Ever since my mother left a year and a half ago, my father had become a dark force in my life. He would drink, yell, drink some more, stumble about, slur, then pass out.
My home, once a sanctuary, had become a mausoleum, layered with my weeping heart and his terrifying rage. My favorite part of the day was going to the park, always in the evening, because that was the time of day she would be there.
Amelia. The thought of her face calmed my terror. She was sweet and innocent, her smile always warmed my sadness. Though I could tell she was sad too.
My father said bad things about her and her mother, but I didn’t want to believe it. She was a light in my life, onewhich I coddled delicately like a precious hummingbird, easily frightened away.
Once I made it to the park, I immediately spotted her hair, almost golden, amongst the setting sun. I’ve seen her around school, though we hadn’t spoken much except for a few moments, but I enjoyed watching her.
She was a butterfly, and I yearned to catch her, to bring her close and inhale her captivating beauty.
Amelia sat on the swing, its chains groaning slowly. Her feet were scraping the ground as she rocked back and forth. Possessed a sudden need for companionship, I wandered towards her.
Hesitantly, I approached the rusty swing set, creaking a symphony of my anxious heartbeat. The setting sun painted the park in hues of orange and purple, casting long shadows that danced around us.
"Hi," I managed, my voice barely a whisper, swallowed by the evening's hush. She looked up, her golden hair catching the last rays of light, and a hesitant smile touched her lips.
"Hello," she began, her eyes curious, "I know you from school, right?"
My eyes swallowed hers. “Yeah, we met before. I’m Caiden.”
I sat on the swing beside her, matching her slow rhythm.
We talked for what felt like hours, the swing set our silent witness. She spoke of her mother, her voice laced with a sadness that mirrored my own, a shared secret whispered on the twilight breeze.
I didn’t dare to speak about my father. So, I let her take the lead.
For a while, the world shrank to just the two of us, bathed in the fading light, the sounds of the town a distant hum.
At school, I felt as if I were an outcast floating in the breeze. But with her, she swam alongside me, a friendly softness nestled in her gaze.
She was like me, yet different.
“What’s your favorite thing about the park?” Amelia asked, her voice light, yet tinged with a hint of melancholy.
I thought for a moment. “I like the swings,” I replied, swinging gently. “It feels like flying...like I can escape for a little while.”
She nodded, understanding flickering in her eyes. “I like the trees,” she said, pointing to the tall, green giants surrounding us. “They’re like guardians, watching over everything. They make me feel safe.”
“Safe,” I repeated, the word foreign and yet oddly comforting. I glanced at her, the last rays of sunlight illuminating her delicate features. It struck me how fragile she was, how easily my father’s dark words could shatter the light she brought into my life.
“Do you think we could fly?” she asked, her eyes wide with wonder, her spirit unburdened by the complexities of life.
“Yeah, I think so,” I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. I imagined us soaring high above the playground, the wind rushing past us, our laughter mixing with the whispers of the trees.
“Let’s try!” she exclaimed, kicking her legs and propelling herself higher. I watched, entranced, as she soared towards the sky, the colors of the sunset framing her like a dream. I wanted to be brave like her, to take that leap into the unknown, but fear held me back.
“Caiden! Come on!” she urged, her voice ringing with delight.
“I like watching you,” I said softly, the words slipping out before I could think better of them. The truth hung heavy yet tender.
“Why?” she asked, genuine curiosity lighting her eyes.
“Because...you make everything feel brighter,” I admitted, my cheeks flushing as I realized how vulnerable I sounded. “It’s nice seeing you happy.”
Her laughter rang out, pure and melodic, and I felt a warmth bloom within me, even as a pang of sadness tugged at my heart.
Amelia suddenly slowed her swing, her feet touching the ground gently. “You should come to the park more often,” she said, her voice softening. “I like having you here.”
