Heart Strings <3 ~Complete

Heart Strings Chapter Twelve

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12

If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, it's yours forever. If it doesn't, then it was never meant to be

Anonymous

Eventually, everyone left, leaving me and Sephy alone, standing by the door of the café. After a few seconds of awkward silence, Sephy began to walk away. 'Hey! Where are you going?' I called after her, trying to catch up.

'Well, I'm not going back in there. I think there's a park not too far from here. We can hang there for a bit.'

'Oh. Okay.' I agreed, following, feeling slightly subdued and wondering if it had anything to do with Gina. I considered asking, but I didn't seem like a good idea, judging from the mood Sephy was in. Ahead of me I was sure I could hear her muttering something about snakes and girls...but...probably not.

The park was one of the only safe, new parks in the area. The type of park that parents would be okay with their kids running around in without worrying that some paedophile would snatch them away. It was pretty neat too, looked colourful and clean. There were swings, see-saws, roundabouts, the kinds of things that would make younger children squeal in delight.

Sephy strolled right in, sat on a swing and began to push herself forwards and backwards.

'You want me to push?' I asked.

'I can do it myself,' she replied shortly, closing her eyes and lifting her chin towards the sky.

'Okay,' I muttered under my breath, slightly disappointed, as I sat on the swing beside her, looking out at the other people in the park.

There was a young couple pushing a young brunette girl with bright blue eyes on the baby swings to our right. The three of them looked so happy, and perfect, it felt too private to watch.

On the far side four youths screamed with laughter as they played on a climbing frame. They looked about ten or eleven. No older then twelve. Everywhere I looked there were other children, playing 'tag,' chanting on the roundabout, having fun. Being kids. Was it like that when I was younger? I couldn't remember, but I highly doubted it.

I looked back at Sephy. She was still closing her eyes, the tiniest of smiles on her face, the wind blowing through her braids, the sun dancing on her skin. She almost looked asleep. I could have watched her forever. Which was not right. At all.

I smacked my forehead mentally; pervert.

'Sephy,' I whispered, just in case she really was asleep. 'Why are you closing your eyes?'

'I'm trying to imagine you're not here,' she answered without missing a beat. I jolted back, slightly hurt.

'Why do you hate me so much?' She can tell you are perving on her... Gradually, she slowed down and turned to me, eyes open, her smile wide.

'Only joking.'

'Oh.'  There was an awkward pause. The sounds of children everywhere surrounded us.

'I close my eyes because I like to pretend I'm flying,' she told me, her voice soft. Sephy lowered her eyes, focusing on her tatty plimsolls. 'It's fun. And relaxing. I have a secret love for swinging. For flying.' She laughed, 'like a bird. But I'm scared of planes. Scared of planes but not of flying. Is that weird?'

I smiled in reply, 'no. Not at all.'

'Yeah! Right!' she scoffed, 'I love flying, but I hate planes, it’s totally weird.'