The World Beyond Me.

Adelaide didn’t know what to do. The bracelet sat on her hand like a butterfly perching on the petal of a daffodil. She didn’t even know where to look. The quiet between them seemed to go on forever and ever. The boy didn’t step back from her, or make another comment on her articulate voice after she’d said thank you, he just stayed.

“Want some help getting it on?”

Adelaide was shaken from her daydreams. She looked the boy straight in his green eyes clouded by that dark mop of hair still hidden with a grey beanie hat. For the first time in a little while, Adelaide smiled without faking it.

“Yes, please.” She proffered her slender wrist.

He gently clasped the bracelet around her arm and smiled triumphantly when it hung from her joint elegantly. It was then that Adelaide truly noticed the beauty of the man who’d allowed his hands to rest at his sides once more.

His hair was lighter when the sunshine landed upon it, sweeping back from his face and accentuating his green eyes as layers of it tussled down to his shoulders. A goatee hung from his chin in bristle black curls and jiggled when he spoke. His smile was almost classed as a smirk. Tattoos were heavily inked upon the skin of his arms, not yet touching his fingers though. But there was some scripture on his chest, from collar-bone to collar-bone.

“What’s your name, pretty girl?” The lad’s smile widened.

“You already know it,” Adelaide giggled, her hair falling into her face.

He rolled his eyes. “That’s just what I assumed to be your name. What is it?”

“Adelaide. Well, Bahari really, but I’m meant to be known as Adelaide.”

She didn’t know why she was telling him this. She didn’t know why she was letting him know about her family’s secret. Something about this guy was enticing her further from her comfort zones, helping to find the old Bahari, the one that would run up and hug anyone in sight, not caring if she knew them or not.

“I like Bahari better. It’s unique.” He smiled at her.

“What’s your name then? Or am I to call you Beanie?” Adelaide laughed. He laughed too.

“Call me whatever you fancy, sugar. But the name’s Jesse.” He extended a hand towards her.

Adelaide shook it. “Lovely to meet you.”

Jesse brought her slender hand up to his lips, the cool metal caressing her skin as he laid a bristly, sweet kiss against it. A shiver cascaded down her spine slowly. His green eyes lifted from her fingers with a smirk still pressed against her flesh. She couldn’t help but shiver.

Suddenly, Jesse straightened up and tilted his head curiously to the left. A self-conscious blush spread across those cheeks with freckles hidden by make-up. Her long brown hair was covering something she didn’t want people to see, especially not her step-mother. His hand reached out and brushed some hair from her cheek and over her ear.

“Is that what I think it is?”

Ashamed, Adelaide looked down at her dolly-shoes and sighed loudly. Her hair fell into her face as she studied the cracks in the pavement with the precision of hawk hunting down its prey from the clouds. Jesse’s touch was heaven to her, but she wasn’t going to admit it, nor was she going to admit to having a piercing, either.

“Oh, Bahari’s a naughty little rebel.” Jesse grinned and traced the stretcher.

“I had it done back in Wales,” she explained, embarrassed.

“ADELAIDE!”

Both heads shot upwards. Dale was storming down the pavement with his eyes fixated with an angry glare on both the teens. Adelaide, scared out of her wits, shoved her hair back over her ears and stepped away from Jesse.

“Hi, Dale,” she said breathlessly.

“Who’s this?” Dale sneered, ignoring his sister’s greeting.

Dark, stormy blue eyes glowered up and down Jesse’s tall frame slowly. Jesse’s green eyes followed suit, his nose cringing at the preppy look on the boy. It was clearly a mutual hatred between the two of them from the word go.

Adelaide stepped between them.

“Jesse. He found my bracelet for me.”

“More like stole it,” Dale retaliated, shoving his sister aside.

Jesse was an inch or so taller than Dale, so when they stood chest to chest, accentuating their muscles, it was clear who would win the fight. Both males gritted their teeth harshly. Jesse was raring for a fight, his fingers twitching in their ball-like fists. Dale was wary, his muscles relaxing slowly.

“Why the hell would I do that? Chivalry hasn’t died y’know.”

“Well it doesn’t come with beards ink, does it?” Dale spat.

Adelaide shoved her brother back with all her strength. He stumbled backwards with shock, touching his chest where her small fingers had dented. He glared for a long moment at his younger sibling, growling loudly – like an animal.

“Is that really the choice you want to make?” Dale narrowed his eyes.

Adelaide frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You want to push me away, rather than Iggy Pop, here?” He motioned a lazy hand.

Rolling his eyes, Jesse snapped: “She’s just stopping a fight, bud.”

“Stay out of this!” Dale’s eyes were squeezed shut.

Out of nowhere, he grabbed Adelaide’s small wrist in a bone-crushingly tight grasp. He gripped so hard that the poor girl cried out in pain – eyes watering. Dale tugged hard on her arm, not caring if he dislocated her shoulder or not.

“You’re hurting her!” Jesse yelled, trying to get his hand off her.

“I told you to stay out of this!” Dale screamed, pushing Adelaide ahead of him.

She tripped and scuffed her knees on the concrete floor beneath her feet. Her hands were dotted with pieces of stone and brazen from the contact. On her hands and knees she stayed for a moment or two, processing everything that had just happened. Slowly, she sat back on her calves and brushed herself down.

“Thanks for helping, Jesse,” she said quietly, turning only to give him a brave smile.

Dale had turned around now and was walking towards her to pull her from the rubble of her fall. He grabbed her bicep and frog-marched her down the road whilst Jesse stood and stared. His green eyes felt sore and battered by the scene that had played out before him.

Adelaide turned her head to her shoulder and winked at him. Jesse grinned and waved in return, blowing a cheeky kiss that made her cheeks heat up.

He watched for a long time, following her bleeding legs as they disappeared towards the cul-de-sac. She stumbled every once in a while when he tugged harder on her arm to make her walk faster – causing Jesse to wince.

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a crumpled box, still with the plastic hugging the bottom half. He calmly flicked open the lid, pulled out a long stick of tobacco and rested it between his lips. Tossing the empty box into the hedge beside him, Jesse lit the cigarette and took a long drag.

It had definitely been an interesting day.