Glow - Chapter 3

Glow 

Chapter 3: Of Text messages and Sugared cookies

-          Rosa, you’re moving your leg. Don't just do that. It’s too stiff. – Ryan took a step back and ran a hand through his tousled hair. His eyes narrowed in concentration. A bead of sweat rolled down his eyebrow, into his eyes, and he blinked it away. – You need to be flexible. The secret here is your hips. Move them, not just your legs.

At his instruction, Rosa nodded curtly; her lips tightened in determination. She looked dishevelled. Her blonde hair was coming loose from her ponytail and falling around her face like a golden shawl. Sweat glistened on the back of her neck and beaded on her forehead. Her hoodie had been taken off due to the heat, leaving her in only a pink tank top and dark sweatpants, which were wrinkled and dust-stained from several hard falls. Rosa huffed and got down on the floor again. Her arms shook slightly from the pressure, but soon became steady when she started to move. A strain of blonde hair bounced against her cheek, but the girl was so engrossed in the moves that she didn’t even bother tucking it away.

-          There, you’re doing so much better. – A pleased hum escaped his throat when he watched the dancing girl. Stand up. Drop down. Swing her leg under her body. After a few hours, she had started to look much more natural with her movements. Ryan could not help feeling proud, thinking he played a part in her accomplishment. He sat down and leaned against the wall of the warehouse, allowing his legs a bit of rest.

Ryan used to think that Rosa was not a pretty girl. Her face still hung on to the childish roundness and her thin hair was always done up in a tight bun or braided stiffly down her back. She also wore braces, which gave her smile a strange predatory glint. Despite her unwelcoming appearance, however, the girl was nothing but bold and audacious. On the welcoming day, she was the only freshman to participate in the drama club’s play, as the main antagonist – the Evil Queen – no less. Ryan had been impressed with her ever since and, even though he loathed to admit it, thought Rosa was a bit… scary. But due to their one year difference, he didn’t have many reasons to think much about her. He didn’t expect their relationship to escalate so quickly from walking pass each other in the hallway to him tutoring her with dance lessons.

-          Yo!

Sea-green suddenly filled Ryan’s vision and a light scent of rose and green apple invaded his nostrils. He blinked and looked up. Rosa was leaning over him, the loose strain now hanging over her left eye. Instinctively, Ryan reached out and tucked it behind her ear. She made a small noise at the back of her throat but otherwise stayed still. Her eyes flickered with unknown emotions. For a while, they were frozen in place as if entranced by a spell. Ryan can hear his heart thundering against his chest. Then, Rosa laughed.

-          Oh wow. We should really cut down on the awkwardly staring now if we want to actually communicate. – The girl arched her eyebrows and shot him an amused smirk, towering in front of Ryan. She held out her hand and Ryan took it to pull himself up. Her hand was warm and small, fitting perfectly into his palm. He tried not to lament the feeling of loss when Rosa too soon moved away to pick up her jacket. Instead of putting it on, the girl only tied the fabric around her hips. She undid her hair and let it cascade down her back and over her shoulders. As if in a trance, Ryan found himself following the slight movement of the golden mane, his eyes glued to the strawberry-pink tips. A soft click from the door snapped him out of his reverie. Rosa had already left the place. From the opened door, he could see the setting sun sinking behind the trees, its last rays illuminating the cloud in a pinkish orange hue. A flock of bird spiralled across the sky, tiny black dots against the light background. A fresh breeze flowed into the room and caressed his skin. Somehow, Ryan found the scent of rose and apple still linger in the air. He had been staring at the door for a few seconds when his phone buzzed, signalling a text from Rosa:

“It was fun. Do you want to go to grab coffee sometimes? My treat. ;)”    

Ryan flopped down onto his bed and heaved a sign. He was utterly exhausted. One and a half month from finals and the teachers had already gone hectic with their homework and exams. It didn’t help that Daniel, his jerk of a tablemate, couldn’t shut his complaining mouth. God, he hated that guy. Ryan had spent the last period counting the time and as soon as the bell rang, he had made a beeline toward home and up to his bedroom. At least his bed was still there for him, always loyal and accepting. It was Friday, so he had the whole weekend ahead to regain his energy.

“How was your day?”

A “Ping!” signalled Rosa’s message and his face lit up along with the screen of his phone. He snatched the device from his nightstand and smiled at the text. The girl was such a grammar Nazi that even her texts had perfect grammar.  

“i swear to God, if i have to hear another whine from Dan ill freaking murder him.” 

Ryan replied, wishing that he could convey his pout into the short text. 

“Oh poor baby :D”

He could almost see her face, that infuriatingly patronizing smile, her braces reflecting the artificial light of her room. Oh heaven! That girl got more sass in her little finger than the whole cheerleading team. As amusing it was to watch her silencing attackers without breaking a sweat, Ryan absolutely did not want to be at the receiving end of her wit. Nevertheless, she always managed to cheer him up.    

“ ikr :’( i just really wanna sleep my life away TT^TT”

“You know, I was planning to invite you to picnic with me and the girls tomorrow. But if you’re too tired, maybe we should go alone. ;) ”

Ryan pouted. There was no way in the whole universe that the girl wasn’t smirking.

“savage”

“You know you love me. ;’)”

“oh really? why dont i know that”

“You’re lying to yourself ;))”

Ryan smiled at the text and their conversation strode on with the same playful banters. Slowly, Ryan found himself relaxed, all the tension seeping out of his body and leaving him in a comfortable numbness. Time seemed to fly and only when Rosa mentioned needing to wake up early the next day did he realised they had been talking for over two hours. 

“Sweet dream Ryan. Good boys should go to bed early :’) I’ll stop by your house at 8 tomorrow.”

Typing a “good night” for Rosa, Ryan put his phone on the table and fell asleep.

His phone binged one last time with a “Sleep tight” across the screen.

The next morning, Ryan woke up with the sound of someone viciously attacking his door bell. He groaned and rolled over, covering his ears with his pillow. Who the hell DARE to disturb his beauty sleep at this unholy hour?

Ring! Ring! Ring! The bell kept on ringing, jarring and relentless. Ryan signed and glanced at the clock. It was already 8 so his uncle was probably at work and he was the only one to answer the door. He signed, again, and got out of bed. As the boy grabbed his phone, it vibrated with a familiar “Ping!”

“Ryan Knightman! I give you 5 minutes. Open the door before I blow your house down. ”

Grinning, Ryan typed a quick “Yes, ma’am”. How could he forget? The thought of the picnic was all needed to shake him awake. After all, Rosa made the best pastries and Jenny was a brilliant cook. He jumped down the stairs, taking two steps at once, humming under his breath. Ryan could hear Rosa’s soft singing, her voice muffled through the walls. He opened the door with a smile.     

-          Morning, Rosa.

Rosa was leaning against his doorframe, her foot tapping lightly to the beat of the, strangely enough, punk rock song she was singing. Next to her was a picnic basket, from which he could very well smell the sweet scent of pastry and fruit. Upon hearing his voice, she turned around and eyed him from head to toe. Her nose scrunched up at his dishevelled appearance and she raised a warning finger:

-          Are you gonna come up dressed like that? It simply wouldn’t do to present yourself to three young ladies in such shabbiness. – Ross was using her British accent, which meant she was in her “queen” persona. Her back was straight and she looked down upon him from the tip of her nose in mock disdain. However, the curve of her phoenix blue-green eyes belied the sisterly fondness. Ryan suppressed a laugh and played along. He put one hand on his chest and took a bow:

-          My apology, Your Highness. Whatever shall I do to earn your forgiveness for such a terrible act of disgrace? 

                          

-          You can start by actually getting dressed. – The girl deadpanned. She was short from shoving Ryan inside and he willingly complied. – And hurry up! I don’t want to miss the bus.

As he rushed to his room for a change of clothes, he could see, out of the corner of his eyes, Rosa flopping onto his couch like she owned it. The girl looked nice today in her white sundress, which was adorned with big red roses. Her hair was let down, kept in place by a red sparkly hairband. She was also wearing makeup, which, albeit light, was unusual and gave Rosa’s face a rosy effect. Ryan shook his head and smiled at the pun.

-          Ryan! I know I’m pretty. Stop staring and hurry up!

It took them fifteen minutes on the bus to get to the park. As they get off the packed vehicle, the pair gulped in big intakes of fresh air to clear away the stench of human sweat lingering in their nostrils. However, before Ryan could fully appreciate the purifying gift of nature, Rosa had grabbed his wrist and pulled him along with a strength he never thought she possessed. The boy stumbled a bit but eventually steadied and followed her with alacrity. In no time, they had reached the centre of the park, where Rosa’s other friends – Jenny and Indiana – were waiting. Ryan liked the girls; they were nice and took him into their circle with opened arms when Rosa befriended him a month ago. But right now, seeing them sitting on a traditional red and white checker picnic mat and surrounded by dishes of sandwiches and cookies and sugared apples, Ryan decided that the girls were his most favourite people in the world.

-          Ryan, stop drooling! – Indiana, Inna for short, stood up and waved at them. A teasing smirk, which Ryan suspected she took after her blonde best friend, was on her lips. – Rosa! You’d better hurry up before Jenny eats all the cookies.

-          The last time I left the cookies unguarded, Jenny finished half the jar in five minutes. – Rosa retorted and quickened her pace. She threw a half-hearted look at the brunette. – Are they still there? Or do we have to go hungry today?

-          I did not! – Jenny pouted and crossed her arms across her chest. Ryan almost laughed at the look on her face, but quickly realised his mistake when the girl found a new target in him. Jenny glared at Ryan and jabbed her index finger at him accusingly. – What about Prince charming over there? Last week he ate all of Rosa’s donuts! All. Twelve. Of. Them.

The brunette’s protest could have been more effective if she didn’t have her left hand in the cookie jar and her right half-way to her mouth with another. Ryan grinned and stuck out his tongue at her.

-          That’s because I don’t want you to get obese, sweetheart. – Rosa, upon arriving at the picnic, laughed and ruffled her best friend’s hair. She proceeded to stole Jenny’s cookie, much to the girl’s dismay, and threw herself onto the grass, absentmindedly munching on the sweet. – Beside, that’s the first time I made donuts, I don’t want you to get poisoned.

-          How could you be so cruel to me, Your Highness? – Ryan gasped and put a hand on his forehead in mock distress. He let himself fall down next to Inna with a dramatic sign and the girls giggled at his antics.

Reaching for some brownies, he hummed as he bit into the soft pastry and the taste of chocolate and cream invaded his mouth. Rosa was always amazing with sugar and powder, and he adored her for that. Ryan leaned back and looked up at the clear blue sky. It was a sunny day, but the tree they were sitting under provided enough shade for it to be pleasant. Ryan’s attention zoomed into a spot of golden sunlight right next to his feet; the sound of the girls’ chatting lingered at the back of his mind. It was calming, and Ryan liked the feeling. At least he did, until Rosa jumped in front of him and practically threw a handful of leaves over his head.

-          You’re being all contemplative. – The girl grinned, testing the word on her tongue. – Contemplative, I like the sound of that. What’s on your mind?

-          I was just thinking. – Ryan looked at her and gathered up the most innocent look he could muster. He fluttered his eyelids like a flirtatious girl and smiled. – About how beautiful you ar… OUCH! Why did you hit me?

Ryan hugged his head and looked up at Rosa with big eyes and tried to imitate a kicked puppy. Rosa just gave him a “sorry not sorry” shrug and patted his hair.

-          Very funny babe. Now pay attention, we’re gonna sing.    

Ryan perked up immediately. He realised that Rosa had had her guitar out and Inna had already been sitting on her Cajon. As soon as the girls started to play and the soft, cheerful music permeated through the air, a crowd had gathered around them, drawn by Rosa’s high clear voice and Jenny’s soft, lower tone. And even though Ryan had heard them countless times, he could not help but smile.

The autumn wind spiralled down from the sky and the leaves rained down in a blur of green and yellow. Rosa reached out to catch some of the tiny leaves, cupping them in her opened palms. Bringing her hand closer, she blew and watched the leaves dance away.  The sky had turned orange and the white clouds were dyed golden by the slumbering sun. The park was quiet, most people having already gone home. The jarring noise of traffic on the streets only existed in a faraway dream, as if their small group were protected inside a big and shinning bubble.

-          You know, I think Jen and Inna would make a nice couple. – Rosa mused. They were sitting under a big tree in Green Park while Jenny and Inna were sprawling on the picnic mat. They had long since finished all the treats and sweets and the two girls had decided to relax and play cloud-gazing. Rosa had her head leaning against Ryan’s shoulder, their fingers intertwined. She smelled of strawberry and honey, a perfect combination for an autumn picnic. She was smiling, but there were longings in her look. She pulled the fruit basket closer and started to fidget with the few oranges and apples left inside.  

Ryan poked her in the rib.

-          Ah! – Rosa yelped. Ryan barely had the time to scoot away a few centimetres when the girl lunged at him and knocked him onto the grass. She smirked at him and he tried to suppress the chill running down his spine. She looked predatory, if not downright murderous. Her voice was soft and unnaturally sweet. – Ryan Frederick Knightman, do you have a death wish?

-          If I said yes, would you kill me? – Ryan grinned back, seemingly unafraid. His smugness, however, just earned him a hard jab by Rosa’s long, slender index finger. He jolted and tried to bolt, but was stopped by the girl’s iron grip. He let himself be pull backward and willingly fell down onto the grass. The plants tickled his back and clung to his hair and shirt, but he didn’t mind. Rosa pinned him to the ground and started to tickle him. He tried half-heartedly to roll away.

-          Honey, whatever you said, I’d kill you anyway. – Rosa grinned like a Cheshire cat. She put a finger on her chin, like she was deciding his punishment. – Now what should I do to you?

Ryan opened his mouth, even though he was not sure what he would say. Inna came to his – maybe? – rescue:

-          You two! Get a room!

Nope, Inna wasn’t helping him at all. Even Jenny, sweet Jenny, was also snickering. Ryan groaned and Rosa shot her friend a glare that could send children running. Though, Rosa’s distraction gave him the perfect opportunity to retaliate with another poke. The girl shrieked and turned toward him again. This time, she truly looked ready to kill.

-          Ryan! – She enunciated the syllables of his name, which made a part of him want to flee. But his more stubborn and suicidal self stood its ground. – You’re so dead.

Ryan barely had time to brace himself when Rosa’s fingers attacked his sides. Soon, they were engaged in a tickle fight. Ryan rolled around on the grass and tried to evade the offensive pokes. He could faintly hear Inna and Jenny laughing and cheering but didn’t pay them two pence of attention. He recalled the “get a room” comment and scoffed. If anyone should get a room, it was those two. He and Rosa were not the ones who acted all lovey-dovey in public. And now Rosa wasn’t making his moping any easier. How on Earth could he keep a scold on his face with the girl’s sweet torture? Ryan cringed at the thought: it sounded wrong, in so many ways.

Finally, Rosa stopped. Her hairband had come loose, hanging almost over her eyes, and her hair were a mess. Her face was pink from excitement and her breath was coming out in short huff. She seemed to be giggling uncontrollably, which was probably the reason she cut short her attack. It took her two whole minutes to calm down while Ryan, Inna and Jenny all gawked at her. The two girls muttered in chorus:

-          Why on Earth do we love her?