.
I stand in front of the mirror, tying my ridiculously ugly green and beige tie which clashes horribly with the navy blazer and skirt. I fix my strawberry blond curls in a messy pony tail and pull my leather bag of the back of my desk chair. I slope downstairs making each step take as long as possible. My mum and Amelie are sitting at the kitchen table eating toast. I grab a piece from the pile and shuffle out the door. This seems rude to most people but mum and Amelie are used to my lack of communication in the mornings, i'm always so lost in my own thoughts. As soon as I get outside I automatically put up my umbrella and wait for the persistent beat of the rain...but it didn't come. I lifted the umbrella down and stared up at the sky. No heavy droplets were falling. The sun was shining, stretching in a sparkling ark over the rooftops.And in that moment I felt cleansed and whole again. Then the darkness pulled itself over my eyes.
PART 2- NATHAN
I ran through the meadow, the grass brushing against my ankles. I was heading for the gap between the top of the hill and were the clouds and sky started. I had to find her. I put on a final burst of speed and reached the top of the hill, here the light was blinding. I slid my hand gently through the shimmering vapour and grasped my arms round her warm body. She was still alive, i could hear her heart thumping softly and feel the warmth of her skin on mine. I lifted her limp body over my shoulder and took a few steps down the hill, before lying her on the grass and cusioning her head on my lap.
It felt like a lifetime before her eyelids started to flutter and her grey-ish green eyes opened and stared up into mine.
