There's a quote that goes like this 'You fall in love with someone for the first time for all their perfections under rose tinted glasses. Once you remove those glasses you see their imperfections and you learn to fall in love with them all over again.' I can't remember if that quote even exists or my mind is cooking up this stuff because I'm feeling the first few warm rays of hope touching my cold soul and it's all because of her Avalina Hartwell.
"Snap out of it Jaxon don't overthink it," I say out loud.
"Don't overthink what?" asks Ava standing looking at me, leaning against the doorframe.
In a split second I freeze out of sheer nerves and then I somehow find it in myself to say.
"Don't overthink life, love, work the usual stuff." I tell her calmly. She looks so beautiful standing at the door of my room wearing a long sleeved cherry red blouse and black jeans. Her hair is loose and hangs down to her back in black curly waves. She is still staring at me and at that moment I feel so awkward that I ask her.
"What are you staring at?"
She starts to turn slightly red, and I think she's blushing.
"Nothing just wondering what you were talking to yourself about," she replies, her eyes brimming with curiosity.
"So what would you like to do today?"
"How about a picnic?" Since it's still early," I say checking my watch which reads 6:30 am, the Sun is not up yet.
"We can watch the Sun come up together if you're up for it?"
"That sounds lovely, I"ll go pack a basket," she suggests.
"I'll come with you," I say leaving my room and following her down the staircase and into the kitchen.
We enter the kitchen and we're greeted by the sight of Mr. and Mrs Hartwell making out in the kitchen. I look at Ava and she looks embarrassed, she loudly clears her throat and asks her parents,
"so what's for breakfast?"
Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell immediately move away from each other and turn to look at us both with matching grins on their faces. Mrs. Hartwell excuses herself to make coffee and Mr. Hartwell plays it cool opening the newspaper and reading it, while answering Ava, "young lady there are cinnamon rolls in the oven and banana muffins on the table if you open your eyes wide enough you'll find breakfast."
"Ok Dad," says Ava looking sheepish.
"Just going to pack and go."
"Where are you two going may I ask?"
"To the park sir we thought we could have breakfast and catch the morning Sunshine." I answer Mr. Hartwell.
"Ah yes vitamin D, alrighty then take enough food with you," he advises before reading his newspaper.
"We escape her parents probing and she packs everything in as quickly as she can into a large basket and we leave the kitchen before Dad can question us further." I start the car and she gets into the passenger side, I pull out of the drive way and we're off.
"Haha you're parents are great." I tell her laughing.
"Very funny, their embarrassing." She says looking annoyed and trying not to smile.
"Parents will be parents I guess," I tell her.
We arrive at the park, and there's a little hill at the edge of the park where a big for tree grows in the center.
"I think I found our spot." I tell Ava pointing at the tree.
She takes the large green checkered blanket she's brought with her and lays it out on the green grass. I set the basket on the blanket and plop down on the blanket next to her. She opens the basket and pulls out two bottles of lemonade.
"Here, pick what you want to eat first."
So I take out a cinnamon roll which is still warm from the oven.
She selects a banana muffin and we start eating, midway through I ask her,
"I'm curious Ava, how do you feel about me right now?"
Ava looks at me with surprise in her eyes and I laugh at her reaction.
"Relax, it's just a question but be honest."
"I feel peaceful with you for now and I feel free, I don't feel like I'm constricted in anyway which is great!" She says this looking at me with a shy smile.
"What about you?" "How do I make you feel?"
" I feel more alive to be honest like I'm more aware of my emotions and my thoughts. You make me feel more aware of my surroundings and sometimes I do feel like I'm floating."
"Hey what are we doing in the afternoon and in the evening?" I ask her.
"My mom wants us to help make pizza, it's a thing we do sometimes as a family just for fun."
"Cool, I've never done that before."
"Great! In the evening we can do something I'll figure it out, but Dad and the guys will want to have round two of Carrom with you."
"I see,I don't mind," I reply.
The Sun comes up and pretty soon it gets too hot to be out, we pack up and reach home just in time, to help make pizza for lunch. Mr.and Mrs.Hartwell have already done most of the work like making the dough, rolling it out and tossing it in the air. All that's left for us to do is select the toppings for our pizza which is what Mary-Anne and Jedidiah do decorating half in Hawaiian Chicken style and the other half in Beef Pepperoni. Ava and I decide to copy Mary-Anne and Jedidiah s pizza selection.
"This pizza is special how dare you copy ours?" says Jedidiah with hands waving the air dramatically.
"Deal with it," I reply.
"We are so dealing over a game of Carrom dude," he retorts.
"Man, you are so on. Loser has to treat winner to Burger King!"
"Deal," and we seal it by shaking hands which are coated in flour.
I can't wait for our Carrom match in the night. I add on the pineapple to our pizza and pop it into the oven for twenty minutes.
Once the pizza is ready, I take it out of the oven and cut it into triangular slices. Ava takes two, I take three and we take our seats at the dining table where the rest of her family is already eating.
"This is so good, I think you added more cheese on the pepperoni side,"says Ava taking a huge bite out of her slice.
"Yeah I added extra mozzarella cheese," I admit.
Lunch is a pleasant affair, we keep the plates away and put the rest of the pizza back in the oven.
"Let's go somewhere. we have time till dinner, I thought you would like to go to the butterfly farm."
"Aww, that's so thoughtful of you, are you sure? Butterflies interest you?" She asks me.
"Yeah, I'll bring my camera we can take some cool pictures and upload it to Instagram later it will be fun."
"Okay, let me grab my handbag," says Ava.
We arrive at the butterfly farm half an hour later, its a large forest completely covered with a net so the butterflies can't fly out to freedom.
"I don't know the names of any of these butterflies."
"Same here, but it's nice to just watch and see them up close," says Ava.
We take pictures with our phones of all the different coloured butterflies we spot as we walk the forest pathways mapped out in the little leaflet the butterfly keepers hand us.
Ava is in awe as she points out a pretty blue butterfly flying around just close to me.
I snap a picture as the blue butterfly rests on a pink flower.
Up ahead of us there's a tour guide talking to a group of people and explaining the names of some of the butterflies.
Another butterfly keeper is strictly watching over a group of children and giving them warnings not to try and catch the butterflies as their wings will get damaged.
We continue our exploration of the forest and we even find some caterpillars and cocoons on some of the plants there.
"Can you snap a picture of me here?"
"Sure", I take Ava's phone and snap a few pictures for her and pass it back to her when I'm done.
Ava snaps some pictures of me as I pose next to some of the butterflies that settle onto the flower patch.
Hours pass by and we hardly feel it till I take a look at my watch which reads five o'clock.
"Ava we best head home."
"Alright, can we check out the Souvenir Shop before we leave I saw it at the entrance?"
"Ok."
We enter the Souvenir Shop and Ava explores the entire place, she takes a basket with her and fills it with keychains, adult colouring books, and a manual on butterflies in general with beautiful pictures inside.
"I got an adult colouring book for your sister, will she like it?"
"Yeah, Kayla loves books, should be fine."
By the time we're done its five-thirty, we head back to the car and drive home.
We reach Ava's home at six o' clock, Jedidiah and Mary-Anne have already gotten everything out and they have helped Mrs.Hartwell with cooking dinner.
"Sorry we couldn't help with dinner, Mrs.Hartwell," I say to her once we enter the kitchen.
"Oh that's fine you can wash and clear up when dinner is over," chips in Jedidiah all smug and pompous like.
"Yes,that would be nice ," admits Mrs.Hartwell.
"Ok ma'am will see it done," I reply.
Dinner starts and we're having chicken porridge tonight, everyone gathers at the dining table.
"Where have you two been all day?" asks Mary-Anne while we eat.
"Butterfly farm," replies Ava.
"Oh, lovely place. Had fun?" She asks.
"Yup," Ava says curtly.
"Any mosquitos?" asks Jedidiah.
"No", I reply.
"Nice," he comments.
"What was the highlight of the trip?" asks Mary-Anne.
"The Giant Blue Morpho," says Ava.
"I read about it on the way back, I"ll show you the book later sis."
"Ready for our Carrom match?" asks Jedidiah looking at me with a challenge glinting in his eyes.
"Yup, let me help with dishes first."
"I'll get the board ready," he says , while getting up to wash his plate and spoon in the sink.
He leaves the room and slowly everyone else does after eating till it's just Ava and me. She washes our plates while I wash the big pan and the cooking utensils used.
We wipe the table and put the leftovers in the fridge and leave the kitchen.
I find Jedidiah waiting for me in the family gaming room, with the board and pieces all set up, I take my place and the game begins. There is absolute silence I don't know for how long as we concentrate hard on the game before us. After four rounds, we agree that it's a tie. We celebrate the score with ginger beer and leftover pizza from lunch.
As night descends I excuse myself from the family gaming room to go upstairs and pack my stuff, because I'll be leaving in the morning after breakfast. After an hour or so, I hear a knock on my door and I yell out,
"come on in." Ava walks into my room.
"I want to show you something," she says smiling shyly
She takes my hand and leads me into her room.
"Ava, you sure this alright?"
"Relax you're not the first guy who has come into my room."
"She's right on that account," says Mary-Anne suddenly appearing at the doorway.
"I'm leaving just going to grab my stash of candy."
Ava guides me to her window, she unlocks the grill and pushes it open, she takes my hand and guides me outside her window. We step through her window and find ourselves on a little balcony, there's some thick blankets on the floor and a little table with cannister of hot chocolate and two mugs.
"Wow, you can really see the stars here at night. I am so jealous of you right now, woman."
"Haha, I'm glad you like the view."
Ava opens the cannister and pours me some hot chocolate, which I gladly accept as it's chilly up here.
We stare at the night sky sipping hot chocolate and tells me a little more about herself, I find out she loves to paint as a hobby, she knits and reads a lot of romance novels. At this I smile and tell her
"I don't know a girl who can't resist a good romance novel."
She laughs and says she doesn't know a guy who doesn't like video games.
"True", I tell her.
We sit in silence after that just staring at the sky.
This is by far the highlight of my day as all I can think of is the stars remind me of the wonders that nature holds where there is darkness. Even the tinniest of light breaks through, and it does make a difference across the expanse of the dark sky.