a cottage secret

melancholy

Florence knocked on Betty's door the next day. She didn't know what to say, she never planned anything ahead. She saw an orange cat climb out the window and it hissed at her. She didn't know what to expect, she just wanted to see the girl.

The beautiful redheaded girl who sang beautifully when she thought no one was watching.

It was sunny, that day. The sunflowers in that garden were shining bright and the light of day would have burned the girl's head if it wasn't the big tree behind her. Looking around, she could admire the eucalyptus tree forest a few kilometers away, on the hill. She dreamed about running there with the other girl and playing hide and seek for hours, scaring all their relatives.

Sometimes she would imagine she'd fly away. Leave everything behind. All the pain and the suffering and the chaos. But, by the end of the day, she'd give up on that idea. She wasn't as brave as a wild animal, no matter how much she wanted to be.

Florence stood there for a few minutes until she realized nobody was going to open the door. She hadn't seen anyone leave the house that morning so she could not believe she really wouldn't meet her neighbor and future friend.

Her heart shattered in only a few seconds. Her chest was heavy. She felt as if she was hunted. Maybe that was why she was so unlucky. Maybe she had invented all the future adventures she would have with the girl; maybe the girl didn't want to meet her.

But what about the letter she got? She didn't imagine that. She had the paper to prove it!

Recovering the faith in herself and in that stranger, she walked around the house to see if anyone from the inside would wave to her or mouth a 'hello'. However, the only answer she got was from the cat that was going back inside by the window.

After a few minutes, she was called by one of the employers of the farm so she had to run back. The wind was against her and she felt like she was incredibly strong for going against it. She felt like a force of nature.

Her hair and her dress were flying high. While running, she opened her arms. If she closed her eyes, she could actually see herself up in the sky. But alas, she was only human and the only place she got to was the door.

She took her brown boots off and entered the house. Lunch was served and her grandma wanted to eat with her. She was trying to have a conversation with the young girl, but Florence wasn't the least focused. She was looking to the outside, where the grass was green, the sky had no clouds and the man from the other house was watering his plants.

"Florence, I'm talking to you"

"Huh? Oh, I'm sorry, Nana."

"What's going on? Why are you looking at the neighbor?"

"For no reason."

"You do not fool me, little girl."

The young girl laughed. There was a reason Barb was the biggest entrepreneur in that region. She was the smartest woman she's ever met. Besides, the grandma always said she recognized herself in the girl, so maybe she was very easy to read to the older woman.

"Well, there's a girl in that house. And I wanted to be friends with her. I do love you, Nana, but staying for months here with no one my age does not make me the happiest."

"Oh, it's Betty! She's a very nice girl, but a bit shy. You might have to be patient."

"I can wait."

She didn't know the girl's name and now was saving it in her heart. Betty. It was such a good name for that girl she saw some days ago. It fit her, with her round eyes and freckles on her face.

Although she wanted to prove herself as a patient person, she knew her heart was aching to get to know the girl next door.

She had lied to her grandma about needing to be friends with someone her age; she couldn't care less. She was used to only being friends with people older than her, especially because she felt so misunderstood all the time by her peers. But Betty.... There was something about her.

Maybe it was the wild looks. Or the gentle voice.

She couldn't understand why she'd write a note to her if she didn't want to be seen. Florence loved being seen. She knew she was pretty. Her long black hair and her little green eyes were mesmerizing.

Did Betty know she was mesmerizing too? She had a feeling the girl didn't know how enchanting she was, and it was Florence's mission on earth now to let her know.

After lunch, she helped wash the dishes and then went to the living room. She couldn't concentrate and did not know if she should write another note to her neighbor. Written words were not enough for what she wanted to express, what she had in her heart.

So she sat in front of the piano and let her hands run through keys. Her grandma and one lady of the staff sat close to her and heard her make magic while tears fell from her eyes.