Runaway Girl >> hemmings a.u

Chapter 39

'Luke what are you doing here?' I whispered, even though I knew there was no one in the house.

'I told you already.' He chuckled, sitting down on a log. 'I came to see my girl.'

I plopped down onto the log opposite him, shivering slightly in my quilt.

Slowly, Luke began to play a soft tune on his guitar, his face beautifully furrowed in concentration. I watched in awe as the bright full moon lit up his face, giving it an eery glow which added to his good looks.

I looked up at the sky, stars imprinted on the dark screen as I traced a shape on my finger.

'Luke.' I whispered, making him look up at me, his fingers still strumming away softly. 'The stars are really pretty tonight.' I laughed, suddenly embarrassed, as I realized what a useless and random comment I had just made.

'What's so funny?' He asked softly. 'You're right. They are beautiful.'

I smiled, entwining my toes with the grass as I relaxed to the somewhat sad song he was playing.

The next time Luke spoke, his voice sounded scratchy and raspy.

'Tell me a story.' He said, putting down his guitar slowly.

I laughed, meeting his gaze as I looked around, confused. I quickly looked back at Luke as I realized how scary the what seemed like endless forest looked like from where we were sitting.

'I don't know a story.' I chuckled. I eyed Luke's floppy beanie as he picked up his guitar once again.

'I'm sure you do.' He smiled, his dimple deep enough to hold a swimming pool. My heart fluttered as I finally gave in.

'Ok.' I whispered, wiggling my bum on the log trying to get comfortable. The flames from the little bonfire gave a warm glow as I thought of a quick story.

'I'm going to tell you a story from my childhood.' I whispered nervously, not knowing if I was entering dangerous territories by going there.

'What about your memory lo-' Luke began, but I quickly cut him off, already knowing where he was going.

'I know.' I whispered, putting a piece of hair behind my ears. 'There's nothing wrong with pretending.' I smiled, trying my hardest to make it look as sincere as possible.

Luke's eyes looked sad, as if he knew how I was feeling. But nevertheless he wanted to listen to me, he wanted to hear the childhood I had always imagined in my head.

'Once upon a time.' I began, searching my mind for the right place to start. 'Lived a young beautiful women, who had big dreams and hopes for her future. She'd prance everywhere she went, her long, golden hair flowing behind her as she admired everything about the world. Then, she met the most handsome guy you could ever imagine, who had eyes that could light up the world and a smile almost as dazzling. They fell in love and travelled the world, happiness, hopes and dreams following them wherever they went. After a while they discovered that they were having a baby, and they couldn't have been more glad or excited. So they settled down in a little house in Sydney as more and more happiness circled their lives.

Slowly, Rebecca grew up, getting stronger and stronger each day, and every color of the rainbow danced every time she laughed. She knew that no matter what, she was always going to be safe and happy as long as both her parents were by her side.'

'Go on.' Luke whispered, the clear vision I had, faulting slightly.

I smiled weekly.

'Christmas.' I continued, studying the bonfire, unable to meet Luke's gaze, 'was the holiday they always looked forward to- the Moonstone family. Little Rebecca would always look forward to going shopping with her dad on Christmas Eve, when they both knew that they were already too late, but tried to save Christmas anyway. David would always take Rebecca to the mall whilst mummy would stay home cooking the family's favorite meal for Christmas Day, turkey and lasagne. When all the shopping would be done, David would always look down at his little princess whom he admired so much, and hand in hand they'd walk to the mall's Christmas tree, which always blew Rebecca away, because it was so big. Not caring if anyone was watching, Rebecca would feel her daddy's strong arms lifting her up, as she touched the golden star at the top of the tree, and together they would make a wish. Do you know what she wished for?' I asked, pausing, wiping the single tears that had escaped. For the first time, I noticed that Luke had been playing his guitar all along.

'Tell me.' He whispered, his eyes excited and yet sad.

I took a deep breath as the images swam in front of my eyes, so real.

'She wished for happiness in her family. But most of all she wanted to paint the world with rainbow colors and make as many people as possible smile. After they'd have wished, David would squeeze his daughter's hand, his eyes full of pride and love, and they'd go home to be greeted by a loving mother, all the rainbow colors following them, for now.'

'Wow.' Luke breathed, as a soft breeze picked up his floppy hair.

I put a finger to my lips, telling him that I wasn't done yet. Fire surged through my blood as the words spilled out, hope and imagination shining through.

'As Rebecca grew up, her parents would always take her to the park, next to the little blue lake that amused her so much. Smiling, she'd always dip her fingers into the cold water and laughed as she sprayed it around. Then, she'd notice all the leaves falling to the ground like snow, and she'd cry, digging her face into her mum's soft chest, but her mum would wipe her tears and smile, telling her not to worry because they'd grow again. The trick was to enjoy the beauty of them whilst they could and to make every second count.'

I looked away, wishing so hard that this could've really been what my childhood was like. Somehow I knew that I was far off.

'I'll continue the story another day.' I said, wiping my tears with my quilt as Luke put his guitar down and looked at me again, his face glowing with the flames of the bonfire which had grown quite a bit.

I looked at Luke, amazed by how comfortable I actually was with him. Touching had never been a shy point for me, but somehow expressing my feelings through words was always the thing that I could never do, unless it was someone I really trusted. My heart ached as I realized what a dangerous place the past was, even though I had no memory of it whatsoever.

'It was beautiful.' Luke said, sending chills all over my body. At the end of the day, soft words weren't going to make the story true, weren't going to sow the emptiness that covered half of my life.

Right there and then, I could hear a car approaching and it was probably Aunt Emma returning. Time had definetly escaped us.

'Luke you should go.' I said, my heavy heart unable to let me stay awake any longer. Sleep would take the pain away even if for just a few hours.

'But what happens next? What about Rebecca?' He asks, standing up anyway.

'Another time.' I bite my lip, the goosebumps along my arms still not going. 'Thanks for coming Luke.' I whispered, blowing out the bonfire gently.

'My pleasure.' Luke answered, hugging me tight as I wrapped my arms around his broad chest, my quilt still wrapped around me. Silently Luke handed me a little parcel, something soft inside it.

'It's a football kit.' He whispered, a small smile tugging at his lips. 'We're playing football tomorrow.'

'Um...ok.' I whispered, needing sleep so badly, I felt as if the earth was going to swallow me up.

'Good night.' He whispered gently, his fingers letting go of me softly, leaving a tingling sensation after his touch.

I walked over to my door, the dark night sending chills up and down my spine. My hand on the handle, I turned around to look at Luke one more time. But as I turned around, I realized that he was already gone, like a far away memory, just like a dream.

I stood there, in the cold, his soft scent still present, helping me confirm that he had actually been here just a few moments ago.

And even though there was no harm in pretending that I remembered my past, it was the most dangerous place I had ever been to before. Soft words, smart words, wild imagination and wanting so badly that it was as real as it seemed to me didn't change the fact that my past was foreign and strange and just in general a big blanket of darkness and emptiness.

And it hurt.