Emotions are such blunt blades; you either use them as a weapon or you use nothing at all, and then succumb to whatever you're facing ahead. When you do use them, though, they leave marks.

And those marks stay and forever will be there to haunt you.

Emotions are cruel.

And I shouldn't have fallen.

Because once those blunt blades cut the ropes, you couldn't ever do anything. Not anymore.

• • •

Wendy Grant met me when I was only in kindergarten.

The children as expected were full of their own stories and discoveries, and all that took place in the one small room of Cherrytree Daycare. Once the lunch alarm was set off that day, with the sun at its highest peak and the adults at their breaking edge, they were finally left to do their businesses - and by that, I meant playing 'til their hearts are content and simply, just mess around and cause problems for everyone.

Red and I were outside at the small playground, standing under a small hoop and each holding a toy basketball in hand. The boy with the unusual demeanor and the one who'd never really caused anyone a problem was, surprisingly, Andrew Wade's friend - which is me, a potential basketball player in the near future and a complete opposite of Red Hughes. He was taller than me, always was up to this day, and never ever spoke a word unless he really needed to, which is actually close to rare if you didn't count school and talking with me.

We were there, without the company of another kid and an adult, when she suddenly came in wielding in a basketball. Yes, wielded. Like she really owned basketball.

Then, without any warning at all, she zoomed past us and threw the ball to the hoop, squarely and perfectly.

I was stunned.

Red was quiet.

The kids inside were shouting.

I didn't know what to do then, only knew that my heart was racing and I was far too amazed to utter a single word. The girl, with lots of freckles on the back of her small neck and ginger hair tied in pigtails, caught the ball before it landed on the ground, and then proceeded shooting some more. A few bounced off the ring, but most got in.

Before she could get in her eleventh shot, though, Red shot his and made the hoop clang. All were quiet when he walked the length of the playground just to cross his little arms in front of the girl. "We're playing here."

My mouth was agape, and my eyes excitedly flitted from him to the girl. I told you before how he doesn't just talk unless he really has something to tell, and the situation that day didn't seem so important for me... But then I didn't really know everything about Red. The girl reacted by flipping her curly bangs out of her sight and then smiling, as wide as she can, even with her front teeth MIA. "Could I play?"

"Yes!"

"No."

Red slowly looked at me, shadows playing on his gaze which only made me more determined to stand with my decision. Deciding how that was a great time to have another friend, I proceeded to introducing myself. "I'm Andrew." I wiped my nose with the sleeve of my shirt before smiling at her as well. She flashed her teeth back, but very quickly turned her focus on Red.

"What's your name?" she asked Red, seemingly oblivious with everything he's showing her.

"Red."

"The color?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Wendy received no response.

She turned to me, instead. "Why isn't Red smiling, Andrew?"

"He doesn't want you to play with us."

"Why?"

I shrugged. Red remained quiet.

"Why don't you smile, Red?" Wendy finally said after a few fragile moments. She sat on a conveniently placed bench behind her, and then tilted her head at the pale boy standing in front. I noted how her eyes crinkle at the sides no matter how small her smile was. "You'd look cuter when you smile."

Now, normally Wendy wouldn't say things like that. And up until now, I still don't have a single idea why she said such a thing that day.

Normally she'd say something witty and practically snobbish. Normally, she'd be a lot more quiet and logical. Normally, she'd be weird, and people wouldn't actually be able to predict what she would say, but I'm a hundred percent sure this isn't a particularly common phrase for her.

But then, if she hadn't said that, I think I wouldn't ever see Red smile the way he smiles now.

Red's gray eyes widened, and the monotone colours that was him shone that time. It was honestly too overwhelming for me to see.

Without caution at all, much like Wendy's entrance only about two minutes ago, he let out an easy smile at the ginger-haired girl, which made her so happy I couldn't describe it in limited words.

And the next thing he did? He walked away, sparing not another glance at Wendy nor me, and instead shooting the ball he was holding.

Loudly, the ball bounced off the rim of the hoop, and away it bounced on the ground . . .

Red's first miss and bright smile. Wendy's cheers and bouncing pigtails. My joy of having two friends, and the floating feeling of being too overwhelmed of everything.

I wouldn't forget any of that - that was how everything started, anyway.

We wouldn't forget the day we all met. Because no one could ever have predicted it, perhaps even to this day, how that one encounter would make the hearts beat for another.

And perhaps it would be better if no one knew that, if no one realised such a thing.

Bad thing we did.

• • •

A/N: What do you guys think? :P I'm back at writing... Hope I can finish at least one book in my entire Wattpad life. xD