An unexpected friendship

The burning sun hid behind the thick clouds today, but it did not stop the boy from venturing to the beach. However, it began to drizzle. The boy did not need to be caught out in a downpour since he had only recently recovered from a bad cold. Instead of going to the ocean as originally intended, he took a detour and headed for the lake. He only wanted to go for a dip in the water, anyway, and if there was the slightest chance of catching some fish, he would take it. When he reached the lake, he whistled.

Whistling was something passed down to him from his father, but he didn't get to whistle at home often. The whistling annoyed his mother mercilessly, and he didn't like upsetting her. However, whenever he was out with his father, his uncle, or on his own, he would whistle endlessly, and he had improved over the past few years. The tune of the song, “Tiptoes in the Tulips”, echoed in the atmosphere as the boy began to shed off his shorts and stood, his bronze body completely exposed to the cool and crisp air. Soon he realized that he wasn't alone.

Briefly casting a glance to his right, he saw a young woman. Despite the distance between them, he could tell that she was upset about something. Perturbed but currently unwilling to investigate, since he wasn't decent and he didn't know her, he started to wade into the water until he could swim underneath without bumping against the sand. Curiosity gripped the boy tightly, so he couldn't resist the urge to float in the direction of the woman. Silently, he moved like a shark, his eyes scourging the surface for any obstacle to beware. “Si va bene, signora?” The boy asked.

|| tag: ayana shaeffer || word count: 300 ||

Never did the boy think that it was his fault for the young woman's outburst of tears. In his raising, he was taught to never blame himself for anything unless otherwise proven guilty. That was the reason why he never blamed himself for his father and uncle's disappearances, since he knew it wasn't his fault. There was some regret that he didn't go with them, but he overcame that by accepting the responsibility of caring for his mother and their friends. However, he had grown concerned for the woman now that he knew she was clearly very upset about something.

Understanding that she spoke the most common language between everyone at the district, he rose out of the water and trod over by her side. He didn't care what she would think if she saw that he was naked, but kept a fair distance between himself and her as he sat down on the sand. Not fond of the common language that everyone shared, because it made him feel common himself, he was reluctant to speak again. But he knew that sitting in silence wouldn't solve anything. Some people would need someone there. For others, they would rather be alone.

Talking about it always seemed to help, whether the moody person was alone or not. Someone talking to themselves would be crazy, but it wasn't unheard of especially in this particular district. Most fishermen would go out alone and talk to themselves to feel like they had company. The boy's father had done that several times and even confessed about the silliness to the child when he was little. Still reluctant, he hesitated but finally gave in to the need to say something after nearly a long moment of awkward silence, speaking his language. “Sono Lukas. Qual è il problema?”

Then he sighed. He realized that by talking his own language, he could have made the woman uncomfortable or confused, which was worse than being upset in some cases. Clearing his throat he tried again and managed to speak the people's common language but didn't lose his accent. “I am Lukas. What is problem?” For the time, he remained quiet, not wanting to appear too curious and understanding respect. As he studied her carefully, he came to realize she wasn't fully an adult. She couldn't be more than six or seven years older than he, and he was only twelve.

|| tag: ayana shaeffer || word count: 400 ||

When she mentioned that her brother was gone, the first thought that came to mind was that her brother had disappeared at sea just like his father and uncle. However, the term of death came into play and he knew there was no hope in finding her brother for her. The young woman was a stranger to him, someone he had never met until now, and already, he wanted somehow to try and make her happy. There were too many sad days now and then, too much more than what was really necessary. Quickly he stood and extended his hand.

As he waited for her to take his hand, he explained in his native tongue. “Andare per una nuotata,” exclaimed the boy, nearly too excitedly. When he remembered that she might not understand him, he immediately pointed to the water and said in the common language, “Swim.” Being in the water was always refreshing, except for the cats and anything that didn't like water. But water was often so serene that anyone bathing, swimming, or just looking at it, would tend to relax. At once, he realized that she wouldn't be comfortable about undressing in front of a young boy.

He gave a soft chuckle to try breaking more of the tension before it could build, and turned swiftly. Already he was wading into the water. Briefly looking back, he hollered in his native tongue once more, “Non lo guardo! Sarò in acqua!” Immediately, he dove into the water but had to resurface when his memory served him again. “No look! Swim, I am in water already!” Hoping that his excitement and eager desire to cheer her up worked, the boy was already under the water again, just gazing around at the fish surrounding him. Playfully, he chased after them.

|| tag: ayana shaeffer || word count: 300 ||

Moments later, after swimming to a shaded area of the lake, he turned around and looked for the woman. When he didn't see her, he frowned from disappointment. However, a ripple formed in the water and something broke through the surface, he saw that it was her. Rather proud that he had convinced some stranger to simply go for a swim when she had only recently been upset enough to cry, the boy began swimming back to her. While he didn't know her well, having just met her, he wanted to ensure that she was comfortable and that she was at least alright, for now. "Sei va bene ora, signora?"

|| tag: ayana shaeffer || word count: 110 ||