To Density and Beyond

It all started with an orange Chupa - Chups lollipop.

I was a crazy, little ten-year-old skipping down our street in the village. It was summer, and there wasn't much for me to do. I couldn't go on Facebook or Twitter, because I didn't have a proper social life yet. Plus my mom would literally kill me for it. I didn't watch Gossip Girl, go out with my friends, or read supernatural novels that make the lead character a sex - starved maniac. My life was boring, but it was an easy one.

A few more skips later, my feet finally got tired. I spotted a lone wood bench in the courtyard, surrounded by beds of grass and uniquely decorated houses that look like they were owned by Barbie.

A boy about my age was sitting there, his head tilted up at the ocean blue sky. Realizing he could be a new friend, I walked over to the bench and decided to sit beside him. He didn't nod or smile at me, but continued to stare at the sky as if he was trying to communicate with it. It was the first time I've ever heard a silence this loud, but it was beautiful.

"It's lovely, isn't it?" The boy suddenly spoke. My eyes were wide with surprise at how thoughtful and un-ten-year-old like he sounded. His voice was quiet and mellow, sort of like a whisper, as if he was a poet describing the beauty of the sky.

I hesitated before answering. "Uh, yeah . . . I guess it is."

He looked at me, and then at the lollipop I was sucking. I was kind of embarrassed at first, since the lollipop had my saliva on it, and this cute boy was looking at it as if it was some piece of science experiment. Suddenly, a breath - taking smile spread across his face.

"Is that a Chupa - Chups lollipop?" he asked, grinning.

I blushed. "Um . . . yes."

He laughed. It was a carefree sound, and I liked it. "You know, lollipops have sentimental meanings too."

I frowned. I didn't know that. "They do?"

"Yup," he said, smiling warmly at me. "When I was five, my dad brought home a whole pack of lollipops for me. He said it was a special treat, for all my good deeds. You see its circular shape?" I nodded as he swirled his finger around my lollipop, without actually touching it. "It means everlasting. Or eternal, as my father would say. When you buy a lollipop, the flavour depends on your mood. I don't really know what the mood is for each colour, but I know that orange stands for happiness. Am I right?"

I faked an enthusiastic nod, as if I knew what he was talking about.

He eyed me suspiciously. "You don't, do you?" I looked down, embarrassed that he caught me, and he chuckled. "It's fine. Let's just take it this way; we're friends now. Whenever our birthdays arrive or when we're feeling sad, we'll give each other orange lollipops. Deal?"

I blinked, taken aback for a moment. "Friends? But we just met. And you don't even know my name!"

The boy smirked, as if the matter wasn't a problem. He held out a hand. "Okay, I'm Reece. And you are?" he prompted.

I stared at his hand, wondering if it's a good choice to shake the hand of this stranger before me, who looks up at the sky as if it was his source of solitude and makes friends at first sight.

I shook my head and smiled at Reece, shaking his hand. "Samantha. But you can call me Sam."

"Sam," Reece repeated, a slow grin spreading across his face. The way he said my name was so sweet that it touched my ten-year-old heart, I had to force back the blush threatening to colour my cheeks. "So we're friends now?"

It took me a moment to respond, but after pondering it a bit, I beamed at him and nodded.

"Friends."

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Surprise. :D