- Rowan's Point of View -

I let out a deep breath, gazing out over the horizon. It was so beautiful, shining orange and red on the lining of the sky. 

"I could get use to this." I thought out loud.

I was sitting in an apple tree in the castle orchard, just looking at everything around me. I wasn't sure what I was going to do next. I'd stay at the castle for a few more days, but it wasn't safe to stay too long.

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"Come on, Rowan. Do you want us to be late?" The little toddler boy said, pulling me towards the little cottage.

"We won't be._________, slow down." (Again, that space was on purpose) I said.

"I don't know about you, but I'm hungry." He said.

For a four year old, he had a pretty big vocabulary.

"ROWAN,________, IT'S TIME FOR SUPPER!" Ma called across the yard.

"I told you. Right on time."

"You never told me."

"Oh whatever."

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For the life of me, I couldn't remember his name. That memory was forever burned into the back of mind, showing up in the quiet moments of my life. I always remember that little boy with his big grin and grown up manner, smiling at me, sub-consciously telling me that everything would be okay. That memory was everything to me. Whenever I feel like I'm falling apart, when I feel like I'm in a powder keg and giving off sparks, for some reason that memory will pop up, giving me one more ounce of hope.

Suddenly, I'm snapped out of my thoughts by footsteps. Running footsteps. I look in the direction of the noise, hiding in the shadows of the leaves. A tall girl with a messy brown ponytail runs right under me. I remember! I saw her in the castle. What's she doing here? I thought to myself. Just when I think she's going to run even farther away, she stops, climbing up into the tree next to me. I guess I wasn't the only one who liked to spend time talking to myself in a tree. 

"What's wrong with me?" Was the first thing she said.

Uh oh, I thought. I guess she's more like me then I thought. This can't be good.

"I don't think he trusts me...Am I wrong to think that way?"

I felt bad. I didn't want to eaves drop, but I had no choice.

"Ha, I'm here talking to myself like I'm insane. If you were here with me, it would be so much easier...I want to believe, Ma. I just...I just don't know how. I'm not sure if I can."

It was strange. I didn't even know this girl, but I immediately felt pity for her. She seemed like she was going through a lot, whoever she was.

"I-" She started, but was cut off by another voice.

"Emma, are you here?"

"Yeah." The girl answered.

I guessed her name was Emma, or something like that. 

"What are you doing up there?"

The girl who asked was shorter and more petite, with medium length blonde hair and freckles. Her cheeks were a rosy red and she looked pretty friendly to me.

"You know," The girl called Emma shrugged. "Just chillin'. Did you want me for something?"

"Well, uh, Joe said I should tell you that supper's going to be a bit later tonight."

"Why?" 

"Well, because something happened in the kitchen and the cooks got a late start."

"Oh alright." Emma said, hopping down from the tree.

"So, Samantha, what's this thing going on with you and Joe?"

"What? Emma, sometimes you get the strangest ideas."

"Oh come on! You can tell me."

"Emma...?"

"Alright: (1) He calls you Sammy-"

"Callum calls me Sam."

"There's a fine line between Sammy, and just Sam. Now, where was I? Oh yes: (2) He volunteered to do a five hour drive just to deliver some bread? I get the feeling he had bigger motives."

"Emma, you need to stop thinking the way you think. Joe is just a friend. A FRIEND! Got it?"

"Okay, okay. Fine. He's a friend."

Then they walked off. I laughed. Now those were a couple of friends.

I sat there for a long time, just enjoying the evening air. How beautiful it was here.

.............................................................................

"Come on, Rowan. Do you want us to be late?" The little toddler boy said, pulling me towards the little cottage.

"We won't be._________, slow down." (Again, that space was on purpose) I said.

"I don't know about you, but I'm hungry." He said.

For a four year old, he had a pretty big vocabulary.

"ROWAN,________, IT'S TIME FOR SUPPER!" Ma called across the yard.

"I told you. Right on time."

"You never told me."

"Oh whatever."

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- Alright, sort of a short chapter, I know, but I can barely keep my eyes open. I hope you liked the chapter and if you did, feel free to comment and vote. Thanks :D - Anna