The Sleeping Prison

Chapter 1

There was something about him.
Something about the way he watched her.
In this past year Leo started to notice the heaviness of his gaze. They were 16.
As they grew they had grown closer and closer as everyone pushed them away.
She was hated as a child for not only how she acted but how she looked. She had a birthmark on her face in the shape of a lion, and her father said that it only roared when she smiled.
When she had gotten older she had tried to hide it but everyone knew it was there so it only provoked more bullying.
Even when she did hide it Julian had simply said "Don't hide your greatest strength, for it is what makes you, your perfect flaw. Your a lioness."
He had only been 12 when he said that. He was the smarter of the two, at least in language arts, whereas she was the math brainiac.
He had told her stories of his school were people of all colors, genders, ages, and religions coexisted in harmony.
His country was free... poor but free. She longed to be free.
She and Julian were sitting in the same tree, in the same spots in which they met. He was looking through the branches at the nest of little blue birds that he had helped save during a storm.
He looked a little wistful but happy, his black hair curled in the humidity and made him look younger. He had grown from a scrawny boy into a handsome young man.
He had looks that would have made all the girls in her school squirm. She would have liked to see their faces when they saw him with her. His eyes could penetrate anyone if he looked at them a certain way. Deep dark blue, a wonder really. Nobody had that color eyes.
He was an outsider like her, an orphan. His mother died in childbirth and his father had a awful reputation. He was in prison though Julian's first 5 years then got out. It was bad for Julian at home.
That is why they were here. In the tree, the safest place on earth, right next to each other.
Then he snapped out of his dreamy look and looked right at her, the mischievous look that she love so much crosses his face.
"Want to go into town and make some trouble? I have the perfect idea." He hopped down from the branch, landing gracefully on the ground.
"You know me too well." And I hopped down too.
"Your clothes are under the rock over there," he gestured to a rock.
She could see the worn old pair of overalls that she love so dearly in the little hiding space, but those are only for special occasions.
It wasn't like she could go into town wearing expensive school uniform in a poor country.
She slipped behind the tree with the clothes in hand.
"Don't you dare peak, I know you remember what happened last time you peaked," she yelled.
He laughed. "I don't know what your talking about."
She pulled off the stupid school uniforms sweater and pulled on the orange skin tight t-shirt, making her fire read hair fall all into her face.
She pulled on the jean overalls and threw the stupid little silk skirt on the ground making a face.
She felt him watching her, oooh this will be fun. "Hey Julian, come over here." She could practically hear him gulp. As he slowly came around the tree. Each step was careful and slow.
He stopped 5 feet away, what he thought was a safe distance.
She moved in slowly and he got pale. She put her hands on his shoulders and let them slide up to his neck. His blue eyes were fixed on a far point ahead and his jaw was set. He was tense and was waiting for the painful blow.
And he got it. Leo kneed him hard in the stomach. He gasped and backed up, gasping. He collapsed to the ground. She quickly pinned him with her knee and smiled.
"Learned your lesson?" Julian couldn't respond but he managed a little nod. She stood up and back away, leaving him groaning on the ground. She snickered.
Leo started to braid her hair, giggling as he got, unsteadily, to his feet.
"Was that necessary?" He groaned.
"Yes! How else were you supposed to learn?" She said. "Oh sweetheart, you know nothing at all do you? At least your cute."
"Oh I'm cute?"
"Like a klutzy puppy dog, or a chubby panda. Can't help but love em."
"You love me?" He started to laugh. "You love me!"
He doubled over in laughter.
Leo blushed but she really had meant it, which she really didn't want to admit. She hadn't realized it before, but now that she thought about it. She really did love him.
And that is why she kneed him again and this time not in the stomach.
"I do not love you. I do not love anymore." Her voice broke, she had tried to block all love when her father sent her away.
She marched down the trail, down to the country of the poor, Siheria. Little did she know, this was the last time she would ever enter Siheria.
•••
Julian may have been Leo's best friend but he wasn't the only friend she had.
They had a small group of friends. there was James, a titanium blonde haired kid with light gray eyes, he was really thin. There was Will his best friend, like Julian but more built, stronger. Then there was Hannah, a tall girl with brown skin, brown eyes, and brown curly hair, and her boyfriend, a Irish kid with red curly hair named Luke. Then there was Grace, black hair, black jacket, black eyes. Scary in her own mischievous way.
None of them had last names, it seemed kind of nice, no classes, or family honor, or family ties. They were really free.
Hannah and James smiled, Will and Grace flashed evil eyes, and Luke seemed impassive when Leo approached. 
But all conversations had stopped. It was peculiar, never had she ever heard everyone silent at the same time.
"Spill." She was angry and bitter after her little revelation in the forest.
"Well for starters you look like your going to, or have already, kill someone. And where is your other half."
It wasn't unlike will to speak up, and sarcastically at that, when his life was on the line, Leo was going to have none of it.
She stomped on his foot, hard, in just the right spot to make it hurt. His face twisted. "Gees, girl, you scare me."
"As it should be." And everyone laughed. Most people would have said it should be the other way around but it wasn't. This was perfect.
When everyone's giggles settled James asked "Where's Julian?"
Leo smiled, "indisposed." Then everyone doubled over again. This was right, Leo was where she should be. In the poor town with people who didn't marry for money or class but for love. And friends that didn't give you a advantage but for friends that are really true.
She decided in that moment that she would never go back, back to where a marriage was arranged right after school because her father owed a man a favor, and back to a place where men and women alike twisted away from her in disgust when they saw her birthmark. Never.
And this place was good, even the messy streets and constant sound of booms going off, it was a good free.
When Julian finally did get to us he was stumbling and she snickered.
"Does it hurt?" She teased.
He glared.
"Oh you know you love me." There was that word again.
He turned red, she wasn't sure if it was out of anger or embarrassment. Either way she like it.
Then she spun on her heel and said, "let's go be troublemakers!" And they ran, free at last.
Some hours later, after putting spiders in Mrs. Gerkins soup, opening the local fishermen's nets, and putting graffiti all over the police station, they all sat on a large rock eating stolen food.
It wasn't anything personal with the people they pranked but more of a need to break rules.
Things are forever going to be good she thought, if I just stay here. Her eyes dropped closed sleepily and her head fell on Julian's shoulder, Leo was relaxed.
Then the bombs stopped, everything was silent, the war had stopped. Someone had won and she doubted it was Sihera.