Where Rivers Come From

Once they had eaten, Zyra and Lance went back inside. Something about biology notes. Conan thought it was weird, but he did not mind. Sassara and him were left alone to walk around the playground.

The school yard was vast. Much larger than the building. Plenty of trees, grass, and bushes where students hid when they played hide and seek. Guys played football on the large cemented area. 

Alright. Heads first then.

“Still. My jaw dropped when I saw you in front of the hall,” Conan said.

“Me too. But I was sure it was you. With that same surprised look. But you were much redder last time.” 

Conan chuckled. "Yeah, that's for sure."

"Also, how come you were on vacation there?"

"My father has a house up on a hill."

"Us too! How come I never saw you before?"

“Never went before. Just family things. Nothing important.”

“Oh,” she said. “Fair enough." A pause. "The boogie is still with us you know?”

“That’s great to hear, I went through a lot of trouble to get it.”

“I know, I saw you.” She smirked. "I'll have to return the favour somehow."

His steps felt lighter, like he lost a pound or two. Metabolism? Doubtful. "Now that would be interesting."

Yet, as Conan focused again on her face, he realised her slanted eyes were droopy.

“What’s wrong,” he asked.

“Nothing.”

He stopped. “Listen. Back in the lunchroom, you seemed a little weird when we brought up judo.” She doesn’t answer. She sure couldn’t hide the wrinkles on her forehead.

“Unfrown your brows.”

“Unfrown what?”

"Sorry. I'm just going to..." He smoothed out her forehead with his two thumbs.

“Unfrown, your frown,” he said, hands on the sides of her head. And he started walking again so he did not focus on his fingers.

She touched her forehead. "Thank you." She opened her mouth. Closed it. Did that a couple of times. Her lips thin.

"You look like a panicked fish with that mouth of yours." She laughed. "Yeah. Just like the panicked bougie I caught at sea."

"Well. I am the boogie girl you know?"

"You are. And I want to be your friend, Boogie. So stop stressing."

She nodded. Her eyes lost themselves on the playground where the boys played football.

“I started judo, because my parents thought it was important.”

Supersets my ass.

“For self-defence? That was very wise of them," he said.

“Yeah, they’re great parents. And I needed some aggressivity too. I was always quite sensitive, struggling to say no, that kind of stuff. You know?”

Conan nodded. "I know." He waited

“Anyway. I liked it, but I never stuck to it." She paused. "And then, last year I started going out with my ex. He was crazy about judo. Wanted to be a judoka, and go to the Olympics."

"Oh wow."

"Anyway. He was determined, and he went to judo all the time. As his girlfriend I became one of his training buddy." She paused, and chuckled. "But he was also impatient, the angry-sort of guy. And if you fight when you’re angry, then that can be bumpy. You know?"

Ah.

"Yeah."

"Yeah. Well I ended it after some time. For many reasons. But our school was small, like this one. He was bitter. I couldn't stand it, I lost my footing, and I failed my exams. " She paused. "You know, I was supposed to come here initially. This is where I've lived. But the spots filled up. So I went to Aix.

"So you were alone in Aix when that happened? It must have been tough."

She shrugged, and cleared her throat. "I apologise for lying earlier."

"Don't apologise, please. I'm sorry. I didn't want to intrude or-"

"No, no. Not at all. I'm glad I told you." She gazed at the groups of students playing in the large playground. A chuckle. "Thank God I was able to come here."

And while she gazed at the children, Conan gazed at her.

Me too.

Her turn. "Why are you so passionate about judo?”

“I always enjoyed it. It’s where I had the most fun as a child. My life at home wasn't the merriest.”

“Hmh,” Sassara said with a nod. He waited for him to continue.

Dang it.

So he sat down in the grass, and she followed. Their knees were close to each other. “Emilio is both a traditional man, and a freak."

"Emilio?"

"My dad. I call him by his first name. That's part of his traditional side"

"Do you call your mom by her first name?"

"I do, her name is Fiona. They're divorced now, but I just got used to it."

 "Ah, fair enough." She paused, unsure how to proceed "And...Emilio's freak side?"

"Well first of, Emilio is a genius. Literally. So when I was a kid, he made me take an IQ test. I read slowly on purpose so I'd underperform."

"Because if you performed well, he would feel threatened?"

"He'd see me as competition. The company my dad founded is basically his eldest son,” he said, and laughed.  “His real eldest son, my brother Rian, ran away from responsibilities - meaning from my Dad. I don't blame him though. My sister did the opposite. She's engaged and successful in real estate. But she's still distant. From home. Here."

"Are they much older than you?"

"Yeah. My parents were in their early twenties when they had my siblings."

"Oh, ok. I get it. And judo is your thing."

"Yeah," He winked. "It is. And I’m great at it, because I work hard for it.”

“I understand,” she said. “And this is your last year to go to the tournament?”

“Exactly."

Sassara observed how students were starting to move towards the school. The bell was going to ring soon.  “When do you want to meet up for practice?"

“Really?" He beamed. "So you agree?"

"But I can't promise anything good comes out of it. So when?"

"Firday after school."

"But that's the day we have PE."

"That is precisely why, Boogie girl."

"Also Mrs. Fisher said there was no gardening club. Do you think you could help me with that from time to time?”

“You mean like…plant stuff?”

“Yeah, you tend to do that with gardening.”

Younger, Conan hated sand. When he played on the beach, he had a bucket of water next to him. Every time he moulded the sand, he then dipped his hands to clean them. On, and on, and on. That was fine now. But dirt - real dirt, still made him cringe.

“Sure, yeah, no problem."

She lit up. If it was with her, he would gladly roll in mud. 

He thought about that image too long. Sassara laid curious eyes on him. "What are you smirking about?"

Bluff.

"You're the one smirking," he said.

"True."

The bell rang. Like ants called by the Queen Mother, students headed towards the school. This would change in a few days. Once problems and homeworks piled on, the ants would be much less excited to go back to class.

Conan got up first and offered her his hand.

She chuckled. "You know I can stand by myself."

"I know, but it's much more fun this way." 

His palm waited. She grabbed him by the wrist. He did the same. He pulled her up in one swift motion. Her feet back on the ground, she looked down at their hands still joined. Sassara's face was pink. They broke off. Scared to tip toe more in that direction. 

They started walking towards the school. After a while, Sassara spoke again "So, if you have children, will you let them call you dad?"

Dad.

His heart burst at the thought.

"Of course."

That made her happy. She swayed a little from side to side. It reminded him of her Dad, back at the beach. "I have a little brother. Botan. And that may be naive.  But I think we'll always call them Mom and Dad." She turned to look at him. "Because, anyone can call them by their first name. But we're the only ones in the world who can call them mom and dad."

His heart burst again.

"Yeah, you're right."

 Dammit. She was so cute.