Alex was smiling. It was the first time in a year that he was smiling and running to the door. A few boxes were piled up at the door but he just leaped over them and ran straight into Aunt Jennifer.
"Take your time." An odd reply from her but Alex never minded. It was his birthday and The Cheesecake Factory was were Calista was waiting.
She had promised to buy him some cheesecake for his birthday because last year she was broke and couldn’t do much. He ran through the woods and came out into an open plaza. The square was bustling with people and he ran down to the restaurant. Calista smiled at him and led him to a table where she had two cheese cakes sitting out.
“Thank you so much but you didn’t have to do this for me. I know it’s costing you a lot.” Alex said as he took a bite of his dessert.
“I feel guilty about last year so just suck it up and eat your favorite food.” She laughed. He noticed her violin was next to her.
“You fell asleep while practicing didn’t you.” He gave her a look then smiled again.
“Yeah but I thought it was pretty stupid of me so I told my sister over text that I wasn’t coming home last night.”
“Oh well. I guess as long as they knew what you were doing.”
“Yeah… There was this guy though, really tall, umm…. Oh! It was that café shop owner! Yeah he had wondered to where I was going to practice and wouldn’t go away unless he dubbed me ‘the girl of the rumors’ so do you know what I did?”
“What?”
“Bullcrap, I played a hard peace but I didn’t put any heart into it. He left after that.”
“Genius...”
“Right?! I had to wait a while till I started playing again.”
“Good call.”
“You are in love with that cake aren’t you?”
“Yep, but at least I am not like other people and actually listened.” He finished off the last bite and looked up at her. “Was yours too much?”
“No I’m saving the rest for Salvia. Sorry I have to babysit so I won’t be here all day. After this I have to leave and then I get to come back. Margret is going to take over.”
“Because the last time you took Salvia and Lafi out to play, you forgot about them and started to aimlessly walk around. You started to daydream where you were standing but she caught up to you. You really are the Wanderer.” Alex gave a sly look as he laid his head on his arms and looked up at her.
“Maybe, but just because I tend to wander doesn’t mean I’m lost.” Calista laughed then got up from her seat. Her cheesecake had been boxed already and she was ready to go. Alex jumped to his feet. “Don’t worry I paid for it ahead of time. Let’s go, or do you want to stay here when It’s starting to snow?”
“Snow?” Alex ran to the door and peered out of the glass. ‘It’s snowing! Come on Calista!” He was smiling so widely. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the Cheesecake factory and ran out into the plaza. He seemed to dance like a little child and then he looked back at Calista. “Isn’t this great?!”
He looked back at the falling snow that was landing on her hair. She lifted her head from the comfort of her scarf and smiled back at him. “It’s the greatest thing, especially since it’s your birthday.”
“Hey I’m only 15! I’m gonna have more!” Alex released her hand and watched as she turned her back to go. The smile faded from his lips.
“I hope so.” With that she was gone.
Alex stood there listening to the silence of the plaza. It was frustrating knowing that there was all the noise around him but he could hear it. That was all he heard besides the beating of his heart.
“Later we will meet up.” He thought in his mind as he headed back towards the woods. At that moment he saw Robin and a strange girl talking by the frozen pond, which he has to walk by to get to his house.
He approached them with a smile, “Hello, Pleasant weather today, if I do say so myself, I’ve always liked the cold.”