Feathers

By: Kana

"Happy Birthday."

His voice is soft behind me, and surprised I turn around. I hadn't even heard him approach.

My smile greets him.

"Here."

There is a soft blush on his cheeks when he hands over a little package. It weights nothing.

Curious I open it. Careful, because my feeling says I could perhaps break, whatever is inside.

My eyes widen when I hold the feather in my hand. A large, white feather. And it has a little note strapped to it, saying : Sometimes. Sometimes I wish I could fly.

-

"Sometimes. Sometimes I wish I could fly."

He just looks at me. With these unreadable brown orbs. Beautiful eyes. They can captivate you. They captivated me...

"Wouldn't you like that? To be able to soar the sky, to just fly away when you want to be alone, to feel the wind caress you, to ..."

Silence remains for a couple of seconds.

"Yeah ... Perhaps."

I have no idea what is going on in his head. I have no idea what he was thinking just now. At that point, we are 2 complete opposites.

Anyone can clearly read everything I feel on my face. I am a dreamer.

Whereas he keeps all his emotions bottled up inside. One can never say what he feels or thinks. He's carefull, and a bit grounded.

-

"You... You remembered that conversation?"

How long ago has it been?

He smiles; an honest, open smile. It's the first time I see it. And I immediately fall in love with that smile.

"Here."

I didn't even notice he had another little package in his hand.

I open it just as carefully as the other one. The package paper way to beautiful to just rip it apart.

A soft laugh escapes my lips when I take out a little doll. Red hair, brown eyes. It resembles me. And on its back he has pasted a pair of feathers. On the black T-shirt of the doll he has written white letters : FLY.

I hug him and burry my face in his shoulder. Not wanting him to see the tears shimmering in my eyes. And he holds me close. How he seems to understand me so well.

I pull back, still smiling.

"Thank you."

It's a soft whisper. And he nods in response before leaning forward and gently brushing his lips over mine.

"Happy birthday."

The look on his face is so soft, and the smile that graces his lips makes him look so vulnerable. He turns and starts to walk away. And it takes me some seconds before I get over the surprise of him kissing me.

In a couple of steps I catch up with him, walking beside him, flashing him a happy smile when he turns his head to look at me. He just nods again, and remains silent.

It takes me another couple of seconds before I work up the courage to gently take his hand in mine. Who ever said dreams of flying could never come true?

-

The End