Almost Easy

Jimmy stands in his sisters' backyard, his hands shoved into his pockets. Marina lives on the outskirts of town in a small, two bedroom farm house. It sits on ten acres of land, the nearest neighbor living half a mile down the road. A small section of the property is fenced off with old wood, serving as a very large back yard. The land is beautiful, there's no doubt about that, but what he doesn't like is that his sister secludes herself like this. It isn't safe.

The air out there is crisper then in town, the sky somehow brighter. A soft breeze blows through the grass, rustling the plants she has strategically placed in the ground. He looks all around him, taking the rows upon rows of bright, beautiful flowers. It's like a wonderland back here, the detail is so surreal.

With sluggish steps, he walks down the dirt path that has been guided with large rocks. It's shaded by various trees, protecting the delicate plants muddled together underneath them. A wood bench with a metal frame rests under a huge oak tree, the path to it bare of any guiding rocks. Jimmy turns off of the path, going up to the dark bench.

Jimmy sits on it carefully, testing it just in case it decides to break. When it's deemed as secure, he allows his full weight to be placed on it, stretching his legs out in front of him. His bright eyes scan the incredible garden, taking time to notice every decoration. In one patch of purple and blue flowers is a large stone snail, a brightly colored bird house hanging from the branch of a tall tree looming over it. Yellows, greens, and oranges light the path to clear hummingbirds on sticks-the ones that light us at night.

Just the calming atmosphere soothes Jimmy's mind immensely, allowing him to actually breathe. He can't remember a time when he's felt more at ease, almost worry-free in the chaotic world that has been placed before him. Oh yeah, he can see now why Marina spent so much time building this place up. Being in the job she's in, a little relaxation is severely needed.

What was he going to do? Marina isn't going to come back for a long time, if ever again, and her garden is going to wilt. Jimmy couldn't let that happen to his sisters' sacred place, but he knew next to nothing about gardening. Obviously, plants need water, but how much for how long and how often was a total mystery to him. Flowers need more care then trees, right?

He lets out a loud sigh, rubbing a hand over his face. The only way he'd be able to pull off keeping a thousand plants alive is if he got help. There was only one person he knew who was good enough to do that.

~\~\~\~\

Marina closed the book in her hands, the last line still lingering in her mind. In two days she managed to kill a six-hundred page book like it was nothing, and now she didn't know what to do with herself. Read another book? Walk around the hallways until someone asks her what the hell she's doing?

Her next appointment with Rachael is in about an hour, meaning she had time to seek out the sequel to the book she just finished and at least start it. Then, after her unloading on a random stranger to satisfy the state, she could come back and read more of the book before dinner came around. Happy with her game plan, she was just about to stand up from her seat before a person sat next to her.

Unable to help herself, Marina froze. She wanted to shrink and become invisible, hide inside of herself to avoid the eye of the ones around her, but she knew it'd never work. With a held back frustrated sigh, Marina raised her eyes to see who decided to bug her today. Who sat diagonal to her, though, shocker her entirely.

The gorgeous mystery boy sat there, one leg under his butt, his head cocked to the side. His lips were parted slightly, an observant look on his face. For a while, she didn't say anything, just watched his face as he watched hers. In that time, she observed his outfit choice: a black tee shirt with ripped jeans.

This man is incredibly good-looking, his eyes even brighter up close. Marina was anxious to hear his voice, to grip his pretty little mind. She knows that's probably a bad idea, but the want to do it is so strong. Those hours spent in discipline shouldn't go to waste.

“My name's Brian,” He finally says, his voice full and sure, “You're familiar.”

“I'm.. Marina,” She tells him, startled.

“It's the eyes. I've seen them so many times before. And the hair... You look a lot like a friend of mine,” Brian informs the woman, staring her in the eyes.

“I get that a lot. I've decided it's because blue eyes and blond hair is very stereotypical in females that live in California, but I've been blessed with the natural looks everyone desires,” Marina tells him, a small smile on her lips.

He smiles too, full and bright. It's even more beautiful then anything she could have ever imagined, and she longs to just touch him. She allows her smile to widen as he chuckles, shaking his head slightly at her.

“That's not what I meant. But, if we're talking about that, I'd have to say that you're more beautiful then any other stereotypical Californian woman I have ever seen,” The charm causes a blush to form on her cheeks.

“Oh... Thank you very much,” She smiles, “Obviously your charm has a reason. What are you trying to find out?” She asks, almost pushing into his brain.

No. She tells herself, Not yet. He's not ready. The information has yet to be refused.

“What a smart, beautiful woman. That's very rare to come by. I just... Where are you from?” He asks, his face suddenly becoming serious.

“Oh... I'm from Vacaville,” She tells him cautiously, deciding there was no harm in letting him know.

“So am I, actually. Maybe that's why I feel like I know you,” He informs her, standing up from his seat.

Before Marina can say anything else, Brian is walking away. His long legs allow him to leave the room quickly. She's left shocked and confused, racking her brain for any memory of him. There isn't one left in her mind, not a trace of who he is anywhere. The woman is sure she'd remember a man as amazing looking as he is.

Maybe they were in classes together? Science, math, English, history-Provided that they are the same age. Okay, so maybe not English or history, or... any class? They could have sat together once at lunch, he could have seen her in a rally, or at a football game. There were so many possibilities, and yet she was drawing a blank every time.

“Miss Sullivan?” An orderly calls her, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Are you ready to see Doctor Keantly?”

“Oh... Yes. Just a moment, please,” Marina responds, standing up.

She takes her book back to the shelf, placing it in the same area she found it in. Her hands linger for a few moments as she takes a few deep breaths, trying to soothe her racing mind. She wishes she could be back home in her garden where she was safe.

Smoothing the front of her shirt with slightly shaking hands, Marina turns to face the orderly. She offers the older woman a shy smile, walking over to her. The women smiles back, turning to lead her to the familiar room.