”Maybe some berries, if that’s okay.” I hesitate.
“Yes, take whatever you want!” She looks up at me with a smile that could stop wars, or create them.
Sitting down by a small river, we eat together in peace, both of us enjoying the beautiful view before us.
Big willow trees surround the river. Leaves are drooping down and the sun is casting small rays through them, reflecting on the water that gleams in a mesmerizing hue of sapphire, creating a view of captured magic.
“Wow.” Genevieve says.
But all I do is stare at her, because she embodies that. That’s the exact word for describing her, both her personality and her appearance.
The river is filled with seashells. They must’ve been placed here by mermaids, sea people, or pirates.
One time, I was swimming in a lake that was filled with both rose quartz and seashells. Usually fairies can’t swim because they can’t fly if their wings get wet and heavy, but since I don’t have any, I’ve taken some time to learn that skill, swimming.
I hadn't eaten anything today and the berries Genevieve gave me tasted amazing, absolutely delicious. Suddenly I can’t seemto remember if the berries have always tasted like this or if I’m being compelled by the thought that Genevieve wanted to share them with me.
Lying down in the grass, I can’t help but look at her while she eats her apple. As she looks back at me, I can feel a smile growing on my lips. I haven’t smiled like this for years.
“What?” She says with a confused expression on her face.
“Nothing.”
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“I’m not smiling, see.” I say, making an angry face.
A laugh escapes her throat, it’s the most beautiful laugh I’ve ever heard, and suddenly I feel jealous of the fairies who get to hear it every day. But she’ll never know that, and I won’t tell her because this ends as soon as we get to that well and return to Fairy Village.
We can’t have a romance, I’m not capable of loving someone in that way, I’m not capable of it now and I don’t think I will ever be. I wasn’t born to love, I was born only to survive.
I am not interested in giving her false hope or leading her on. I can’t hurt her. She’s the sun, and she deserves someone worthy of her, someone obsessed with her. Not a broken guy who doesn’t know what to do with himself. Because I don’t. I don’t know what to do with myself. Especially not if I fail to find the well and get my wings back. That’s all I want. That’s the one thing that would bring happiness back into my life, the one thing that would help me heal.
It’s my only wish.
Chapter 7
Genevieve
Ector makes me laugh. I haven’t genuinely laughed like this since Esme passed. The joke he just made makes me happy, but it also makes me miss my sister even more, because that’s the kind of joke she would’ve told.
No one really understood us like we understood each other. Now this guy suddenly reminds me of her and it feels odd and unreal, but it feels like home too.
My chest tightens and my heart feels heavy.
Even though I’m her older sister, I’ve always been the one looking up to her, never the other way around. She could easily do things that I had such trouble doing, like being social without feeling awkward or odd. She could speak to anyone and everyone while I was, and still am, so impressed by that.
It made me so joyful seeing how easily she made friends, so I watched her and tried to act like her. I told her I wanted to be like that and she helped me in all the ways she could.
She introduced me to all her friends and told me that if I were confident enough in myself, no one would care if I say something odd, because if I said it with confidence, no one would even think twice about it.
”What was your sister like?” Ector interrupts the memory of Esme.
“I would love to tell you sometime.” Tears were already building up, and I immediately pushed them down. “I fear I’m just not ready to speak about her yet.” My voice was mild, weak almost, and full of uncertainty.
“That’s fair, no pressure. I would love to hear a bit about her whenever you’re ready.” The smile on his face brings instant comfort, making me feel like it's okay to relax my tense shoulders.
As both of us feel full, we decide to continue our journey.
