"So what happened after the match who won and who lost?"
"Ash… well we tide then he walked with me to the police station after that I never saw him again"
"So you didn't get to say goodbye," Ash asked.
"No the chess match was the goodbye," Aurora said smiling away and looking at the sun her hair was being blown away by the wind it was beautiful.
Ash looked at her the same way, that same hair of hers following the wind. Remembering the story she had told him back then, more than a month ago. At first, it was hard for him to understand how she did not cry all the time, but he knew she was strong and that she had a hard life.
They had been going to the park more than he could count talking about stuff and life, over the weeks they also had been playing chess and eating sweets from local stores.
Some day she was like a motherly figure and others like a nagging sister. He was still young no less the ten in a half years old, he had seen many beautiful girls at the orphanage but there was no one like her. She was beautiful as a person more than her physical looks to him.
…
Bark! Bark!
"Hey, Rick," Aurora said getting up.
Rick was a black man with long dreads at the tip of them were gray, and he wore black shades and green thine jacked and black jeans, he was sixty years old, and his frame was skinny and tall.
"Hey, Aurora, and hey, Ash," he said coming closer with the two dogs that he had, both with white fur and square face with a runny nose.
"Hey, Rick so how have you been? Haven't seen you in awhile" Ash said. Thinking the last time he talked with him was three weeks ago.
"Just busy, about to move, and hoping to see you guys here one more time," he said looking down at where Aurora was petting the two dogs.
"Hey Rick can I walk them for a few," she said all happy to see the dogs. She usually gets to see animals on the street and the ones that she can pet are not hers so she likes seeing Rick because of the bond she has with the two dogs and that no pets are allowed at the orphanage.
"Sure just bring them back in one piece," he said smiling.
Rich and Ash sat on the bench watching Aurora walk the dogs around the lake.
"So my boy… how have you been did you finally make a move" he said smiling and grinning at Ash "Stop teasing me Rich, you know that it's not like that," he said looking down at his feet.
"Well, the last we talked you were all love this and love that," he said with hand jesters insinuating a hug and kiss.
"No all I asked was do you love someone? And you said I don't know" Ash said kicking his feet and moving the small rocks next to him.
"Well I do, Ash I found someone and so happy that you asked me it helped me," Rich said looking at Ash.
"Really… I helped you? It was supposed to be the other way around" he said, a little surprised and a little irritated.
"Then ask me a new question maybe I can give some wisdom. That's the most I can do for you and Aurora" he said it could be seen that his face was down and a little sad knowing the truth about both their situation he had no money barely able to help. He was about to turn sixty-eight. And he could not afford to live in the city anymore.
"Well I know I said I don't like her but, what is the difference between loving and liking someone" Ash asked with a straight face.
"Well champ, liking someone is noticing their good traits I say you only no the best side of them thinking they are good at this and that, you see liking is just the font not the internal part of it," he said pointing his finger at ash chest.
He continued "Now what is love, that's hard man, there are many interpretations of what love is. To me, love is knowing who they really are. You know what kind of heart they have and what kind of actions they take, like are they selfish or greedy are the personality aline with your persona of who you think they are? Ash love can only be interpreted by you and you alone. Now if you want me to be wise sage you see me as then I tell you this don't take the meaning of love for granted it's not all about you."
"Thanks, Rick I'm going to miss you" Ash took in a lot of what Rick said and felt better internally his head now was light enough to realize that Rich was a good person and how kind he had been to him and Aurora.
"I'm going to miss you too but, one more thing know that to truly love someone you must understand sometimes life is unpredictable and there is nothing you can do if the very thing you love is gone bud" he smiled his hands on top of head rubbing my hair.
"No stop it takes forever to fix the mess you made," Ash said moving Rick's hand off his head.
Only to see Rick laugh.
"What's so funny guys," Aurora said looking at them both staring back at her.
"Nothing," both said smiling.
It was more than twenty minutes before Rick left.
Both of them hugged Rick before saying goodbye. They didn't know if they would see Rick ever again.
After that Aurora and Ash still stayed at the bench talking about the fun things that they had done over the fall break and the funny experiences they had with Rick.
Soon the sun was at an all-time high hitting every part of the park. It was the close end of the day and some now were leaving and there were fewer people coming to enter the park.
The sounds of birds and small children were the most noisy.
Time passed before another person came to visit the Ash and the Aurora.
The crackling sound of the bike could be heard with a loud voice beside it.
"FOUND YOU Guys" Jordan the boy from the same orphanage where Ash and Aurora Lived at.
"Hi Jordon," Aurora said with a smile.
"Hi Jordan," Ash said with no smile. Was hoping he would play basketball for a little longer he thought disappointed.
"So why are you here so early Jordan?" Ash asked.
"Well I kinda got bored winning so much you know what I mean?" he said with a cocky simile that had pride to it.
"Oo really, that's cool so I think we were about to go back to the orphanage are you going to join us?" Aurora asked already knowing the answer.
"Obviously, also let's get food on the way I have some questions about…"
"We're not going to help again with your homework but I'm down getting something to eat," Ash said irritated by the amount of times he asked him to help with his homework.
"Come on guys this is the last time please" Looking at Aurora and Ash at the same time his head would move so quickly Ash was surprised it was still attached.
"Not this time, and I heard you're only doing a quiz for the final so it should not be that hard. If it was a test we would understand but you got to use your own brain Jordon" Aurora said with a sad face she usually always would help Jordon if Ash would not.
"Fine, Fine," he said with a gloomy face.
As both Ash and Aurora got up. Jordan had a fun idea.
"You guys down to race whoever wins most pays for the meal" They all got monthly allowance with it they could pay for food outside of the orphanage.
"Not this again, no no," Ash said
"I'm down if Ash is down…" Aurora said looking at Ash with a little guilt.
"No, it's two votes for yes and only one for no, so obviously we're racing," Jordan said with a big, satisfied smile, looking straight at Ash and dreaming about how he wouldn't have to pay for the meal. In his mind, he could already see the delicious pizza.
"FINE, Fine" Ash a little irradiated knowing full well that if he did not go all out it was either he or Jordan would have to pay for the meal. Because of the many times they have raced Aurora never had to pay for the pizza usually always winning somehow, he could not understand it.
Before racing they always try to make it fair they both go side by side with each other. The other rule would be that whoever said no, would start the race with his voice.
Ash looked at Aurora who was on his left side and Jordan who was on his right side.
"On your mark… get set… GO!!"