Stunning Love, Surprising Life

It was a Sunday when we first met; a beautiful, glorious, momentous day.

I was shopping –no surprise there- and went into Valley Girl. I have always loved this store; not just because I’m friends with the owner and get discounts on most of my buys but because of the freedom in the clothing it sells. The range matched my personality exactly.

Being the penniless weirdo that I was; I was outside browsing the sale rack when out of nowhere a girl, no older than three was wrapped around my bare legs using me as a shield.

Her hands were a bit cool and were at least half the size of mine and she giggled and peered around the edge of my right leg. Her face quickly retreated behind me again as she let another peal of bell-like squeals.

I stared down at the girl in awe. She was beautiful. I wondered idly if she even realised that I was in fact not an object but a person.

I think at that moment it suddenly dawned on her. Her eyes followed the line of my body up to my smiling face. She stepped back and I thought she was going to bolt, but instead she returned the grin stretching her arms up to me and standing on her tip-toes. I thought again of how adorable she was.

I obeyed her wishes and picked her up; sitting her comfortably on my hip.

“Where’s your mummy and daddy?” I asked the child in my arms.

“Brobro!!” She said and pointed to a boy about my age, running around frantically looking like he’d lost something. He was tall; slightly tan, with short but scruffy brown hair and his eyes from what I could see were a gorgeous green.

I realised that she meant that that was her brother. I hurried over to him and indicated the girl sitting on my hip “I think this may belong to you.”

“Brobro!!” she squealed happily once again and launched herself at him.

“Penny! What have I told you about running off?” He said to her sternly.

“Pretty,” she said pointing at me and giggling some more.

He finally noticed my presence and looked up from examining his sister. Our eyes met and I was immediately absorbed into the glowing emerald orbs. It was like I was transported into a rainforest somewhere in South America. His eyes were distracting; I could have been lost in them for hours for all I knew.

He visibly shook himself and immediately thanked me and pushed his hand toward me, “Hi, I’m Chase and I see you’ve already met my sister Penny.” She smiled when he said her name and leaned forward putting her hand out in front of her, mimicking her brother.

I cautiously put my hand out to this green-eyed man. I don’t trust men easily. They scare me. They have since my uncle started drinking. Mark had been a major part of my life until he was sent to prison. He was your average uncle; making even worse jokes then your own father at your expense, embarrassing you at every point possible and just making every situation extremely awkward. Until his son was killed in a car accident; the same one that I survived. He seemed to blame it all on me; even though it was his son who was driving. That’s when the drinking started, then the occasional slap, then the beatings. Soon he was sent to prison. The charges being; drunk driving, child abuse and rape. Yeah, you heard right: rape. I always walked home after netball training. It was too easy for him to pull me into his car after a particularly bad binge. I try not to think about it. But wherever I go there seems to be some hint at it. Something that screams “You dirty little slut! You deserve everything that you got.” My friends ditched me. My relatives didn’t want anything to do with me. People could just tell there was something off about me. I avoid people. Men in particular. But, when I looked at this boy… I didn’t want to avoid him.

I didn’t want to avoid him… It was a nice change.

I gave his hand a tentative shake and replied with “I’m Natasha but just call me Tasha, it’s nice to meet you.”

He gave a wide grin that was kind of lopsided. It was so cute. So I gave a small smile in return.

He smiled wider and asked “What school do you go to?”

“State High; you know it’s just down the road.” I replied

He frowned at my response; “I go there as well.” How I could I have never noticed him before? I wondered to myself. “But I haven’t seen you around before… What grade are you in?”

I was still scanning my memories for this boy, but since I avoided people in general it was no surprise that I had no recollection of him and he had no memory of me either. “Grade 11.” I answered, “But I keep to myself a lot.”

“I have no idea why you would do that.” He said “You’re stunningly attractive and it seems like you aren’t lacking in social skills.”

I looked at him as if he was insane. “Umm… I have to go… But, do me a favour? Ask your friends about me. Then you’ll understand.”

I turned on my heel and walked away.

Thoughts of the kind boy with the striking emerald eyes never evaded me after that.