Ava and Addie

Chapter 3

Ava and Addie 8 - Alfonso 12

Our 8th birthday started like the 7th, morning song, Alfonso was there with two presents in hand this time purple paper. Ava wanted a princess dress and a stroller for her doll. While I wanted a new swimsuit and goggles and a school bag - the plain one that you can colour on with crayons, just like the one from the mall.

Mommy gave me one box and daddy gave Ava the other. Ava tore the paper apart and without looking further I did the same to the one placed in front of me. A princess schoolbag. I was again slightly disappointed, Yes I wanted a bag, but not with princesses on.

Alfonso gave us each a present and told us to open it, Ava smiled big time at him and then she started to open the present, I followed right after. Purple, I held the pink material up, it was a dress. Ava held a pink one up. "Thank you Alfonso" she said eagerly and hugged him. "Thanks Alfonso" I said and hugged him too. He smiled at both of us and it was decided that we wore our new dresses the entire day.

Ava loved it, it was okay, but I preferred my own clothes. But I didn't want to hurt anyones feelings so I wore it and the day went well.

Slowly I felt the bond me and Ava once had disappear. She wasn't mine anymore, she shared her looks with me, but everything else was shared elsewhere and kept a secret for me.

*

Ava and Addie 8 - Alfonso 12

We went to a playroom - Ava was supposed to come, but she don't like stuff like that so she stayed home and had a play date, with a girl of course, one that Alfonso said good for.

I started crawling up but was pulled back by Alfonso, "Wait for me, okay?" he said, that was the first time he said something just to me who wasn't meant as a no-no. I nodded unsure, a little taken back by his request, and waited for him to get his shoes off.

He crawled up to me and helped me up even though I didn't need it, but I didn't mind it that much. His friends came up too and they all circled me cutting me off from all the 'dangerous' things in here.

Alfonso stayed close to me and I felt safe and secure. For once it was just me and him. It wasn't much for others - probably not even for him, but for me it meant so much. I liked Alfonso, but he was Ava's. But right now he showed interest for me.

"Addie sit on my lap" Alfonso ordered as he sat down on the top of the slide. He reached out for my hand and led me to him, I sat down on him and he snaked his arms around me and then we went down and I felt the usual chills from the adrenalin. But this time it was mixed with something else, my stomach filled with butterflies and I never wanted the ride to end even though I knew it would just be the 2 seconds it takes to go down.

When we reached the end he slowly let go of me and helped me up. Our eyes locked for a minute and he smiled at me, a smile I haven't seen him giving me ever, but Ava on the other hand got it all the time.

The car picked us up and we drove home. Alfonso smiled at me now and then and I felt small tingles in my body when he did.

As the car stopped and we all got out and we started going in Alfonso pulled me back "I had fun today, let's go again sometime". For being 12 years old he really was something, I really didn't understand why he would play with me, I was only 8.

*

In the next years Alfonso started to be out more. He was an adult, we weren't. But still he stayed with us and we were still friends. I never understood why. His friends are so big, what does he want with us?

-

Ava and Addie 12, Alfonso 16

Ava loved Alfonso, she told me that herself. She had a crush on him and to be honest I think she had a place in his heart too. He would always stay close to her, they would whisper to each other and they were doing everything together, they were inseparable. They tried to make me join them, but I never felt welcome in their presence.

But something changed when he turned 16. Yes he went out more, he got even bigger. But he also started to acknowledge me more. He would say good morning every morning and sneak a comment in here and there and I felt weird about it. But I opened up to him more. Those small things caused Ava to came to me as well. Following him like a lost puppy.

*

I was chosen as team captain for my swim team and won three medals in one of the biggest competitions in the state. Alfonso was there. Ava was there. Mom and dad were there. It was a good day. I was fast, and my confidence in the water was very high.

Swimming was my escape and I loved every second of it. And i loved how proud Alfonso looked even though he were against me being on the swimteam.

But as soon as we got home it was all forgotten and i was once again alone.

But just a couple of months after that, there was an accident. I was under water and it all became dark and honestly I don't remember much from it, other than light when I wake up. That was the end of my swimmingcareer.

I associated water with darkness and the feeling of drowning. I never got over it. I tried, but I panicked and ran to the dressing room and changed and left.