The sun is behind us, the upper cabin deck blocking what would cause us to need to shield our eyes. The sky is blue with a good number of clouds. It’s a beautiful day, despite the chill in the air.
“That one looks like an alligator.” She points up and to the left. It takes a moment, but I find the one she’s talking about.
“The ones below it looks like a face. See the two smaller ones on top and then the half circle beneath it?”
We continue this for a little while, pointing out the clouds and what they look like until she falls silent, the mood shifting.
“Is everything okay?” I ask, not sure what I could have done to sour the mood. Was it something I said? Not even directly, but something triggering something?
Seraphine has been dealing with so much lately; I can imagine she has many triggers to bad moods. I want to learn them all and avoid them all. Or better, learn them all and fix them. Turn them into something positive. I wish I knew why I felt this way, but I’m at the point where I no longer care.
“What is she like?” Her words aren’t much louder than a whisper. I know who she’s speaking about immediately, and as much as I don’t want to dive into this conversation, it may help her. And that’s all I want to do.
“Angela is a force to be reckoned with.” I huff out a humorless laugh. “She’s outgoing, takes what she wants, and doesn’t care who gets hurt on the way. She’s smart but cares more about her looks than brains. Always has.”
“She’s prettier than me,” she whispers.
“No,” I respond immediately. “Not even close.”
“You’re just being nice.”
“I’m being honest, Seraphine. Angela is beautiful, yes, but her selfish nature ruins it. You are stunning on the outside, and your innocent and good-natured heart makes you even moreso.”
She turns on her side to face me, pulling up the blankets to her chin, and I turn my head so I can see her better.
“I hate that I’m not over this.”
I run my thumb over her cheek and her eyes fall closed.
“Pain can last a lifetime,” I say. “I’m sure that’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth.”
Her eyes open again, those bright emerald orbs staring at me with such intensity.
“I bet you wouldn’t cause me pain.”
I give the slightest shake of my head, best as I can with the way I’m facing her. “Never.”
And that’s the truth. How or why, I don’t know.
“What would people think?”
“It doesn’t matter what people think.”
She chews on the inside of her cheek, my hand still resting on her face. She puts hers over mine, curling her fingers under my palm.
“I like the way you make me feel. When I’m with you, I think I can do anything.”
“You can. Even on your own. It has nothing to do with me.”
“It has everything to do with you. The way you talk about me, the way you stick up for me. No one has ever done that for me. Not even my own father.”
“He was ill.”
“It doesn’t matter if he had a reason or not. It still never happened. I’ve never had anyone in my life on my side. Even with hardly knowing you, I feel like you are on my side.”
“I am.”
“I just wish… I knew why.”
