The other reality

“What do you do when a little girl comes up to you and tells you: ‘I have a super power. I’m a fairy. I can make all your dreams come true. All you need to do is share them with me ...?’”

“Well, what do you mean ‘what do you do?’ I smile kindly, nod along and move on.
Girls have these dreams. It’s not that uncommon. They would love to think they are princesses, or mermaids … and why not fairies, too?”

“And you’ll let her go? Just like that? Without even saying a word?”

“Of course! Kids can be very naïve sometimes; does that mean we have to pay attention to every single creative outburst of theirs?”

“But what if that girl really was a fairy?”

“Are you telling me you consider that an option? Like, at all?!”

“Well, why not? Why can’t kids be right, too?”

“Because there is no such thing as magic!! No wizards, no witches, no fairies! Nothing. They are fictional. Exist only in the fairy tales, the ones …”

“And what if we all live in a fairy tale and haven’t realized it yet? What if we all are fairies in our own way but don’t really believe it’s possible?”

“It isn’t!!!”

“But what if …”

“No ‘what if’! What has gotten into your mind? How can you even consider the words of a little girl being true? Kids dream. They don’t really think about their dreams; they are not familiar with the dimensions of reality, yet. I mean … please! A fairy!? And us … being a part of magic, too? Noo …”

“Would you believe me then, if I told you that I can reach the stars by the blink of my eyes; or that I can let the sunshine break through the thick blanket of clouds above us; or that I can make …”

“… me go crazy in the next couple of seconds, if you don’t stop acting so weird!?”

“I don’t get it! Why does it have to be weird? Only because we can’t accept it, doesn’t mean it’s not real. Magic is all around us. You can feel it, if you try hard enough … it’s right there, at your finger tips.”

“… I am done with this. Please, call me when this outburst of yours is over … long over! I can’t be your friend while you’re acting like this!!!”

“Good! Then maybe you can’t be my friend, at all. If you don’t believe in what I believe, then I guess our paths diverge, don’t you think? “

“What …?”

“Life is much more than just reality, you know. It’s about going out there and seeing the invisible. It’s about listening and being able to hear the silence … about dreaming and reaching out to the intangible. Don’t give me that look! I believe it’s true. No! I know it is!”

“But how ..?”

“I met a girl the other day. She told me … and I believed her. She was a fairy! “

The story of a ... story

He was used to living on his own. Of course, he did have a family but he preferred being a grown man. And it suited him. It suited him to be an individual … a face in the crowd of faceless. It suited him to be who he wanted to be. Himself.

He was 17 at that time but he didn’t act like a 17-year-old. He knew what life was, what real challenges are, how hard it is to be happy in a world where happiness comes not to the ones who really deserve it but to those who steal it from others. He was happy, though. He had a world to believe in … his world. But something was missing … Yes, you’re guessing right. It was her. His magic. His Big L … the girl of his dreams. He didn’t know who she is, who she’s supposed to be or whether there is one at all …

***

Her name was Alice. Her family had just moved into town; her dad - promoted, they couldn’t miss the opportunity … Alice didn’t want to leave her hometown and friends, and countless memories, but she had to. She was 16 and couldn’t simply break free from her parents and live on her own. I mean, she could, actually, but didn’t want to let her family down. She loved them to death and they loved her, too.

There was only one thing to do. She packed, said a painful “Goodbye” and left.

It didn’t take long – a 5-hour drive and there she was ...

***

It was a cold, rainy Monday. She was standing in front of her school, anxious to step in and start her new life. The bell rang and she saw herself forced to enter. She stepped over the threshold with a timid pace. Nobody paid attention to her. Nobody. Not even when she slipped on the wet floor on front of the ladies’ restroom; not even when she asked a girl for directions. Finally, she found her class. Again, no one was interested in her presence … at least not until the teacher introduced her to her classmates.

Then they all saw her. But not as part of the class - as an outcast … as a punching bag that they can throw their insults at. Alice was prepared but still couldn’t handle the pressure. Every day she would get back from school all sobby and miserable, not having the slightest desire to carry on. Hard … it was, but she never told her parents about it. She knew she could deal with her problems on her own. She just needed an escape and soon enough she found it. Nature! Is there really anything more beautiful and peaceful than it, she thought?

She started taking walks through the never-ending fields of the county, alienating herself from the world she wanted to be a part of but wasn’t really able to …

***

He loved being out in the open. He loved the stroke of the light fresh air upon his face and the smell of bloom in the air. He did. Nature was his home.

***

She remembered that day very well. It was already the third week of school and she had a tough day, even tougher than usual. She felt like running away, screaming, letting it all out. But she didn’t. She left the school building and went for a walk … a long one. Alice loved the feeling of being on her own, alone … with her own thoughts, away from the real world. Away – but not too far after all …

Right out of nowhere, sitting on a stone, the one that she’s passed so many times before, near the wooden hut, there was … him. Tall, pale and apparently older, he was simply sitting there, being with himself. Alice didn’t dare bother him. She turned around slowly and left. She wondered, though … who was he? Why was he all alone?

***

Minutes turned into days, days into weeks … Alice would take her walk every day only to end up the wooden hut and see him. He saw her, too - once ... twice, actually he could sense her presence every time but he didn’t take any actions. He wasn’t very shy but he always felt uneasy around girls. He didn’t know what to say to them. He just kept his world to himself and that was pretty much it.

***

Alice couldn’t stand being alone any more.

One day, after her 100^th walk to the hut, she felt brave enough to start a conversation with the mysterious guy. And she did.

As she thought, though, he was quiet most of the time so she was the one having to do most of the talking. She didn’t know what to say to make him interested in her words, her smile, her eyes, herself …

He would simply stare at his feet and mutter a word or two when necessary.

Alice couldn’t really understand him but she felt there was something special about him, there was a spark in his eyes that gave life and beauty to his hidden soul.

***

Again … time passed. They would meet, every day of the week to stare … and share a

little about each other, he started being more social but still afraid to reveal himself … But Alice had started to attach herself to him. There was no more this spark in his eyes; there was a burning flame there. Yes, there was. His words were not simply mumbled sounds any more - they were feelings caressing her soul. Maybe it was all in her mind but still … it was there. And yet, none of them wanted to make the first step … the step to becoming friends, true ones …

***

It was a cloudy Friday afternoon. Alice really couldn't stand school any more. She needed to talk to someone, to him … preferably. She set out for a walk. The weather was getting colder, the sky - darker, the wind – stronger. She didn’t care, though – her thoughts were somewhere else … they were by the wooden hut, in the presence of the one who would understand … or would he?

She reached the spot. She was hardly catching her breath. She didn’t even realize she’d run the last 100 meters.

He was there again. He looked more beautiful than ever, or at least she thought so. He granted her a look … a long one, full of kindness and warmth. Still, he was the same quiet guy, but she managed to change him and make him look for the missing part of the puzzle in his life.

Alice sat on the grass next to him. Her hands were shivering with cold. The wind has gotten even stronger; her body gradually started to freeze. She couldn’t control the shaking of her limbs any more … and yet, she didn’t want him to notice. But he did. He took off his jacket and placed it kindly around her shoulders. A gentleman, he was, no doubt about him, but he didn’t say a word … not one. Nobody could actually know what was going through his mind at that moment in time. Nor could he. Confusion. Anxiety. A rollercoaster of emotions.

Alice was struggling, too. But not with the cold, not any more …

She turned her head to him. He did, too. They locked eyes for a moment, two, three. They seemed to have enter a new reality, a reality of blissful oblivion …

Alice raised hand from under the black jacket and kindly placed it on his cheek. He didn’t move, not even for a second … She moved closer to him. His eyes followed every movement of hers. Her hand now stroked his chest … calmly, just like the wind caresses the smooth surface of the lake, giving birth to a number of tiny waves – this time the chills going through his body.

Alice got even closer. She could feel his warm breath now. She liked it, she felt as though this moment was meant to be – all this time. He stood there completely still. He didn’t know what to do but one thing was for sure – he did not want to leave. He was captivated by her beauty and kindness, her magic. A chill of excitement went through his body. He gazed into her eyes, wanting to drown in them, to be swallowed by their depth …

Alice pulled him closer. Their faces were centimeters away from each other. She closed her eyes slowly, took a breath and placed her soft lips on his. She could feel him relax and giving in to the magic of the kiss …

They parted. Alice looked up at him. His eyes were still closed. He was still tangled in the storm of emotions. He put his arms around her, held her tight and felt every part of her as being his own. Alice took a deep breath and looked him in the eyes. She was smiling. There wasn’t a trace of that sad girl moments ago. Her prince was there. The prince with no name but the one - the one to hold her in his arms, to dream with her … the one to love her.

Him

Там ...

Беше преди години, когато за първи път видях онова момиче … с дългите руси къдрици, блестящите сини очи и меката, топла руменина по лицето.
Отдавна беше, когато усетих допира й до един вълшебен свят – свят, изпълнен с красота и невинност.
Да, в миналото беше, когато в погледа й се отразяваше магията й … магията на Любовта.
А ти … ти беше избраникът. Тя теб обичаше. Толкова силно. Теб и никого друг.

Помня аз деня, в който тя ти сподели.
В лятната си рокличка на цветя, тя се спря пред вратата ти, огледа се разтревожено, прокара разтреперана ръка през косата си и почука. Ти отвори. Изненада се да я видиш, но не приятно. Не я покани да влезе, а я остави да ти обясни всичко … пред прага. Грубо, както винаги.
Смути се. Не знаеше откъде да започне, а толкова пъти беше репетирала този момент в съзнанието си. Гласът й стана несигурен, а очите и се напълниха със сълзи. Ти стоеше пред нея, готов да затвориш вратата при първа възможност.

- Аз … - пророни тя. - … искам само да ти кажа …

Сълзите я задавиха. Трудно й беше да продължи, но тя опита:

- Виж, отдавна се опитвам да ти кажа, че … много те харесвам и …
- И какво от това?! Малка си за мен! – прекъсна я ти. – Аз съм вече на десет, а ти … с твоята рокличка на цветя …

Грубо, отново. Този път я разплака … така, че да го запомни.

Много време мина оттогава. Споменът за теб е още жив, но не е толкова ярък. Хората се променят, менят се и техните чувства. Тя си намери своя любим … не, не ти … намери го в човек, който наистина я оценява. Ти си минало.

Видях я вчера. Облечена беше с дълга лятна рокля … на цветя. Нищо, че не беше вече на пет. Цветята и отиваха. Бяха красиви също като нея. Излезе от вкъщи и подмина твоята врата. Дори не се обърна. Теб обаче нещо те опари … много добре знам, не се прави на учуден – видях, че беше залепил нос за прозореца. Поглед не можеше да отделиш от нея. Но късно е вече. Тя е с друг … и е щастлива.

Видях пламъка в очите й. Подобен на онзи от преди години, но по-ярък, по-силен, по-пленяващ.
Видях усмивката на лицето й.
Видях руменината, доволно разлята по скулите й.
Видях я.
Ще я видя и утре. И другиден. Ще е там и след години.

Там … в светлото, бездънно огледало.