Forced Royal

Happy Thoughts

Chapter 18- Happy Thoughts

I sit under the gazebo a bit longer after Charlie left. I stare at the water that falls from the sky. Having a broken heart and a confused mind is stressful, and it's difficult to cope with those two elements. I do what every rational person does-think. Miles always told me that if you think about happier days that you've had, then you'll find yourself indulging yourself in your thoughts, ignoring the world around you.

"Before you know it, you'll find yourself smiling!" Miles would always say.

I remember when Miles and I were in foster care and one night our foster parents left us at home. It was storming and the power shut down. I was eight and Miles was twelve, so I was terrified of the dark. Our house went as dark as a cave, and I ran [As best as you can in the dark] towards him, frightened.

"Miles! Miles!" I yelled as I was searching frantically in the dark for him, "Miles, where are you?!" Suddenly, I saw a bright square light turn on in the distance-his LivingSquare.

"Ari," he said gently, "I'm right here."

I ran to him and gave him a bear hug. He patted my back and then slipped out of my arms. He smiled, "There is nothing to be afraid of."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as ever."

I whimpered a little like an innocent puppy. I heard the wind howling and rattling the windows. He guided me with his LivingSquare light to my room. He gently shut my door and smiled at me, "Want to have some fun until the storm passes?"

I nodded. I wanted anything that would've made me stop thinking about the storm. He grabbed some of my jump ropes and my blankets. At the time, I didn't know what he was planning, but I found out pretty quickly.

Before I knew it, I was sat inside a homemade fort. I giggled hysterically as Miles made funny looking shadows with his hands and the light. He chuckled at how much I found that humorous. We played several of our favorite games on our LivingSquares and watched a movie on our LivingSquare. The LivingSquare projected the movie among the "tent".

Miles and I have always had a relationship like no other brother and sister. He was always there for me, and when I was sad, he knew just what to do to make me smile. Miles is that person that would rather make himself unhappy just so someone else can have a smile on their face. That kind of quality can be great, but it can be a weakness at times. Mostly, it is beneficial, though.

I switch to another memory, but with Jasper, this time. For my thirteenth birthday, him and Miles wanted to take me to an ice skating rink that was opened in the spring. My foster parents dropped us off and gave us money. I always wanted to go ice skating but I never did it until that day. We rented some white leather ice skates. They were finely polished, and the silver blade was sharp. I got up to my feet and wobbled my way carefully over to the entrance of the rink. I balanced my feet so precisely so I wouldn't twist my ankle. That would've been just my luck since I'm a klutz. The room was chilly and my eyes caught to the beautiful frozen water. The ice gleamed in the light and gave off a very gorgeous bright white. My feet gently placed themselves onto the smooth ice one by one. My hands gripped the sides of the wall for balance, and I look back to find Jasper placing his feet on the ice and clutching the wall along with me. Miles stepped onto the ice and his feet went over his head. Jasper chuckled and Miles got up as fast as he could with his face as red as a raspberry.

"I guess clumsiness is hereditary because we both have it!" I joked.

"Hey, I'm do not have very good balance."

"Noticed." Jasper mumbled.

"I'm older than both of you! So watch your backs..." Miles said.

I giggled lightly, and pulled myself along the ice with the wall. I felt my balance improve and so did my confidence. My fingers slipped from the wall and I glided on the ice. Miles kept on falling, but for the first time, I wasn't clumsy. I was able to float on the hard white coolness. I automatically fell in love with ice skating.