Selenophilia

Forty Three

Cleo saw Elise even before the girl saw him.

He made sure that she could not read his mind just for the sake that he could stare at her for a little while longer.

It sounds creepy and weird but he couldn't help it, damn it!

Despite the seething look on her face, a look that he seems to see as a soldier who never lost its fighting spirit or a star that never die, and the mud that covered her whole body, one that did not lessen the beauty she held, in fact, it made her bloom, Elise was still the only person that could make his heart skip a beat.

Elise was like a flower that never withered for him.

Slowly, like time had slowed down, her beautiful blue eyes that he could never describe other than breathtaking, the smile that she steadily formed on her dirty face, did wonders for his heart.

He doesn't know how he had fallen, to be honest.

But he had fallen hard and fast and he didn't regret any of it. Heck, he's even ecstatic to the point where he believes that he could jump all the way up to the moon in pure joy.

Once upon a time, he threw an acorn at this nice and perfect girl and he watched her as she threw it back at her brother with a huge, victorious smile plastered on her face that made him froze in his place. This girl didn't really get mad at Cleo for throwing it. No. To his surprise, Elise had started coming at the tree despite the weather, she would always bring the said acorn despite her family's displeasure.

Slowly, he watched her. Watched as she grew stronger, watched as she smiled, as she laughed, as she cried, as she interacted with her family. As she threw up flowers. Slowly, his chest began to feel tight. Slowly, he felt something towards her and only for her.

Cleo was young. He was only fourteen as Elise was twelve. Children like them were too young to feel this kind of warmth. But they were in a magical place filled with magical creatures who doesn't care about how young or old someone is. They hold onto their new-found affections because it's something that they deeply treasure.

And who cares about what he feels for her? It's his feelings.

And he doesn't care if she doesn't feel the same. All he wants to do is to protect her because she's precious. All he wants to do is to protect her smile because it holds his whole world. All he wants to do is to protect her laughter because it brings him his own joy.

All he want is to protect Elise with all his heart, strength and being because she holds his heart.

She holds it steady deep within her.

And as Elise was in front of him, hiding that beautiful smile as she fake grumbled, mud covering her from head to toe with the most beautiful eyes and smile, Cleo laughed softly.

He doesn't know why he laughed. He must have looked stupid and goofy.

Elise huffed but was finally showing a smile on her face. "I could hear you from miles away."

Cleo was taken aback by her words. "What do you mean?"

Elise looks at him with a little pout on her lips that always shows whenever things doesn't go her way or whenever she's reading, or thinking or frustrated. It always shows.

"I can hear you praising me like some idiot."

Oops. Guess his thoughts weren't hidden very well after all.

Cleo wasn't ashamed though.

He shrugged instead, wearing his usual grin. "Oh, yeah? You were meant to hear it. It's all for you after all."