Not Just A Fantasy (Angel)

Blueberries

     Frank was used to running miles every day, but he knew Gerard was not a very good runner and was still hurting from the beatings, so he walked instead, always staying close enough to Gerard to protect him, but not too close. Gerard was padding along, not complaining about walking the couple miles, which Frank was grateful for.   

     And so they walked along, at the edges of the streets, careful not to draw any attention to themselves, quiet, but peaceful.

     Gradually the busy streets of the inner city faded to a more country feel, and the pair started to see larger, spaced out houses and greener grass. Gerard had never been to this part of the city, Frank could tell, or really this kind of landscape, and it brought a smile to Frank's face to watch the boy gaze around in delight at the wild flowers blossoming in clumps, at the outlines of mountains in the distance, ranging from a bright, lively green to a darker shade. Gerard seemed free and happy, and to Frank, this was what he thought Gerard would look like everyday if it wasn't for the constant, relentless bullies and the cruel hold fate had on the skinny boy. But watching him walk thorough the beds of flowers, eyes bright and his smile huge, Frank thought that he would never look more beautiful than he did now. So the boy forgot everything- his fear of hurting the boy, the bullies, the worries of the world, and ran with him, a smile as big as Gerard's growing on his face.

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     Gerard had never been to such a beautiful place. It might not have the white beaches he had seen pictures of, or the jaw dropping view from the top of a mountain, but the sweet scent of flowers woven gently in the breeze, and the mountains in the distance, outlined by the shining sun was the most beautiful thing Gerard had ever seen.

      He didn't care if the boy next to him thought he was childish- he just wanted to forget everything that had happened to him and just be a normal boy. A boy that was excited to go to school. A boy that would have friends to complain about homework to and then would invite them over to do it together. A boy whose parents would smile at his friends everytime they came over and bring them cookies and glasses of lemonade and take them to a waterpark in the summers. A boy that could enjoy nature without worries, with a friend beside him.

      The boy was a friend- at least in Gerard's mind. And when he looked over at the boy, who must've walked this walk many times, he could see how he smiled, a goofy, dorky smile that lit up Gerard's heart. He had never felt so happy.

       Soon, Frank veered off the path and, with a slightly devilish grin, beckoned Gerard to follow him. They tramped through untrimmed bushes for a few seconds before bursting into the sun once again. In from if them, was rows and rows of blueberry bushes, and Gerard could see them continuing on up a hill, and then disappearing in the slope. In truth, Gerard had never gone apple picking, or blueberry picking. His parents before they had started fighting weren't really into that kind of stuff, and after the arguments began, they became even less willing, as much as Gerard had pleaded. But this was much better, because his angel was here with him. The boy next to him, the bucket swinging carelessly in his hand, started to skip down the slope to the bushes, grabbing Gerard's hand as they ran down the hill together. The boy seemed to have forgotten he was scared to touch Gerard, which was fine with Gerard.

        The morning was spent filling up the bucket the boy had brought as the two boys picked the berries, not forgetting to eat some of them. But they didn't way to let go of each others hand, so they didn't.