CHAPTER TWO: TROUVAILLE.
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❝NOUN: Something lovely discovered by
chance; a windfall.❞

MARCH 21, 2004.
❛❛ The first day of Spring and the day
a child's adolescences begins to
rise. ❜❜

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DEAR DIARY,
Today was the best day of my life. I finally made some new friends, despite kids not wanting to socialize or hang out with me, I still spoke to them. I don't exactly know why, but the parents would often glare or send dirty looks my way. Yes, it made me sad, but I still smiled and laughed.

Once the kids went home, I decided to play with my imaginary friend. His name was Jeon. At least, that's what he wanted me to call him. In my mind, he was a bit older than me, about six years. That's all I knew really.

Anyways, him and I all laughed, ran around the playground playing tag - the thing is, I was it and to everyone else, they just shook their heads and started whispering, whilst also seeing a child no younger than six, happily running around and laughing to himself. That day, Jeon got mad at me because I was the fastest runner out him and I, but that's okay, since I apologized and gave him some of my lunch. In fact, I wasn't as hungry as I thought I would be, whilst still being quite active.

However, today - oh golly, something wonderful happened! Can you guess what I saw - can you? No, well that's okay, I'll just tell you. I saw the prettiest Rainbow. Oh boy, those colours; the red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purples, all balancing each other out in a vibrant - eye catching image, the beauty being displayed in front of my eyes, was a sight that I could not look away from.

I just had a sudden urge to paint this display of never ending curve of spiralled colours. So that night, I said goodbye to Jeon and ran home to paint. The following hour, around 20.30 PM, I showed my dad first. He seemed to act different than I had intended him to. In my mind, he was smiling and congratulating me on painting something I have seen physically from outside, whilst giving me a hug and pat on the shoulder.

But that was only in my mind. A small figment of my imagination. Something I had thought that was real - an emotion that could not be identified - have soon be revealed once reality began to make herself known.

"Son, that is a nice rainbow - but don't you think it is a bit too flamboyant for a boy like you to gawk over?" My daddy had asked, his voice deeply questioning me, whilst my mommy was cooking supper. Of coarse, I didn't fully understand, but let it flow and told him, "But daddy, what I have seen with my own eyes- was a beautiful imagery. Beautiful just like mommy, and warm like you."

My father didn't like that, in fact he hated how his son was acting. A boy, my own age, obsessing over rainbows? He wanted to gag. His expression turned into a look of disgust, before plastering on a fake smile as his wife, my mother, walked over and placing the warm, freshly cooked meal on the table.

"Here you go, sweetie." Mommy said, her smile every so perfect - almost unrealistic if you looked closely. She had the prettiest teeth and brightest smile, yet she had the biggest sweet tooth. Her eyes were the deepest shade of brown, dark and mysterious, but also had a lustful undertone - especially when she spoke to someone.

The next door neighbours husband. Also her boss at work. "Ha, sweetie? Don't pamper him, Charlotte. He is a big boy. Boys do not need pampering, but rather tough love. Especially as they grow older, they can become protective of their future lover; a young maiden who would happily accept his hand in marriage. Isn't that right, son?" Daddy asked, making me furrow my eyebrows in confusion, and glancing over to my mommy who had a small smile on her face, and used a tong to place some meatloaf on my plate, along with my vegetables, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Scrumptious.

"Daddy, I have no idea what that means. Why would a young maiden marry me? What if-" Before I could finish my sentence, A loving and airy voice belonging to my mommy spoke up.

"Oh, Richard, stop testing him, he is too young to know about the concept of heterosexuality." Mommy hummed, smiling, her eyes closing, resembling small crescent moons, which made me smile softly and began to eat my supper.

"Too young to know about heterosexuality Charlotte, he's, going to be eight years old, for I am pretty sure he is bound to know what it is. Son, let me ask you an important question.." Daddy said, sitting up straight and leaning over the table, his eyes staring deeply at me-piercing my soul with his dark and cold grey eyes.

"Richard, don't- Shut up, Charlotte."

To this day, I still remember how the room went quiet. No one uttering a word, hence why I was just as surprised as my mother. My father began smirking, and now looking back, it was devious. It even seemed like he was already secretly plotting something. He had placed his hand over mines; the coolness of his palm sending a chill down my spine.

"My youngest son, do you like girls or boys?"