PajewskiK1213

// I have always been a little different and when I say a little I mean a lot different. I don’t even look like the rest of my town—brown eyes, golden hair, and tan as can be—I’m nothing like that. Blue-green eyes, auburn hair, not pale but not tan. I guess I must have gotten it from my mother who I never knew because she left me with my father when I was born, the first and only child. But different can be good, right? And it all started because of a boy who was also different… // The sun was setting on a beautiful evening and I was heading to my favorite spot to draw; the beach on a bolder jutting out of the sand, almost over the water. Earlier that evening, my father had been nagging me on how I should spend more times with “those nice girls” down our street but he didn’t know that “those nice girls” were really the meanest people in the entire city. They could pretend to be your friend, manipulate you into doing their dirty work, and then throw you aside when you weren’t needed any longer. They aren’t just rumors, they are the truth and it happen every girl in the city at one point or another but not me because I was different. And also how I should start thinking of the courting season but that stuff never interested me like the other girls. I was so absorbed in all of this that I didn’t notice there was already a person on the rock reading a blue-covered book until I was about to climb it. “uhhh… Can I…join you?” The boy turned around and for a second you could have seen a flash of confusion on his face before it went expressionless again. “Sure.” He mumbled turning away, back to his book again. I held my sketchbook under my arm while I started to expertly climb the small mountain like I had done a thousand times and plopped down about half way to the top. I immediately started furiously scribbling in my sketchbook trying to catch the sun starting to set but before long the sun somehow bends behind the top of the bolder, blocked from my view. Working up my nerve I said, “Can I come to the top with you? I can’t see the sun for my drawing.” Once again I heard a mumble and assumed it as a yes and started climbing up the rock yet again until I reached the top, finding the boy had not moved an inch. I sat down at the edge with him and started sketching once again. “What are you doing?” asked the boy, sounding sour. I looked up realizing that the sourness was just curiosity and was shocked by the steel eyes staring back at me. “I’m just drawing the sun set…Want to see?” Did I really just offer my work to some stranger’s critique? “I’m not quite finished yet. I have been working on it for a few days now all while it sets in front of me.” “…Wow, that’s amazing…what is your name?” with an expression as blank as a fresh sheet of paper but still looking with that unwavering stare. “I’m Abiline. What’s your name?” “I’m Jason…” I have hid my emotions well over the years so covering my shock that I was talking with //the// //Prince// wasn’t hard but the decision is what to do next was. “I am so sorry my lord. I did not mean to intrude on your space. I’ll go— “No it is fine. I wouldn’t want to be the cause of you finishing your work.” // Crap! Why didn’t I notice when he first looked at me! Oh yah I was staring off into his eyes… // I’d just noticed that the Prince had jet-black hair, a sharp contrast to his pale skin that identical to mine. He was taller than me and wore all black except a deep blue sweater that matched the blue streak in side-swept hair. After further inspection, I saw both a ear pricing and a small tattoo of a dove. //That’s interesting; I thought I was the only one in this town with a tattoo. I wonder where he got it…// The Prince interrupted my thoughts when he said, “…do you draw a lot?” //Holy crap// the Prince //is talking to me and is interested in my work. “//Uh yah. Do you want to see some…” The next drawing Jason saw was one of Abiline’s best. It was of a beautiful rose and it looked almost real, coming off the paper. Abiline showed him more and out of the corner of her eye, she saw an amazed look in his eyes though his expression didn’t change. // “… // Do you want to become an artist when you grow up because those are amazing. You could sell those now and make a business from it.” “Thanks. That means a lot coming from someone else.” //Do I add// my lord //to that?// “I actually haven’t thought of trying to sell my art. I don’t know if anyone would ever buy it.” “Of course people would buy it. That is amazing!” “What are you reading, if you don’t mind me asking.” //I am allowed to ask him that?// “//Crazy Dangerous.// Have you read it?” He seamed relaxed now that the introductions were over. “Yah, I really liked it. I really like books with action and a touch of romance. I guess that’s natural for being a girl.”*Giggle* //Did I really just say that? And did I just giggle?// // “ // Yah me too//.// Do you come here a lot? The beach I mean.” “Yah I like drawing the flowers and nature stuff that grow along the sand and I like sitting there just to think too.” //Am I making friends with the Prince?// “Me too! The thinking part at least. I can’t draw very well but I like reading and I am also learning advanced Sorcery.” The look in his eyes changed, like he wished he could have not said the last word but I wasn’t about to end our chat because he thought sorcery was nerdy. “Really? That’s really cool I’ve always wanted to learn Sorcery and magic stuff but not many people actually study it anymore.” //This guy isn’t half bad and he’s fun to talk to not like many people I know with no brains—// And at that moment, they heard a yell and looked around to see who interrupted their conversation. “Prince Jason!” It was a guard in a whole suit and armor running towards them. “Prince Jason! King Tun is calling for you! We have been searching everywhere for you!” “Are you going to be here tomorrow?” He said quickly. “Yah, meet here same time tomorrow and—” “I do not want to keep King Tun waiting!” said the out of breath guard. But before Jason could say another word, I said, “It’s fine. You should really go,” and I promptly stood up and started to climb down. “I’ll see you tomorrow then.” And I jumped off the rock when I was only half way down but landed with as much grace as a cat, like always. I smiled and waved and started walking off towards the road. I didn’t realize until I got home that I had been smiling the whole time as I was walking through the city. //The Prince is not half bad. Just because no one looks like him doesn’t make him a bad person. I don’t see why people call him weird and the god of evil.// I went to bed that night thinking about my encounter with the God of Mischief and his hard, steel eyes. Before our friendship past the first month, I already considered the prince as my best friend and he did the same for me. Those meetings became part of my daily routine and before long five months had come and gone. We would talk, test each other’s knowledge, and sometimes just sit in silence reading and drawing but we always avoided the subject of our families. I would tease him about the extensiveness of his studies and he would tease about how artists always become hermits. One morning, Father said we would be going somewhere special and I changed into one of my nicer dresses but didn’t tell me where we were going until we stepped out of the carriage. I’d never been inside the castle, but he guards led us straight to the Main Hall where I met King Tun. I was in awe and so nervous that my hands were shaking but the King excused me and said there was some business that my father and him needed to talk about. I was led to a room with every wall as a window and I sat there looking out at everything until my father entered with the King behind him. Father seamed a little bit dazed but happy. “You father is now working in the castle as the head of any and all medical problems.” Said the King. “And you now will be living in the castle so he closer to his work. You will have a private tutor of every main subject since you will not be going to a school. Do you have any special studies you’d like to pursue?” I was still shocked from the initial surprise but I realized this could be where I could learn things I never would in the city. “I would like to try and pursue a Magical Study, if that is possible, my lord,” I said trying to keep my voice steady but never looking up. “I believe that can be arranged. You can start tomorrow so you have time to become situated in the castle first.” And the King nodded towards to Father and held the wooden door open for us to exit. // We are // living //in the// castle //now! This is going to be awesome!// “Please excuse me.” I walked out the front doors but sprinted all the way to the beach, which was much closer to the castle from my old home, and raced to the rock where I laid down at the top, soaking the past events in. I thought nothing could make my mood fall and nothing did for good hour of resting. “Abiline? Is that you up there?” I heard a familiar voice from below. “I thought you stood me up today when you didn’t meet me at the edge of the road.” He added with a smile. “Can I talk with you about something?” “Sure. Talk away.” Sitting up and making space for Jason to look out at the ocean with me. “My father just informed me that I have to tutor some person in Sorcery who is going to move into the castle. I bet they are just some snotty kid just taking it to because they thought it was the easiest study. Tell me you don’t think that’s dumb.” I went rigid. //That has to be someone else.// “Do you know who it is?” I said trying to sound casual. “It’s the new doctor that we are getting’s kid. I don’t know their exact name but it is all stupid.” I sucked in a sharp breath. “I have to go.” I said, standing up, not hiding the hardness in my words. “Where are you going? I just got here.” Jason stood up but I was already in action. I jumped right off the top of the rock to the sand but landed just as skilled as an acrobat and started off with a fast paced walk. //Screw him. I don’t need anyone for anything.// But while I was absorbed in those thoughts, I didn’t realize Jason was sprinting to catch up with me. “Hey no ‘bye’ or reason? Where are you going? Hey, answer me!” I sensed Jason was getting madder by the minute but he couldn’t reach the rage I was feeling towards him. “Oh! I’m sorry your majesty, you want to talk to me? Why is that? Are you in need of service?” I snapped, my temper already past boiling point but I didn’t slow my pace. I stopped, spinning on my heel to face him with narrowed eyes. “Why are you in need of the new doctor kid who picked up sorcery because I thought it was the easiest study?” I screamed in his angry face using air quotes the whole time. “Oh! Has it finally dawned on you? Who your new student IS!” I tried to run off again but he grabbed my arm and I stopped dead, tense but wondering through the red what he would say. “I am sorry.” He said in a low voice, one only meant for me to hear, though it was through clenched teeth. I felt a fluttering in my stomach when I heard those words. “I did not mean for my words to offend you. I did not know.” He looked me in the eyes with that unwavering stare, not letting go of my arm as if he was afraid I would try and run off if he’d let go. “Adiline, Do you accept my apologies?” This was the first time I’d ever heard those word said from Jason to anyone and stared right into his eyes with a new softness and voiced my surprised. “I’ve never heard you apologize to anyone before…” His anger melted away at the sound of those words and he stepped closer to me. “They are used only on people who I care about.” I suddenly realized how close we were to each other, faces inches away, and that he was still holding my arm with the same strong grip but softer now. For a long moment we just stood there, staring at one another as the sun was setting. Then the next thing I knew, he was kissing me. There wasn’t a forced feeling behind it; it was just a soft and gentle, the perfect first kiss. We broke apart after what seamed like a lifetime and just stared at one another, wondering what would happen next. Jason started to let go of my arm and I saw his cheeks turn red while he tried to turn away but I caught his hand and he turned back towards me. I smiled, a sweet and everlasting smile at him and he returned with a smile of someone who’d just won the world. I hugged him and he hugged me back but we kept holding each other’s hand with a tightness like we would never let go.