the boy by the river

6 years ago-

                     first meet

The river was quiet. Gemini sat on the grass, sketchpad in hand.

Fourth was walking by - then notice that quite guy sitting alone

Fourth decided to approach “Hey… are you drawing the water, or talking to it?”

Gemini said without looking at fourth “Drawing.”

Fourth said  “It looked like a conversation from where I was standing.”

Gemini said in a low voice “You were standing there long enough to guess?”

Fourth said “Maybe. I got curious. You looked… peaceful.”

Gemini finally looks up “You always talk to strangers?”

Fourth smirks “Only the interesting ones. I’m Fourth.”

“Gemini.”

Fourth asked “Like the zodiac?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s cool. I like stars. You don’t look like a Gemini, though.” fourth chuckles a bit

Gemini asked in a curious tone “What does a Gemini look like?”

Fourth looks away “I don’t know. Louder?”

“...Fair.”

“So... you come here to draw rivers and confuse random people walking by?”

Gemini said in a teasing tone “Only if they’re nosy.”

“Guilty. But I’m charming enough to make up for it, right?”

Gemini smiles faintly “You’re something.”

“That’s not a no.”

“It’s not a yes either.”

“I’ll take ‘something.’ Better than being boring.”

Gemini laughs  “You’re definitely not boring.”

“See? Progress.”

Gemini went back to sketching, but he didn’t mind the silence between them. It wasn’t awkward—it was… nice.

“You’re good at that.”

Gemini didn't look at fourth “At ignoring you?”

“At drawing.”

Gemini gave a soft laugh “Thanks.”

“You know, most people look at the river and just see water. You draw like you see more than that.”

Gemini said while looking at the river “Maybe I do.”

“Like what?”

Gemini said “Like the way it moves without needing to go anywhere. Like how it holds light even when the sky is dull. Like it remembers things.”

“That’s… kind of beautiful.”

Gemini said “It’s just water.”

“Not the way you say it.”

Gemini glanced at him, curious.

“You’re weird.”

Fourth said  “You keep saying that.”

Gemini without looking at fourth “Because it keeps being true.”

“Well, you’re quiet and poetic and you sketch rivers like they’re old friends, so... we’re even.”

Gemini said “So what made you stop, really?”

“You looked like you were in your own world. And I think part of me wanted to see what that world looked like.”

Gemini finally looks at the boy “You don’t even know me.”

Fourth: “Not yet.”

Gemini: “That’s… forward.”

Fourth: “It’s honest.”

A breeze stirred. Neither of them spoke for a moment.

Fourth: “Would it be weird if I said I wanted to come back next weekend? Just… to see you draw again?”

Gemini: “You’d walk all this way just to watch me sketch a river?”

Fourth: “No. I’d walk all this way to talk to the quiet boy who sees things in rivers that no one else does.”

Gemini looked at him, really looked. Then softly:

Gemini: “Then... come back.”

Fourth: “I will.”

Gemini: “Bring snacks.”

Fourth: “What kind?”

Gemini: “Surprise me.”

Fourth: “Dangerous.”

Gemini: “I like a little risk.”

Fourth: “Now that sounds like a Gemini.”

They both smiled, and for the first time that day, Gemini stopped drawing.

...----------------...

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***