To A Sacred Heart

Winter - Child's Play

     I looked as snow started falling. Is it going to be safe for her? Mom doesn't let me out when it's snowing like this. I thought. Maybe it'll stop before I get home. 

     "Shawn!" My friend Ricky called. "Teacher says we're playing inside today." He sounded a little funny to me because his family came from Ireland. 

     I nodded and followed my pale red headed friend to the blocks. "What should we build today?" I asked. 

     Ricky got excited. "A castle! And we can pretend Batman is saving the kingdom from the dragon!" We both excitedly started building when Carolina walked over. 

     "Can I play too?" Carolina's accent was hard to understand. Her family moved here from Mexico at the start of the school year. 

     "Okay." Ricky agreed. "But who are you going to be?" 

     "The princess." She stated as a matter of factly. Ricky blushed a little but nodded. 

     "Can I be the dragon?" I asked. 

     "Then Ricky is Batman?" Carolina seemed excited. 

      Our group was tiny, but we had become best friends. I wish Rai could be here too. She would love these guys. Teacher told us we were her globe buddies. We taught each other different words, well they taught me. They already spoke English. 

     We were in the middle of playing when I heard Rai's voice. "Can I play?"
     
      I spun around shocked but saw no one. "Don't worry, I'm invisible."
  
      I was confused and looked down. "Hold on, I have to go to the bathroom." I ran off and snuck into The classroom bathroom. Once I locked the door I spun to see her floating in a warm white coat. "You followed me to school?"

      "Kind of. Mom and Dad asked me to find someone to take care of." She looked shyly at her feet.

      "What?" I was confused.

     "Well when we are about the age of six sometimed we connect with certain humans and devote ourselves to protecting them and their loved ones. We choose to take care of them." Rai looked shyly at her feet. "I connected with you."

      "Oh." I felt my cheeks blush.

     "I figured we could play more like that." Rai smiled.

      "That's true, but how would you play with my friends?" I asked. She shrugged. "Well, for now, let's see what you think about them. Okay?" She nodded.

    She vanished before my eyes before we walked out. Carolina and Ricky were still playing. When I got there I started attacking the kingdom and was killed by Batman. The princess was thankful a kissed him on the cheek. I made a face at the thought of a girl kissing my cheek, but Ricky was grinning and so was Carolina.

      "I think she likes him!" I heard Rai say.

       "Ewww." I complained out loud.

       "Yeah, cooties." Ricky echoed, but he didn't look like he meant it.

      "What is cooties?" Carolina asked.

      "It's just a joke. If a girl kisses a boy or a boy kisses a girl, they have cooties." I explained.

       Carolina laughed. "Sounds dumb."

      "We don't use that word here Carolina." Teacher scolded.

       "Sorry teacher." She apologized.

       Our teacher then looked at me. "Cooties is a silly joke though." She winked and went off to help another kid in the Legos.

       Ricky whispered over to Carolina, "Cooties are dumb." She smiled.

      "Aw, they're in love." Rai muttered.

     I got up and went back to the bathroom. "Yuck." I told Rai.

    "What? Its a normal thing." She sassed with her hands on her hips.

      "For adults." I countered.

     "For everyone." She stuck her tounge out at me.

      "Well I'm never falling in love." I said firmly.

       Suddenly Rai's face fell. "What do you mean?" She asked quietly.

       "I don't want cooties." I explained.

      "They aren't even real!" She yelled angrily. "I'm not talking to you!" Then she vanished like before.

      "Fine." I said. I felt a little sad because I really liked her, but I didn't know what I said to make her mad.

     I went about playing with my friends and Mom came to pick me up. It wasn't snowing so I went to the mesquite tree.

      "Rai!" I called. Nothing. "Rai! Are you still mad at me?"

      Nothing for a moment. I decided to walk away when she spoke,"Yes."

       When I looked again she was sitting on her favorite branch. "Why?'" I asked.

     "Because." I stared at her and frowned. Then she continued,"You don't want to fall in love."

       "But we're just kids." I replied. She still wouldn't look at me. "Okay okay. I promise to fall in love when I grow up."

     She looked down to me and smiled. She darted down and hugged me. "Okay!" When she let go she asked, "What should we play?"

     "Pirates. You can be the mermaid." I offered. Rai nodded and we started our game.