I'll Stay There Forever

Ten- year old Violet’s foot slips on the supporting bark from the tree as she climbs hurriedly.

            “Hey! Be careful there V!” Exclaims Ethan as he sprints toward her, grinning. Violet giggles at his warning,

            “You’re the glob monster Ethan! You’re supposed to tag me, like this!” Violet reaches toward her back and loses her balance accidentally. She tumbled down the petite hill and toppled over Ethan’s feet laughing on the way.

            Ethan looks down at her for a second and smiles at her giggling face. Violet stopped and studied his gleaming grin and his soft golden blonde hair. He crouched down to her as Ethan could feel the tingling feeling of her breath lingering near his neck.

            “You can be so clumsy sometimes! C’mon, get up before you hurt yourself even more V.”

            Ethan says with a smile as he raises Violet up from her waist, holding her close as she gets her feet under her.       

Violet replies, “I’m not clumsy, I’m fun! Let’s do that again!” She said in an energized tone.

            Ethan made a dismissing sound and pushed the thought away, “tsh, you can’t take anything seriously.” Ethan crouched over Violet and began tickling her stomach as Violet laughed wildly.

            They both toppled on top of each other laughing as Violets red auburn hair was tangled in Ethan’s fingers.  She playfully tried attacking him for Violet was extremely ticklish. When they were both calming down, they laid down on the cool prickly grass, breathing heavily head to head.

            Violet finally spoke after a quiet moment, “Ethan?”

            “Hm?” He replied back calmly with his eyes closed still resting.

            “Can you tell me a story? You’re a great storyteller.” Violet asked sweetly. Ethan thought for a while and accepted. “Sure V.”

            Ethan always wanted to be a writer or storyteller, his mom told him bed time stories that he still remembered. Ethan wanted to fulfill all her hard work and someday become a successful writer too.

            He carefully sat up and propped Violets head on his lap.

“Let’s pick up on the great adventure of Winnie- the �" Pooh.” Ethan said happily. Violet groaned.

            “Uggghh, I’m not five Ethan. Winnie- the Pooh is for little kids!”

            “Well, you are a whole year younger than me little V, which probably doesn’t make too much of a difference but you’re still young. Anyway the ending is great, so listen.” Ethan quietly shushed her as Violet sneaked in a soft giggle.

            “So after the long event filled journey to get Christopher Robin, Pooh and all his friends gathered in the center of One Hundred Acre Wood for a cool night bonfire. They were all laughing, sharing and eating together happily. Piglet thought he couldn’t be happier with his friends by his side and their success of finally finding Christopher Robin.

            Even Eeyore found his joy too; Rabbit knitted him a nice warm sweater for the cold night by the fire. Also, Rabbit finally found some roaster sticks and marshmallows for everyone to share.” Ethan paused when Violet spoke up.

            “They all sound so happy. Will they ever stay like that?” Violet asked curiously. Ethan hesitated for a moment; of course happy endings were nearly impossible for everyone as his mom said, but he didn’t want to disappoint or scare off Violet.

Violet saw the uncertain look in Ethan’s eyes and looked down, but he quickly recovered and went back to the story.

“Well, after the gathering, Pooh found Christopher Robin on the branch of the big tree looking up to the stars. Pooh climbed up next to him then.

‘Pooh bear, what if there came a day when we were apart?’ Christopher asked.

‘As long as we’re apart together, we’ll be fine. But if we never met I would simply be very lost and weak with no one to guide me’ Pooh replied as he caught a flickering firefly. Christopher came up to Pooh.

‘If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remember. You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you.’ He replied.”

That was Violet’s favorite quote in the story. She grinned and relaxed her head deeper into Ethan as he wrapped his arms around her. He then continued.

“Pooh smiled, ‘I’m glad we will always be together Christopher Robin.’ They both then leaned in and gave each other a huge hug, promising they will never be apart as long as they live.

When they both went back to the bonfire Piglet went over to Pooh and handed him a roaster stick.

‘We'll all be Friends forever, won't we, Pooh?' asked Piglet.
‘Even longer,' Pooh answered.” When Ethan ended the story Violet looked up at him.

“We’ll be like that too Ethan.” She said as Violet was fidgeting with Ethan’s fingers, “Forever. Right?”

Ethan looked straight in her emerald green eyes with a crooked smile creeping up. He got up and plucked a fresh daisy from the ground.

“As they say from Winnie- the- Pooh, ‘If there ever comes a day when we can't be together keep me in your heart,” Ethan went down on one knee and handed the daisy to Violet gracefully. “And I'll stay there forever’,” Ethan replied happily.

            Violet accepted it surprised. She looked up to Ethan and flashed the sweetest smile she could ever give. Ethan was her best friend even if he was only a year older; she never wanted to be separated from him.

                       *          *          *

            Tyler was glowered down at his little cousin Violet and Ethan laughing through the kitchen Window. He had always been too hard- headed or as Violet said ‘annoyingly over- protective’, but he loved Violet and was willing to protect her from anything.

Tyler was in 6^th grade, a year older than Violet but in the same grade as Ethan. Tyler was decently handsome with his brown roots, slight blonde hair, and his body build.

When Violet first introduced Ethan to him in 3^rd Grade, Tyler was bitterly unwelcoming. Yeah, it was cruel to treat one of her friends like a street rat, but that was always the case with Ethan even if they were only friends, and even if Tyler was only Violet’s cousin.

            And then there was David, Tyler’s fraternal twin brother. Since they were born, they have always been bipolar. When Tyler was broad and muscled, David was loose and lanky. When Tyler played lacrosse or baseball with his friends, David was always studying in his room. When Tyler liked Chocolate ice cream with extra sprinkles, David chose fat and gluten- free custard.

            Of course Tyler loved David and always stood up for him; David couldn’t help but be different to everyone else in school. Tyler was always the one to protect Violet and David; Family and honor was always his pride.

            He finally finished the dishes in front of the window and headed towards David’s room.

                       *          *          *

            “Really? A stupid rat? Ha, no ones a more biggest loser then you Dork!”

            David stared at the comment aching to correct his grammar but decided not to as it would make him feel even weaker.

            A few weeks ago, David heard some of the Kids in the other 6^th grade class get a Facebook, even though they had to be a little older.  He thought getting an account too could help him make friends and boost up his self- esteem, but it just felt like it was getting worse.

David only had one friend ever since and that was in 2^nd Grade, Jeremiah Cheng, but of course Tyler scared him off. Tyler wasn’t the real problem; David thought his own personality scared him off naturally. Or his looks, brown swept up hair, a small body frame, and black glass frames wasn’t the most attractive look on the block.

            Yesterday he posted a picture of his new pet rat eating a piece of cheese.

            “No one cares about your little punk rat! Get out of this place David!” David swallowed the big gulp in his throat.

            Through his bedroom door, Tyler stormed in. David quickly recollected himself and switched the computer tab because neither Tyler nor his parents know anything.

            “You know, I’m actually thinking of installing a better lock on that door myself replacing that crappy one.” David said bitterly.

            “Well sorry of disturbing you from… well, with whatever you do nowadays.” Tyler replied as he noisily munched on his crumbly cookie and sat down to the chair near the window.

            David pushed his glasses up higher and observed Tyler suspiciously watching outside through his bedroom window.  He followed his gaze and asked, “What are you looking at outside?” David spotted Violet and Ethan playing around in the open field near the huge Cherry blossom tree. They look so happy and blissful, David thought.

David never had a doubt that Violet was going to be great friends with Ethan ever since she introduced him to him. Ethan wasn’t in David’s class but he treated David differently opposing to the others. He was respectful, considerate, and comforting towards David. In fact, David couldn’t pick a better guy for Violet to hang out with. He could easily tell that Ethan loved her, even though they were still young. Sadly, Tyler disagreed to their whole relationship bitterly.

            Tyler narrowed his eyes at them and said darkly,” I’m getting really sick of that kid. I don’t care if he’s Violets friend, he’ll always be on my bad side. If he makes even one sign of bad news, I’m going to pound Eden down.”

            “It’s Ethan,” David said flatly.

            He replied and gave him an incredulous look, “Whatever.” David tried to act defensive.

            “I don’t think you should bother Ethan and Violet, I mean look at them they look so sweet together. Like two peas in a pod.” David said as he motioned toward the field.

            Tyler looked up at David with the ‘you-did-not-just-say-that’ look.

            “First,” Tyler replied sorely, “Ethan is a whole grade older than little Violet which I really don’t like at all and he’s in the other class in the school which is much worse.”

            Tyler always addressed Violet as ‘little Violet’ as a sign of caring endearment towards her age. David found that cute.

            “Second,” He continued, “He is the best friend of Daniel King, the huge trouble maker of the town! Tell me if that sounds right!”

            David made a dismissing sound and flopped onto his computer chair,”ha, that was in 3^rd grade Tyler, Ethan is way passed that trouble stuff now, but you can’t blame him for at least just being friends with Daniel.” He didn’t know why he was defending Daniel since he was one of the kids that constantly bullied him.

            Tyler studied David’s face carefully, trying to find something in there.

            “Why are you defending Ethan and Violet like that? Daniel’s a giant jerk, which makes Ethan-“Tyler stopped abruptly when he saw something suspicious on David’s computer. David quickly noticed his skeptical gaze and quickly made a cover.

            “Tyler! Look, there’s a rat in the corner!” As Tyler swerved his head around alarmed, David quickly changed the tab on his laptop from Facebook and returned to his original position.

            Tyler turned back around cautiously still looking, “I don’t see anything.” He eyed David even more curiously. David stuttered nervously.

            “That’s because- um- it- uh, ran into the hall right out there!” He pointed to the hallway outside his bedroom door hoping to lead Tyler out. Tyler surprisingly went out the door and crouched down trying to spot a rat.

            “David I don’t see anything, what are you up-“As Tyler was halfway around David slammed the door in his face quite too loud and insisting.

            “Sorry Tyler! I just don’t want the mouse getting in here again; tell me when you catch it!” David yelled through the door. He felt Tyler walk away slowly whispering something about ‘weird brother’ and ‘I thought it was a rat’.

David got over his lame rat excuse as a cover and apologized to Tyler in his mind. He calmly went over to his computer and Facebook account. David received fifteen notifications and looked over all of them, not knowing what to expect.

            “You’re such a nerd David!”

            “No one cares about you or your pets ,you dork!!! :p”

            “Move somewhere else loser and get out of our f*** faces!

            David couldn’t move for a moment. The comments were all from the other class. He dropped his head down to his fists as tears crawled out of his eyes and started falling. Falling like dew from a grass blade