Wintersmoon

Chapter 3- The Textbook Giant Says Hello

    "Hello?" No answer.
    A sigh. "Sorry. I forgot most people aren't accustomed to talking to random strangers in the dark."
    Movement.
    I screwed up my eyes in an attempt to find the mysterious voice in the dark. There, sitting up in a tree branch, just a little higher than mine, sat a boy, around sixteen. No, maybe seventeen. I recognised his face but couldn't place it. As he stood up in the tree to move closer to me, I noticed how tall he really was. He jumped towards a neighbouring branch near mine. He moved with speed and agility for his size. Getting a better look, I soon figured that the boy must have been at least 6'5". Once again, the wind caught my jet black hair and sent it flowing behind me. He finally reached my branch and sat down next to me.
    "Do I know you?" I asked, wincing as I realised how harsh I probably came across.
    "No, probably not," I turned to see what the giant sitting next to me looked like.
    His hair was silvery white and the boy had a chiselled jawline. Even a high cheekbones good stood out prominently on his lightly freckles skin. He was textbook gorgeous and he didn't seem to know or acknowledge it. Textbook-boy had obviously Changed so he was definitely over sixteen. There was one thing that was bothering me though; where was his streak? His hair was just one colour. It must be on the other side of his head. I couldn't see it so I had no idea who I was talking to or how I should talk to him. The unwritten hierarchy rules mucked everything up.
    He turned towards me and I snapped my head around, not willing to be caught looking at him.
    "Why aren't you at the feast? It starts soon." He states bluntly, at least he was to the point.
    "I'm not into celebrations..." I answered deliberately slowly. He nodded, understanding it wasn't something I was willing to talk about. For what seemed like forever we sat in silence, not awkward silence but comfortable, somehow. But I was curious and it got the better of me: I had to ask. "Why aren't you there?"
    "My father is... well... a bit over the top with the celebrations and the palace is packed."
    As the only time the commoners could come in and take a look around the palace, they crammed their nosey families inside the walls and just as many sit out in the grounds or the streets to celebrate.
    "Oh." So he was a servant at the palace. The royals gave them quarters where they could bring their families if it was a better deal than where they were currently living.
    "So you work at the palace? At least one of us can get a job." I muttered.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the corners of his mouth twitch into a small smile at my comment before he dropped it again. The mask of the emotionless textbook-boy was placed over his features again.
    "So..." I started again, I would talk to this boy. I was determined to get the handsome giant to speak more than two sentences to me.
    "How do your parents celebrate Wintersmoon?" I asked.
    "Well they... Let people come into their house and erm... party...?"
    "Are you asking me or is that what they do?" This one was confusing. I didn't have him quite figured out yet.
    "They do."
    "Ok. They sound like nice people."
    "It's just a facade," he muttered bitterly. Shaking the thoughts out of his head, he turned to look at me again. "How about your folks?"
    I smiled sadly at the ground below my dangling legs: "They died when I was two."
    An awkward silence followed, definitely and completely awkward this time.
    "Thank you," I murmured.
    His eyebrows knitted in confusion as I turned to look at him. I inhaled a sharp breath as his electric blue eyes startled me with their brightness. They seemed to have their own luminosity.
    "For what?" he queried.
    "Not apologising. It's the only thing people say to me when I tell them. I know they mean well but it gets on my nerves. It's like they don't really care and it's just a commiseration. Sorry, I'm rambling..." I trailed off.
    He smirked and showed me an outstretched hand and said, "I'm Reys."
****A/N****
Hey guys, so this chapter was a bit longer today and I actually had to divide Chapter 3 in half so think of Chapter 4 as a bit of a part two.
    But it worked well anyways so... yeah.
    Anyways, sorry these chapters are a bit boring but I can't jump right into the plot can I...? It's all about the build up. I'm off now but hope you enjoyed it and please vote for me. Obviously I'm very new and I'd love the votes please!
    Xoxo, MissManic