It's All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses Their Mind
Didn't It All Seem New and Exciting
“I’ll never forget the day I met him…” I said with a sigh. I couldn’t believe I was recounting this story, finally allowing myself to retrace our steps. Initially I had flinched away, knowing it would hurt to remember, but now I was hopeful. Perhaps telling the story would help me to heal after all these years.
The tavern was cold, but nothing compared to the chilly air outside. A frost had already settled on the grass but the fire was burning strong in the corner and that’s where we were. As the night had progressed, me and the other single and young adults had made friends and claimed the rounded table in the corner as our drinking spot.
He had been dragged over to us by one of his friends who was interested in an exuberant blonde who was drinking more ale than most of the men. After squeezing onto the stool next to me he flicked me a brief acknowledging smile, tight-lipped and awkward, but I caught a glimpse of light in him. The way his cheeks rose into cute circles and the spirit that flickered in his blue eyes made me interested in him. Once his friend had well and truly forgotten about him, I asked the dark-haired man how he was.
Hours later we were kicked out of the tavern as the barmaids needed to close and clean up. I finished my drink and took his hand, grabbing my jacket and hat before leading him outside. We headed through the woods, straying from paths and stumbling in the dark. He eventually halted me, spinning me around to face him.
“Where are you going?” he asked me, joyous laughter filling the air.
“Did you want to go on an adventure?” I proposed while running my fingers across his. He tilted his head slightly, grinning a toothless smile as he considered his answer.
Wanting to convince him, I stepped forwards and lifted the hat from my head, allowing me enough room to close the distance between us. His lips lingered afterwards, trying to catch another kiss but I was insistent about pulling away. With a grin, I threw my hat aside while trying to gauge his interest in me. He appeared to be quite content with my motion to kiss him and he tightened his grasp on my hand.
Then he became distracted. He turned his head towards the sound of spinning and squinted to try to locate the source in the dark. My hat was whirling faster and faster, and purple smog was spilling out as the portal opened. He stared on, baffled by what he was seeing.
“So, did you want to go on an adventure?” I repeated, twirling my messy braid in my free hand. I was looking up at him from beneath my lashes, doing my best to lure the man to come with me, and he met my gaze with a grin.
“I’d love to,” he agreed with a nod. A huge smile broke across my face and I guided him forwards, jumping together.
I paused, deciding it was best to skip the details of the night we had spent together. The land we had travelled to was fortunately full of sunshine, a pleasant surprise from the winter night he had expected to share, but I had still welcomed his warmth.
“What was his name?” she asked me, snapping me out of my daze. I looked to my lap, clutching my hands together as I prepared myself to speak a word I hadn’t uttered for years.
“Jefferson,” I answered while tensing. I then felt myself relaxing as I exhaled and I realised that I had made the right choice to finally answer her questions. I had to continue and tell her the entire story. “His name was Jefferson.”
The tavern was cold, but nothing compared to the chilly air outside. A frost had already settled on the grass but the fire was burning strong in the corner and that’s where we were. As the night had progressed, me and the other single and young adults had made friends and claimed the rounded table in the corner as our drinking spot.
He had been dragged over to us by one of his friends who was interested in an exuberant blonde who was drinking more ale than most of the men. After squeezing onto the stool next to me he flicked me a brief acknowledging smile, tight-lipped and awkward, but I caught a glimpse of light in him. The way his cheeks rose into cute circles and the spirit that flickered in his blue eyes made me interested in him. Once his friend had well and truly forgotten about him, I asked the dark-haired man how he was.
Hours later we were kicked out of the tavern as the barmaids needed to close and clean up. I finished my drink and took his hand, grabbing my jacket and hat before leading him outside. We headed through the woods, straying from paths and stumbling in the dark. He eventually halted me, spinning me around to face him.
“Where are you going?” he asked me, joyous laughter filling the air.
“Did you want to go on an adventure?” I proposed while running my fingers across his. He tilted his head slightly, grinning a toothless smile as he considered his answer.
Wanting to convince him, I stepped forwards and lifted the hat from my head, allowing me enough room to close the distance between us. His lips lingered afterwards, trying to catch another kiss but I was insistent about pulling away. With a grin, I threw my hat aside while trying to gauge his interest in me. He appeared to be quite content with my motion to kiss him and he tightened his grasp on my hand.
Then he became distracted. He turned his head towards the sound of spinning and squinted to try to locate the source in the dark. My hat was whirling faster and faster, and purple smog was spilling out as the portal opened. He stared on, baffled by what he was seeing.
“So, did you want to go on an adventure?” I repeated, twirling my messy braid in my free hand. I was looking up at him from beneath my lashes, doing my best to lure the man to come with me, and he met my gaze with a grin.
“I’d love to,” he agreed with a nod. A huge smile broke across my face and I guided him forwards, jumping together.
I paused, deciding it was best to skip the details of the night we had spent together. The land we had travelled to was fortunately full of sunshine, a pleasant surprise from the winter night he had expected to share, but I had still welcomed his warmth.
“What was his name?” she asked me, snapping me out of my daze. I looked to my lap, clutching my hands together as I prepared myself to speak a word I hadn’t uttered for years.
“Jefferson,” I answered while tensing. I then felt myself relaxing as I exhaled and I realised that I had made the right choice to finally answer her questions. I had to continue and tell her the entire story. “His name was Jefferson.”