May It Be Forever

Description:

Like any leaf, I am fragile, light, and dependent. But, like all people, I have someone to help me, and with that, I have the wind as a friend who helps me and takes me to extraordinary places or even to dark places. Even with that, it somehow takes me away from here, and for that, I thank the wind. Thank you, wind.

Preface

I was in front of the school gate, waiting for my father. But to my surprise, it was my mother who came.

I stared at the car stopped in front of me and wanted to get in the back seat, even though I was still only nine years old. I sat down in the back seat and resigned myself to it.

My mother was a person I loved beyond any doubt. I knew her very well, and that day she was strange.

"Mom?" I asked worriedly.

She just smiled and started the car.

It was very strange, I felt a bad feeling.

We arrived, she turned off the car and turned around so that we were face to face, she smiled again and in her eyes I could see her despair growing.

"Mom?" I said again, hoping she would say something, what was going on. She finally opened her mouth, but was interrupted by my father desperately tapping on the car window.

+++

It was almost midnight and I still couldn't sleep, thinking about the next full day.

First: it would be my birthday, on January 7. Second: classes would start in a week at the most. I would face the unknown again. It was torture, every year, the same story. My sixteen years would be no different than my fifteen. Everything would be the same as it was last year.

I had been losing hope for good changes since I was nine years old. I always believed that the coming year would be a year of new discoveries, new people, new challenges, but in reality everything remained the same.

My mother, as always, was in her beauty salon, and my father, in his lovely restaurant that he had managed, it was already four years of attachment to this restaurant. And me as always at home. All my father and mother had accomplished with their new favorite jobs was to remodel the house and buy a second-hand car, a Toyota Tercel.

"Dad, I didn't need a present," I said a bit clumsily.

"Your father just wanted to give you a present, dear," my mother said in a sweet voice.

He handed me a small box and in it was a black camera.

"It's wonderful! Thank you, Dad."

"I'm glad you like it, dear. Now your mother will give you the other one."

"Another one? And you have another one?"

"Of course, not as valuable as your father's, but it will serve you well. An album. An album for you to keep every beautiful memory of your life, after all, it is the beginning of the year. Anything can happen!"

"Thank you, Mom. Thank you, Dad."

I ate my breakfast care-free, already calmer. My parents left as soon as they finished breakfast. I made lunch and cleaned the house; I almost fell down the stairs when I was washing it. I also washed the porch, and after I had cleaned the whole house, I went to take a shower. I brushed my hair, which was already in need, and brushed my teeth, quickly changed my clothes, and combed my disheveled hair.

I went to the keychain in the living room and got the key to the Toyota Tercel. I was eager to go to the supermarket and stop at the restaurant before returning home. It was almost noon, so I hurried to the supermarket before it closed. I started the car's engine and headed for the nearest market.

My wet hair was dripping on my jeans. In front of the market, I turned off the car's engine, took the money, and got out.

The black-haired girl smiled at me from beside a huge car, a black Land Rover glistening in the bright sun. I quickly returned the smile. The young-looking girl was accompanied by a handsome young man with curly golden hair, white skin and emerald green eyes. I was a little intimidated to see that he was staring at me with a serious and impassive expression, but I lifted my head and went on my way to enter the market.

I bought everything I needed for lunch the next day and on the way home, I passed my father's restaurant again.

"Hi, honey. What's up? Do you want something to eat?"

"No, Dad. I already made my lunch. I just came by to say hello."

"Is everything really okay?" he wanted to know.

"Yes. Bye!"

"Emilly!" he called.

"Yes?"

"Be careful."

"Okay, Dad. It's okay, Dad."

I was sometimes strangely suspicious of my parents. They seemed to be hiding something. It was a very strange feeling.

I started the car and drove towards my house, driving at full speed. I turned on the radio, and a cool song that I knew started playing.

I got excited and started singing it really loud. The next thing I knew, I lost control of the steering wheel and saw a person standing in the middle of the road. But it was too late. My conscience didn't remind me to hit the brake.

"Oh my God!" I screamed in desperation, managing to step on the brakes after I had already run over the stranger.

I rushed out of the car and went to look, fearful.

"Then..." the boy complained.

Wow, thank God he was alive!

"Oh my God! Are you okay?" I asked him.

"I'm fine. As long as you just ran me over!" He tried to get up.

"Hold on, I'll help you," I said.

"No, thanks! There! My arm! Thank you so much for running me over!" he said sarcastically.

"Who told you to stand in the middle of the road?" I asked, annoyed.

"I just wanted to make sure it was really you. I thought you were..." he trailed off.

"Huh?! What?! You hit your head," I said, confused.

"You have to take me to your house," he said.

"What?! You're a stranger!" I exclaimed.

"No, I'm not."

"You don't even know who I am, or my family, and I certainly don't know who you are!" I retorted.

He looked at me with his tired and bleeding face and smiled ironically.

"Why are you looking at me like that? You're weird."

"I know who your parents are. The brave and protective Samuel Graham, your father, and the brave Gabrielle Charlotte Graham, your mother," he said.

I rolled my eyes. How did he know? This was absolutely strange. But the "brave and protective" part was really weird.

"Call your parents and tell them I'm here. Tell them you're a member of the O.S. Secret Organization," he instructed.

I asked, I was afraid to call, but I wanted to.

"What the hell," I exclaimed in my mind.

"But first, let's go to the car," he said. "I don't want to burn in the middle of the day!"

I helped him into the car with great effort because he kept backing away. I took a piece of cloth that was there and handed it to him to wipe the blood from his face.

"Who are you anyway?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Guilherme Haskell, nice to meet you, Miss Emilly Graham."

I swallowed hard.

Miss? Who wears that in the twenty-first century?

I snorted.

"You mentioned a secret organization a few minutes ago. What organization is that?" I asked.

"Call your parents first, and then I'll tell you everything you want to know," he replied.

"I don't have to do anything!" I retorted.

"Emilly, you're in danger. Every minute Adam and Cristina have more information about you!"

"Who are Adam and Cristina?" I asked.

"You ask too many questions," he replied with irritation.

"And you don't answer any of my questions," I shot back.

"Emilly, please call your parents. Call them," he pleaded.

"Alright, fine!" I said, frustrated.

"What an idiot he was," I thought to myself.

With great fear, I grabbed my cell phone and called my mother, who was at the beauty salon. It was crazy that a total stranger knew her name and the names of her parents. He could be a kidnapper! Oh, my God!

What a crazy, stupid thing I'm doing! Emi, are you stupid? You're crazy, you must be!

"Hello? Mom? Mom, please don't panic. It's just that there is a boy here with me who says he knows you and Dad. He even knows your name and Dad's name too. He says I'm in danger. Please, can you explain what's going on, for God's sake?"

"Sweetheart, don't be scared. He, this boy, Guilherme, isn't he? He is your guardian, daughter. Your father and I will explain everything to you when we get home. For now, stay with Guilherme. Take him home, do you understand? Don't leave him!"

"She hung up," I said, looking at him dumbfounded. "But what?"

"This is Minas Gerais, isn't it?"

"Of course, it is! What a stupid question!"

He lowered his head, now sad.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I had forgotten. So much time living in a secret society, one forgets about the outside world..."

His words rang true.

"No, it's... It's all right. I'm the one who should apologize. I ran you over, didn't I?"

I smiled a little.

"That's all right. After all, I'm quite resilient. I'm strong!"

You could tell from miles away: the boy looked like Huck! He was so muscular and so tall. I am short, so I have to stand on a stool to reach the top shelf. I turned the key, and we went to my house. Again, I helped him. He put his right arm around my shoulders and leaned on me a little. I wondered what the neighbors would make of this scene. The lady on 1875 in front of my house would surely wonder, 'What is this girl doing with this unknown boy?'

"There we are! We're here," I said as I opened the door.

"Your house is very nice, Emilly," he said.

"Thank you. Now I'm going to take you to the sofa. Just stay on the sofa. Don't you dare touch anything, understand?"

I helped him sit down, but he still ignored me and sat by himself.

"Thank you, Emilly, but I can sit by myself. Hmm, I wonder if you could get me some water. I'm thirsty," he said.

"Sure. I can also prepare a hamburger for you if you're hungry. But first, I think you need a shower. It will be good for your cuts. Then, I'll prepare some bandages, okay?" I replied.

Why the hell did I offer you a hamburger and a bath?! So much stupidity for just one person, huh, Emi?" I said to myself.

I was really very suspicious of the situation. I should keep an eye on him and not take my field of vision away from his presence, but my hunger spoke louder.

"Could be. Where is the bathroom?" he asked.

"There are two upstairs, but I think you'd better use the one in the living room so you don't have to go up the stairs. Come on, I'll help you," I replied.

We walked slowly to the bathroom, and he finally accepted my help.

I ran to my dad's room and got some clean clothes, hoping they would fit him. I placed them on the sofa and shouted, "Let me know when you're done, and I'll give you some clean clothes!"

"Alright," he responded.

I rushed outside to the car and grabbed the ingredients for my lunch the next day. In the fridge, I already had some macaroni made, so I heated it up in the microwave. Then, I put two large hamburgers in the frying pan and started to cook them. After finishing one side, I flipped them over, until I heard Guilherme voice.

"Emilly!" he called out.

I quickly ran to him.

"Are you ready?" I asked him as we approached the bathroom door.

"No, take my cell phone, please. I don't want it to get wet," he said.

"Okay, sure," I replied.

I closed my eyes as he handed me his wet phone. I took it carefully and felt the wetness on my hand. Once I had it, he went inside the bathroom and shut the door. I opened my eyes and saw that the phone was slightly wet, so I wiped it dry with my shirt. Suddenly, I smelled something burning.

"Oh no, the hamburgers!"

I quickly went to the kitchen and turned off the stove. The microwave had already stopped, and I took out the macaroni that smelled good. However, one side of the hamburger was totally burnt. I wondered, "How could it burn so quickly? It wasn't even two minutes after I left the kitchen."

I opened the refrigerator and drank two glasses of water. Then, I sat down and took a deep breath. What was this madness? What secret had my mother and father been hiding from me all this time? I just wanted to sleep and wake up to see that everything was just a nightmare or a dream, or whatever! But it wasn't.

"Emilly!"

I handed him the clean clothes, and they fit him well.

"They fit," he said, smiling.

I smiled too. I didn't even know it, but I trusted this total stranger.

"Shall we have lunch?" I said.

"Only now, I'm very hungry, but first, I want to drink some water."

I gave him some, and he drank five glasses of water. He was really thirsty.

"I said I was thirsty." He took one last sip and put the glass on the counter.

I put the macaroni on a plate for him and one for me. It was still hot and smoking a little bit.

"Do you like music?" he asked.

I raised my eyes, and he gazed at me for a while. After a moment, I noticed that a noodle was hanging out of my mouth, and I quickly swallowed it.

I took a deep breath. "Sure," I finally said. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason. At least you have good taste. The girls in the community don't really listen to it, but they like to dance to it."

"Tell me a little about this so-called community."

"You really want to know? Then I'll tell you, okay?"

"Sure, go ahead," I replied."

(I hope you enjoy it and that you keep reading. You can give your opinion about the story so I can improve it. Kisses and stay with God.)

Guilherme started telling me about the community and the O.S. He also mentioned that there was a counter organization, which was kind of against the O.S. of good. He said that I had blue blood, and that my surname Graham was from an English royal family. The "boss" of the Reverse O.S. was named Richard, and his partner was Zoe. The reason why Richard wanted to kill me had been passed down from generation to generation. When Richard's father was alive, he looked for my mother, and when Richard's grandfather was alive, he looked for my grandmother, and so on. This search was old. I was totally lost and confused by all of Guilherme's talk.

"Ouch!" he suddenly grumbled.

I noticed that his wounds were bleeding. I had forgotten to clean and bandage them.

"Hold on, I'll just get my mother's first aid kit from the kitchen."

I swabbed the cotton with alcohol to disinfect them.

"Ouch, Emilly!"