The Destined Protector (The Chronicles of Mistar - Book 1)

Three · · · Tapalla

The Deadwood and Mayno, Gazar

HIDDEN IN THE BACK OF HER SMALL CLOSET, Tapalla Monae flipped through her book. It bore all the pictures of her friends and family on Lotna. The friends and family she would most likely never see again. Tapalla rubbed her thumb over the picture of her once best friend, Jadon.

Jadon was small in the picture. He was about five births at the time and looked almost exactly the same until Tapalla left for Gazar. It had been such a long time since they saw each other Tapalla was surprised that she still remembered what he looked like until she found his picture.

In the picture, Jadon had his dark purple arm over Tapalla's shoulders. One of his warm brown eyes speckled with golden flakes was covered by his bright blonde hair. Tapalla had forgotten how long his hair had been. She wished that she could see Jadon now. In the flesh. She wanted to see how tall he had gotten and how different his personality was. Most of all, Tapalla wanted to see if he still remembered her.

Jadon was exactly one year older than Tapalla. Literally, he would become eighteen births old on the same exact day as Tapalla's birthday. When they were younger they liked to call each other birthday buddies. Tapalla laughed at the thought of Monta getting jealous over the fact that she had more than one birthday partner. And that meant any partner that wasn't him.

When Tapalla's laughing stopped, a tear fell down her cheek. She was alone and wishing her old friend would come back. What about her new friends? What about Chaka and Raypha? What about Ralli? What about Monta?

She would do anything to go back to Lotna, but what would she be missing on Gazar? Tapalla couldn't leave her new friends with an emphasis on new. She had old friends too, though. What about them?

Crying sparkling blue tears, Tapalla's head fell and her forehead landed on the cool picture. She wanted to go back. She needed to go back to Lotna.

···

Tapalla woke up in her closet. In her hand, with its corner bent, was the picture of Jadon and herself. She was covered in an elckon wool blanket sewn with little fragments of potu cotton and constant metal. It was her favorite blanket. Someone must have seen her sleeping and draped it over her.

Mom, she thought.

Taking it off, Tapalla got up and hid her picture under the pile of books in the corner of her room, which she didn't know why she had since she wasn't a big reader. She picked out an elckon wool skirt, that was nice breezy since it was Solstice, and a sweater that was imported from Malonda and made from potu cotton. The sweater's white fabric matched her gray, white, and brown wrap-a-round skirt.

She walked downstairs and said, "Thank you, mom."

"What for?" Meela asked as she cut up maron root like always. It was part of her morning routine.

"For putting my favorite blanket on top of me last night so I wouldn't get cold," said Tapalla. She took a maron root from the counter and put the end of it in her mouth.

Meela shook her head. "That wasn't me, sweety."

"Then who? Pala?"

Meela shook her head and gave her 'the look'. Instantly, a lightbulb went off in Tapalla's head.

"Charmer?" she asked and Meela answered with a nod.

"Yup," said her mother. "He came here last night to see if you wanted to watch the late game of mothball in the city, but you were already sleeping and he didn't want to wake you. It was adorable."

Tapalla's eyebrow shot up like she had seen Monta do so many times. "What was so adorable?"

Meela sighed. "I watched him drape the blanket over you and hesitate before he left. Then he sat down at your desk and wrote a quick note. He put it in your hand and then bent down and kissed your forehead. Monta left soon after. I promise I won't tell your father."

Instinctively, Tapalla put a hand to her forehead. Her face felt warm and she was sure it had turned red with embarrassment.

"Where's the note?" snapped Tapalla. "It wasn't in my hand this morning, though it could be hidden under my blanket."

"I have it," Meela said with a sly smile.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted to read it. Here." Meela opened one of the counter's hidden drawers, which held rows of eating utensils and pulled out a small piece of paper. She then handed the note to her daughter.

Tapalla carefully took the note and opened it. It read:

Dear Tapa,

I know this is weird. Me. Writing you. A letter.

Ugh!

Why is this so hard!

I think I'm just going to start over, okay?

I came to see if you wanted to come and watch a mothball game with me. Just us. Together. Alone. Wait! That was creepy! I wish I could erase that, but unfortunately, I'm writing with a black pen. Yay me!

I was going to ask you, but I saw you sleeping so I decided to write this letter to tell you I was going to ask so you didn't feel left out. Ray and Chaka asked me so I'll be going with them now. They wanted to make sure I wasn't lonely without you.

Well, I'll miss you. I mean I'll miss seeing you tonight.

Personally, I wish we could spend more time together. I thought this would be a great idea. Before I came to your house, Ray elbowed me and said, "Double date!"

I told him to stop...

You know what, I feel like I should just pour out all my feelings into this very note. But then it would get too long, even though it is already long (scratches back of neck and is very confused).

But I'm not going to do that, because like I said. This note is long and it was supposed to be short.

Well, as you can see I'm not very good at this. I feel like one of those people in class who pass around notes. Let me just say, I'll never do it again. I think it's weird. So then, why am I writing this very long note which was meant to be short? I have no idea.

Here I go off rambling. Sorry, I ramble when I'm nervous, which is any time I'm with you...
I just wanted to let you know. See ya tomorrow! ;) (My impression of a winky face!)

Love ya like a friend,
Charmer (It's Monta by the way!)

Tapalla folded the note and put it in her pocket.

Meela looked up at her daughter. A smile was on her face making her eyes squint.

"Did you actually read it?" Tapalla asked.

"Yes," said Meela handing Tapalla piece of maron root. "I think someone has a crush on you."

Tapalla shook her head too quickly. "No. At the end he said, 'Love ya like a friend.' That doesn't mean crush."

"I'm not so sure, Tapa," Meela said eyeing her daughter. "There was some other stuff in there that said crush. Plus, your face is beet red now."

Tapalla turned away, trying to hide her face. "Ugh! Mom! You're making me blush!"

Meela shook her head. "I'm not. Monta is."

Meela took all the maron root and put them in a satchel. She hung by the door for anyone to grab. "I'm going to the market," she said, sliding into her elckon coat.

Meela left with another satchel and Tapalla was left alone in the house.