Black Cat

Black Cat-24

Baltos arm around my shoulder was comforting as he led me outside to the small circular peacegarden located in the middle of the school.

Because of the way that the school sort of looped it left this big open space in the middle, which as of two years ago had been dug up and turned into a functional peace garden where we grew flowers vegetables and other things used inside of school and for the community.

There was an area made of stone that was in the direct center. The soft grey rectangular stones were circled around a large willow tree that had been here for ages.

As we walked up to I caught a faint smile in Balto’s eyes. He led me over the large tree with its long dangling vine like branches.

He raised his free hand to run it through the yellow whips it made a soft whisper like sound as they passed over his hand. A warm breeze brushed up under the tree causing the leaves to dance in the wind as if the tree itself were waving to Balto.

“I remember when this tree was first planted, She used to tell such good stories.” He whispered looking up into the highest most of the tree.

Natalie cleared her throat, “Is he on drugs?” She snapped nudging me.

I looked at her and scoffed, “No he is not on drugs, you’re a nutter. Balto’s just very open.” I murmured to her nudging her back.

She smirked at me shaking her head her eyes glanced to his arm that was around my shoulders, if I knew better I would say she was jealous.

Natalie had never had a serious relationship before, partly because she had seen how badly mine had gone and she was never sure if a guy wanted to be with her just so he could sleep with her or if he really did care for her.

“How do you feel out here?” Balto whispered in my ear drawing my attention back to the present.

I looked up with him and got to see bright little flashes through the moving branches of the weeping willow tree. It made my breath catch, it was beautiful like a light show. The shadows danced with the white clouds that billowed in the sky sometimes parting to show a beautiful robin’s egg blue.

“It’s beautiful.” I whispered.

“Mhm.” Natalie agreed.

Balto turned me around so I could sit the little seat made from the large roots bending up and wrapping over themselves. The bark was soft and aged, it felt like old paper to me.

The minute I pressed my hand to the wood it was though the world opened up and I could hear the soft whisper of the breeze through the grass, the chime of the birds in the tree, and the rhythmic heartbeat of Natalie and Balto both thrumming in different times.

“Do you feel it Sybelle?” His breath was warm on my ear.

I nodded my head closing my eyes my hand sliding along the bark, with every shift of my hand something new came to me. The chips in the bark, along with the lines that were naturally made, it was like reading brail.

I could feel the ages as if they passed through me. This is what Balto had meant when he said she told the best stories.

I let out a heavy sigh lifting my hand from the bark and opening my eyes. The world dropped back down around me and everything settled in normally.

Natalie sat herself down on the left of me and Balto leaned back against the tree on the right of me. His hand reaching out for mine, his warm fingers lacing between my own warming my frigid hands. His thumb rubbed over my knuckles as he stared up into the canopy.

“I’ve never sat here before.” I whispered out in a light sigh.

“We should sit here more often it’s nice.” Natalie’s voice sounded heavy with lack of sleep.

Balto chuckled and nodded his head, crinkles appeared at the edges of his mouth when he smiled. His blue eyes turned to look at me and his smile grew wider.

“I’m glad that you find this relaxing.” His tone said he wanted to ask me something but he stopped himself short.

I had a feeling of what he was going to ask, “You want to know about Corey don’t you?” I whispered dropping my head forward.

Natalie stiffened next to me her lips pressing into a tight thin line, “Sybelle.” She hissed glancing at me.

“I would like to know about why he causes you such distress, and why Natalie is comparing myself to him.” He spoke in such regal tone that I couldn’t even be offended by anything he said.

I let out a heavy breath and looked over at Natalie, “He was my first Boyfriend.”

“No he was a bastard!” Natalie exploded punching the root between her legs, “Don’t sugar coat the truth Damnit. He was a bastard and he deserves a slow rotting death in hell.”

“What did he do to you Sybelle?” Balto asked his tone becoming tense.

I glanced at him and smiled, “He beat me, not anything bad enough to hospitalize. Just bruises. He was careful not to break anything or hit me places that people could see.” His hand tightened on mine and his eyes darkened.

“Why did he hit you?” He growled at me.

I looked away from him instead I looked forward out through the branches, “Because I couldn’t love him the way he wanted me to. I wasn’t enough for him, He wasn’t happy with himself or his life. He had a nice family, they were kind people and they thought the world of him.”

“He was a good actor; he treated you well enough in front of everybody. Nobody suspected a thing until summer came and you were still wearing jeans,  long sleeved shirts and scarves.” Natalie spoke in a low tone, “I should have seen it sooner, and looking back on it I see it. I could see it in his eyes when he looked at you, when he touched you.”

“I fell into that dangerous trap, that what he was doing was out of love. That there was something wrong with me. One day his mother came home early I had been over there to watch a movie with him, instead she caught him beating me. It was the first time I had seen her look so enraged. She slapped him so hard his lip split.”

“That bastard,” Balto snarled, “Why somebody would lay a hand on a woman like you.” He grumbled more to himself.

Still I shrugged my shoulders, “Some people don’t know anything else. He just didn’t see the love his Mother and Father had for him. Just a little boy crying for somebody to care enough to fill the hole of both parents and more.”

Balto leaned over grabbing the back of my head, his fingers tightening in my hair, he leaned forward and briskly kissed me. It stole my breath and made Natalie gasp, but it also dragged my mine away from the tainted memories.

My eyes caught on Balto’s and I smiled warmly, “I will never touch you like that. That is my promise.”

I rocked my forehead against his and grinned, Natalie’s stare was boring down on my back. She was shocked and not impressed with Balto. But I was happy again, I never wanted to let this feeling go. Such a potent drug.