The Fifth World

Bo: I look around the small bedroom, the wooden panels lined up against what would be brick walls beneath. I wonder if it gets cold here. The room is plain, bare, almost. But it is nice, it is adequate. And it is also a room in Cynric's home. He has left me alone, it it silent, I am sitting on my double bed with my bag ripped open and only a few fresh clothes have been pulled out. I'm only here for one night. No need to unpack.
There is a knock at the door, Cynric appears.

"I'm sorry," he says and scratches his head, "the room's a little boring."

I shake my head, "it's fine, I don't need a palace - just a place to sleep."

He nods his head slowly and the situation between us is silent and somewhat awkward. He clears his throat. I twiddle my thumbs. There is a strange sound from the living room and Cynric instantly turns around. I watch him with curiosity, he then turns around back to me and shows me the smile on his face. He's so beautiful.

"Someone wants to meet you."

I can't help but feel curious too. I get up from the bed, hurry out of my bedroom and into the living room where a young woman is sitting, her legs outstretched across Cynric's sofa and her clothes a little... vintage. I smile. Nancy.

"Wow," she says when she sees me, "you're the girl that Cynric has been trying to get to come here all these years. This is amazing." She stands, pushes her way passed Cynric and takes my hands in hers.

It's so strange. I've met this girl before... but technically not yet. She obviously doesn't know. I sigh deeply and then try to make my smile seem even bigger. "I'm Bo, it's a pleasure to meet you."

She wraps her arms around me, it's not a friendly hug, well it is, but it's more of a family hug... as if this young woman, who is old enough to be my sister, could be like my mother or my aunty or something. Come to think of it, I wonder how my own mother is doing. "It's fantastic to meet you, Bo."

After letting go of me I sneak a look at Cynric who has a smirk on his face. I can't help but smile too. "Bo, this is Nancy. She's like my sister and she means almost the whole world to me."

Nancy rolled her eyes and twisted her long and golden hair in her long finger. Her gaze returns to me, "Oh, I am so excited you're here. This is going to be fantastic. We should go time jumping together, it'd be so much fun."

"Nancy doesn't have many time jumping friends or friends at all for that matter." I hear Cynric say bitterly. Nancy ignores him and continues to speak as if he isn't even there.

"Well, when you finish at the Academy that is, of course, but that won't be for another few years... though..." she began to mumble off before Cynric rolled his eyes and insisted I come with him for another walk. I'm not going to oblige. I'm in the Fifth World. This is far from amazing. This is tremendous. It's a miracle. Never in my life did I think I'd be here. I followed Cynric from his home.

"Can I come too?" I hear a voice, Nancy's.

It is high pitched and happy. All the time. But she's pleasant and I think I'd enjoy her company. She smiles hopefully at Cynric. I hear him sigh, quite deeply, and then he nods his head and signals for her to join us.
We walked through the streets, Nancy would bounce along with us. The streets are lit up with old street lamps and sometimes torches of fire. Whilst deep in conversation, Nancy will stop abruptly and point out something or someone I should see. Then she'd continue with whatever she was saying prior. Cynric remained silent. He was on the other side of me, Nancy was between us. I want to hold his hand. I don't care if we can't be in love. I love him. Let's hide it. Hide us. I'm sure we can do that, right?

"It's getting a little cold," Nancy says to us but mainly to me. I'm wearing a skirt and a tee-shirt - quite shabby and not quite suitable for the current temperatures. I shivered involuntarily and that followed with a heavy sigh. I don't want to go back to Cynric's. I want to explore. This place is extraordinary.

"We should go," Cynric says, his eyes on Nancy. He is dressed perfectly in white and appears to be quite warm. I sigh and wrap my arms around each-other for warmth. We begin to walk home, through the mazes of streets that snake around each other. I can get lost here so easily. Everything is brick. All of the buildings are brick. The roads are brick. I feel like I'm stuck in a Shakespearean story or something. Like I'm stuck in Verona. It's so beautiful here.

We were home within a few minutes. I was trying to figure out the way home from wherever we were but whichever turn or fork we came towards... I always chose the wrong way. I just followed behind Nancy. She lead the way, her chatter continued on all the way home whilst Cynric stood beside me. I wanted to hold his hand but I resisted.
I sigh and let my body fall into my bed, it's thick and warm sheets swallow me up. I'm not tired but I'm pleasantly warm. My stomach is full. Nancy put together a little feast with some of the groceries Cynric had purchased earlier. She didn't want to use my idea of microwave dinners. I honestly think the spaghetti is a good idea. But no. Nancy's way or go hungry. I kick off my shoes and find myself drifting, there is a sound of my bedroom door opening slightly but before I know it I am already asleep. I didn't even think I was tired.
I wake up in the middle of the night, the full moon's light is shining down through the window of my bedroom, it is across my bed and I smile and stare up at the stars. I'm not tired. I don't think, at least. I yawn, stretch my arms and slowly stand up. I'm still in my clothes. I look down at my skirt and at my tee-shirt. I groan and resort to my bag and pull out a nightie. It has spaghetti straps and is satin with black swirls over a white background. Now that I think about it - it's quite skimpy. I chuckle quietly to myself and slip out of my clothes and slip the nightie on. With bare feet I open my bedroom door and creep out into the living room. It is dark but the perfectly white moon gives me a little light. I creep through Cynric's small home. I know what I want to do. I know I can't but I know I can't help it too. I very quietly walk through the lounge and passed the kitchen towards the other bedroom - his bedroom.
I take in everything around me, the walls that are covered in frames of old paintings, the feel of my toes on the carpet, the smell of fresh fruit in the air. I think about the way he kissed me, that one time, well, both times. I once made him kiss me but before that… my first kiss with him… that was all him. All me. Both of us. It was perfect. I smile as my finger touches the sold brick walls, my eyes scanning each painting that is hanging. I again think about how he kissed me. How my blood boiled when he touched me. The way my heart pounded.
And then I stopped. I looked up at one painting… or a drawing, actually. It almost looks real. It is a water colour drawing, a dozen roses sitting in a vase, the colours are vibrant. I feel like I can almost smell the roses.
I close my eyes and then Jonathan’s face appears.
What the hell am I doing? Am I seriously going to go into Cynric’s room? I know what will happen. I want it to happen but I also want Jonathan. I can’t do this. I just have to go to bed. I have to sleep. I have to think about the boy back at home – the one I know I can love if I just give him a chance. I’ve known him almost all my life, he’s beautiful, he’s kind and he’s smart. He doesn’t deserve to be hurt.
I go back to bed without even letting myself think about Cynric.