Sara
we lay in the meadow filled with flowers, as spring has decided to show her glow, the sun is shining beautifully but is not far from setting.
"...My goodness, love, you should've seen his face yesterday his reaction was to die for" Marian continued to tease Ralph. The man has been flaunting over her for the past year now and I'm surprised that she hasn't given in to his charms. Honestly speaking, Ralph is a good man, kind, caring, and incredibly good looking. I have never come across any rumours or negatives about him. I even feel sorry for the poor man because he keeps fighting a battle which I think he might loose
"Marian, can't you give Ralph at least a chance, i don't understand why you continue to push him away? I mean, he's a good man and... stable, if I may say, emotionally, financially, even physically, he's good looking... i just don't understand why you won't accept him-"
"Sara, love, need i remind you that apart from his social status, he's a player, you know he's slept with almost half the entire town"
Who doesn't?
But she continued " I even heard he's been sleeping with women from since he was sixteen, i don't know if he'll keep himself under control if I marry him I..I.. I just don't.." she stammered to a stop. i didn't understand why she was acting so flustered, she knew she could open herself up to me and yet she was acting as if she doesn't want to say something to me.
"Marian?" she's keeping something from me, and I intend to find out what "Marian, what is it? You know you can tell me anything right?" She remained silent and flustered. If she continued to do so then she'd become angry at herself soon. That's how her mentality is actually, once she gets flustered she gets angry. Until she apparently calms down. I wonder if Ralph knows what he's after, because he would have a hand full if she accepted him.
"Marian, talk to me, why don't you want to marry him?" I asked carefully
"You know how my parents loved each other right, they used to hold hands wherever they went, when father had work somewhere outside the town, he'd always try his best to finish fast and early so he could come back to me and mother, and then when he felt daring he would kiss mother when I was watching.. and sometimes even in public no matter how many people were watching." She said with a smile of adoration on her face.
"We'd always tease them because they couldn't keep their hands to themselves, even after the accident that made mother barren, he still loved her, almost the whole family tried to convince him to marry another and have a son, he never did, he stuck to her and loved her." She paused and looked into into the distance, and then back at me
"I want that, Sara, I want my husband to love me the same way, to love me for me. Not because i'm a woman who he can seek pleasure from and then be done with as soon as he's bored or finds someone else who can pleasure him and then go off and marry her, i don't want that"
Now I see where this is going
"Is that what's scaring you? The thought of Ralph just using you for his own needs and just abandoning you?" She didn't say anything, but her silence spoke volumes. "I don't think he's the kind of person to do that-"
"Looks can deceive, Sara-"
"I know they can, but just because he was a player then doesn't mean he's the same now, maybe he's changed"
"How do you know"
"I don't, but i do know that he's been chasing you for the past year and a half and i don't think he's slept with anyone in that period" I say as she turns to look at me with that doubtful look in her eyes.
"Who's side are you on exactly?" she asks me.
"I'm not on anyone's side.. but i'm not going to let you walk away from this without at least considering it. If you walk away now then who knows what you'll walk into next, and besides," i leave off as i sit up straight from the grass "It's not like you'll accept his proposal on the spot, I'm pretty sure that courting exists for a reason, and i'm sure he's a patient man and can wait until your ready"
She seemed to be taking it into consideration since she was quiet, but it is true that Ralph is an honorable man, he can wait until she's ready and i'm sure he will. And if she doesn't think this through maybe she won't be so lucky next time. And besides, she may have fooled the rest of the town but not me, I see that glimmer in her eyes when she thinks no one is watching. She's a good actress I'll give her that, but she can't fool me, but i have been wondering why she wouldn't give him a chance, now that I know, I know I can help her. I will help her.
"I'll think about it"
"Good"
"But enough about that, let's talk about you and the suitors that are at your feet" she says as she too gets up from the grass and sits staring at me with that insistent look. Knowing that look, i know this is a topic that i can't evade unless She decides to cancel it.
"They're not at my feet-"
"Oh yes they are and you can't deny it, especially Colt, he's the one who's been coming to your door every morning to merely say Hello and Good Morning, I can't imagine how annoying it must be"
Especially him, but the difference with me is that none of these men are as perfect as Ralph, James is an actual player while Ronald is a drunkard, Calvin just likes to show off, I bet he wants me for the exact same reason, to show off
"And here You are telling me to actually take Ralph into consideration" she scoffs.
"You do know that your case and mine are completely different right?"
"How different?"
Playing dumb are we? "Nevermind, i think it's time we head back" I say as I get up to my feet. The sun is almost down and we have quite a walk. Father's going to be worried.
"Evading the conversation are we?" she mocks as she gets up too "No I'll let you go today but we will continue tomorrow"
We're packing our items for the picnic and I froze in place, I don't know why or what happened but something felt a miss. As if the air around me shifted to something tense. A gush of wind took us by surprise and blew the blanket away. Marian set down the basket and started chasing after it,.. but I still remained frozen, as if something anchored my feet to the ground... then the wind changed as well... it was whispering, something incoherent. They were faint but they were there, and they were getting louder.
I couldn't make anything out from how it sounded, but then it spoke,
The mountains...
It was fast and someone else would've missed it , but i heard it, then it sounded again.
Head to the mountains...The North mountains...
I was speechless, I wanted to tell myself that this isn't happening. That none of this is real. But as soon as it said those words, it vanished along with the wind, as soon as it came, it stopped. I was stiil frozen when i felt a hand behind my back, and my heart nearly lept out as I shrieked in fear. But it was just Marian, looking abit worried and surprised.
"How many times do I have to call you until you actually turn around?"
She was calling me,? "I'm sorry I.. didn't hear you.." Infact I couldn't hear anything apart from the whispers
The north mountains, i kept hearing it in my head. And i rubbed the side of it subconsciously. The north mountains? as if she could see something was wrong she asked.
"Hey, are you alright?" She was worried from how she sounded. I didn't want her to worry and if i gave her a fake smile then she would worry more. This girl knew me from back to front, and she knows my smiles just as well. So I just shook my head.
"Yes i'm fine"
"Are you sure?"
I nodded
"Alright then, let's go"
With that said I picked up the basket and we headed home