A Heart For Two

01 | of sunshines & smiles

A H F T

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

0 1

of sunshine & smiles

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

flora castillo ivers

I WAS COMPLETELY enraptured by her presence.

Highlighted by the sun peeking through the tiny forest of trees in the park, she stood surrounded by small figures jumping up and down in excitement. Her eyes lit up in pure adoration for the kids in front of her, and as I watched her playfully toss each one into the air, catching them swiftly in her arms from the flight, I couldn't help my curiosity.

I listened as her laugh echoed through the park, weaving through the distant leaves of trees and park benches. It was rich and full, and any person walking by could tell how genuinely she meant it. I had just witnessed love in its purest form, and I was in awe.

Without thinking, I pushed myself up from my spot near the park's favorite willow tree and made my way towards the playground. My converse squeaked against the freshly watered grass, and I had no clue as to what I was doing, but I could feel my heart pick up its pace as I closed the distance.

"I-"

I stopped short, looking around at the now empty area, and frowned.

Where did she go?

▬▬▬▬▬

AS I GATHERED my belongings in the basket of my bike, I made a mental note to call home and let them know where I was. It was close to four in the afternoon, and the park was beginning to fill with families settling in for one of the movie screening events. It was the middle of spring, and the residents of Everett, Washington were enjoying the mild temperatures and sunny days before they disappeared the next day.

I hopped on my bike and began pedaling to one of my favorite book shops when I found myself thinking about earlier.

Who was she?

I'd never once seen the girl, despite my frequent trips to the park, and I was beginning to wonder if I ever would again.

I sighed, realizing I'd arrived at the shop, and set my bike against one of the stalls in the bike rack up front. I entered the shop with a small smile and took in the smell of books and coffee.  Though I hated the taste, I absolutely loved the smell of freshly brewed coffee mixed in with the crisp pages of books.

Shelves upon shelves lined themselves up all throughout the store, filled with books of various genres and styles. The aroma of coffee lingered in the air as customers browsed through the selections in search of the perfect book. Some appeared eager while others seemed a bit more calm and selective of their choosing.

I found my way towards the back corner, swiftly maneuvering through the shelves — a skill I had obtained through my many visits here. My eyes roamed the titles in a careful manner, my hands pulling one out every few books. Though I spent a lot of my time here, I never found myself bored. Each spine was unique, holding together pages of a story that I'd possibly read at a later time.

After choosing between three books, I walked over to the cashier and paid. I could feel my excitement building up as I rode home, hoping to share my discoveries with my family. We were a family of avid readers and so we found it interesting to indulge in these stories together.

I glanced at the time on my watch and hurried to make it home before six o' clock. The landscape of the trees and houses blurred together as I picked up the pace. The sun was still shining over the valley, and I found myself thankful for the extra hours of light. Hues of blue, green, and yellow came down through iridescent rays and for a moment, it was just me and my bike.

A voice shouting over the rush of traffic burst me out of my bubble. I kept going but at a slower pace, keeping an eye out for the voice until I caught sight of her. There she was, once again surrounded by the ensemble of young kids in the yard of one of the houses.

Had I known how important she would soon become, I would have stopped. But instead, I kept pedaling, the voice of a beautiful girl replaying over and over again in my mind.

▬▬▬▬▬

17 march 2021

cont.