The Blue Kite

The Boy Next Door

I stared into his eyes of ice blue, struggling not to fall too deep into the endless color and lose focus of the task at hand.

I just stared.

He starred back.

Then in just a few moments, his eyes slowly overflowing with the piling tears of his continuously opened eyes.

He suddenly blinked.

My heart sped up as I shouted, "You blinked! You blinked!"

His face turned from pure concentration to utter defeat.

We were both lying on the living room floor facing each other having the best starring contest ever!

Well it's only the best since I won.

"Best two outta three?" He asked, just before my answer got interrupted by my mom calling us for a snack.

"Boys? It's done!" Our faces brightened and we hopped up and raced to the kitchen down the hall.

Our noses instantly flooded with the irresistible smell of chocolate!

A whole plate of cookies just for us!

My mom only really made these kinds of things when my friends were over. Caden was my best friend and always will be. I already know it.

We're both 8 now and we've already been friends since we were 5! That's a long time! But I also know this because he's also my cousin. But it still counts.

***

We were both really good at frisbee. He was better though.

I was more uncoordinated.

We've already thrown it back and forth at least 6 times and haven't dropped it yet!

Until this last throw. The throw I wish had never been thrown.

We were in the front yard. I had just realized we hadn't messed up once and now was anxious for him to toss it back.

What if I missed?

The greenish flying disk came spinning towards me. My heart started racing and I didn't want to miss it for anything.

As it reached me, I put my hands up, eyes locked on it. But as I reached up to grab it, it tipped off my fingers, redirected and flew towards the backyard through the side of the house.

Caden wasn't upset though so that was good.

"I'll get it!" I exclaimed as I headed to the back. Caden stayed there.

As I got closer to the very rear of the house, I slowed down to a walk to make sure I didn't pass the disk that would be blended with the grass.

As I looked, I saw a shadow appear on the ground. I knew it wasn't mine.

I looked up.

The sky was a deep blue and the sun was out. I shielded my eyes with my arm before noticing something besides the sky that was also blue.

A different shade of blue. A very light and delicate color. It was flying yet floating.

It had a thin tail with bows on it. It wasn't very high so I could identify it as a kite.

I continued watching it. It's movements were mesmerizing and I didn't want to look away.

But then, snapping back into reality, I realized that someone had to have been controlling it on the other end.

I followed the tail with my eyes until it reached an endpoint. But the end point was still in the sky.

Since it wasn't anyone's, I could go get it when it dropped! Then me and Caden could play with it.