nearby. The damn turkey once chased me all the way from our house to the center of the village. It was embarrassing.” I began to suspect that running from a turkey was perhaps not the best story I could have told.
But Raf really seemed to be hanging on every word. “Harper, I’m going to tell you this again, your experiences make you a million times more interesting than the rest of the people here. I mean, lots of kids spend summers in Paris or on some expensive safari, but you’re like Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft or something.”
I laughed nervously and was glad when Mrs. Wattana arrived with a tray piled high with food.
The smell triggered a full stomach grumble and I realized that, with all the suspension and such, I hadn’t had any lunch. Raf patiently explained each of the dishes as I tentatively tried them. Turned out that Thai food is delicious, sweet and spicy and full of new flavors. For the rest of the meal we laughed and talked. I wondered at the possibility that, just maybe, I had a friend. A tiny part of my heart hoped he might be even more. Alright, it was a huge chunk of my heart that hoped for more.
After we finished, Raf tried to pay but Mrs. Wattana wouldn’t take any money from him. With a round of goodbye hugs, we set off into the dark night.
“I’ll walk you home.”
I didn’t argue. Yet again I hadn’t called mom and she would be freaking out. I was hoping she wouldn’t kill me in front of Raf.
We walked in silence and I enjoyed the winter air. The only seasons in Belize were rainy and dry. Though I was chilled to the bone, the sky was incredibly clear. Light pollution obscured the full extent of the stars, but the night sky was a midnight blue shade I’d never seen before. The crescent moon peaking over the tall elms looked like a Christmas card, like the impending holiday season was a real thing infusing the air with cheer.
When we got to my door, I unlocked it but then paused before pulling it open. “Thanks Raf. This was the most fun I’ve had since I left Belize.” I smiled and stood, trying not to look too expectant. I really, really wanted him to kiss me.
He shuffled from foot to foot, looking straight up at the sky. We stood like that for a painful minute then he finally looked back down. “Thanks for not ratting me out today.”
“What? Of course. Why would I have done that?”
“Well, didn’t you wonder if I’d trashed the library? I was there at school last night.”
My mouth fell open. That honestly hadn’t occurred to me at all. “Did you?” I asked bluntly.
“No, of course not. But thanks for not suspecting me.” He smiled, stood there.
No kiss appeared incoming. I contemplated kissing him. The only thing that stopped me was the way we’d just met. If he was thinking about killing himself, he probably didn’t need a new girlfriend.
“Want to come up and prevent my mom from killing me?”
“Heh,” he let out a laugh, “when you put it that way, then of course I’d love to.”
Reluctantly, I pulled open the door. The sound must have alerted her because my mom appeared at the top of the stairs. Fluffy pink robe wrapped around her. Gaunt face pulled into a frantic grimace. None of her vivacious beauty in evidence. “Harper Luciana Dae! Where on earth have you been?”
Then she noticed Raf who was trying to smile though we were both involuntarily withering under her furious glare.
“Mom, this is Rafael. He’s a new friend…” my voice squeaked. I was really going to have to work on that.
“Rafael,” she repeated.
Her face paled. I thought she was going to faint out cold and tumble down the stairs. Raf must have thought so as well because he pushed past me, arms out to catch her. She recoiled from his hands as though he held hot pokers.
She took a full step back and he screeched to a stop midway up the stairs.
A long, awkward silence stretched out. Mom stared at Raf like he was dripping the black ichor of death. Raf looked around,
But Raf really seemed to be hanging on every word. “Harper, I’m going to tell you this again, your experiences make you a million times more interesting than the rest of the people here. I mean, lots of kids spend summers in Paris or on some expensive safari, but you’re like Indiana Jones meets Lara Croft or something.”
I laughed nervously and was glad when Mrs. Wattana arrived with a tray piled high with food.
The smell triggered a full stomach grumble and I realized that, with all the suspension and such, I hadn’t had any lunch. Raf patiently explained each of the dishes as I tentatively tried them. Turned out that Thai food is delicious, sweet and spicy and full of new flavors. For the rest of the meal we laughed and talked. I wondered at the possibility that, just maybe, I had a friend. A tiny part of my heart hoped he might be even more. Alright, it was a huge chunk of my heart that hoped for more.
After we finished, Raf tried to pay but Mrs. Wattana wouldn’t take any money from him. With a round of goodbye hugs, we set off into the dark night.
“I’ll walk you home.”
I didn’t argue. Yet again I hadn’t called mom and she would be freaking out. I was hoping she wouldn’t kill me in front of Raf.
We walked in silence and I enjoyed the winter air. The only seasons in Belize were rainy and dry. Though I was chilled to the bone, the sky was incredibly clear. Light pollution obscured the full extent of the stars, but the night sky was a midnight blue shade I’d never seen before. The crescent moon peaking over the tall elms looked like a Christmas card, like the impending holiday season was a real thing infusing the air with cheer.
When we got to my door, I unlocked it but then paused before pulling it open. “Thanks Raf. This was the most fun I’ve had since I left Belize.” I smiled and stood, trying not to look too expectant. I really, really wanted him to kiss me.
He shuffled from foot to foot, looking straight up at the sky. We stood like that for a painful minute then he finally looked back down. “Thanks for not ratting me out today.”
“What? Of course. Why would I have done that?”
“Well, didn’t you wonder if I’d trashed the library? I was there at school last night.”
My mouth fell open. That honestly hadn’t occurred to me at all. “Did you?” I asked bluntly.
“No, of course not. But thanks for not suspecting me.” He smiled, stood there.
No kiss appeared incoming. I contemplated kissing him. The only thing that stopped me was the way we’d just met. If he was thinking about killing himself, he probably didn’t need a new girlfriend.
“Want to come up and prevent my mom from killing me?”
“Heh,” he let out a laugh, “when you put it that way, then of course I’d love to.”
Reluctantly, I pulled open the door. The sound must have alerted her because my mom appeared at the top of the stairs. Fluffy pink robe wrapped around her. Gaunt face pulled into a frantic grimace. None of her vivacious beauty in evidence. “Harper Luciana Dae! Where on earth have you been?”
Then she noticed Raf who was trying to smile though we were both involuntarily withering under her furious glare.
“Mom, this is Rafael. He’s a new friend…” my voice squeaked. I was really going to have to work on that.
“Rafael,” she repeated.
Her face paled. I thought she was going to faint out cold and tumble down the stairs. Raf must have thought so as well because he pushed past me, arms out to catch her. She recoiled from his hands as though he held hot pokers.
She took a full step back and he screeched to a stop midway up the stairs.
A long, awkward silence stretched out. Mom stared at Raf like he was dripping the black ichor of death. Raf looked around,
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