Edge Park was busy for a Friday afternoon. A lot of people in colorful, comfortable clothes and flowing robes. Families. It was like a party or festival or something. Pursel even asked if that was the case.
"Nah," Niku answered, watching at a shaggy black squirrel scampering up a mottled maple tree. "the mosque let out. People hang out here afterwards."
"But it's Sixday."
"Day of worship for Muslims," his friend replied, bored with the squirrel, looking around. His eyes settled on a colorful figure a few dozen meters away. "The family used to drag me to the big one on 6th Ave every week, until I finally said no more."
"They were okay with it?"
"Nope, but I'm bigger than my old man now, even though I'm still too young for them to kick out. What can they do?"
"Not much, I guess," Pursel agreed. "I wouldn't want to go back, either."
"Yeah...but if all the girls look like her these days, I might start up again."
Just past the squirrel's tree, stood a tall, thin figure in sky blue robes, or maybe it was a dress. She wore a pink scarf over her head with trim that matched the robes. A sash fluttered fitfully in the artificial breeze.
The girl was watching birds in the park fluttering from tree to tree, whistling, chirping, peeping. The skin of her face and hands, the only parts visible, was very dark, and seemingly flawless. Her features were narrow, though her nose ended in a round button that was possibly the cutest thing he'd ever witnessed. Her eyes were large and black, appearing to take in everything at which they were pointed. She might have been seventeen or eighteen. His age.
"Forget it, brot," Pursel advised. "She's out your league, and she's a church girl. Mosque. Whatever. No time for bad boys."
"I'm not always bad," Niku offered, and got to his feet. "Today, I'm feeling Holy." He brushed grass from his navy colored Jhanlon slacks. They were tailored; none of that off-the-rack stuff. He straightened his vented Pritcher shirt, bold yellow, ultra-wide collar, and open at the sides to reveal glimpses of his chest. You had to look good, if you wanted to impress. And this girl...!
Pursel gave a smirk and nod of encouragement, if only to watch him crash and burn. It was worth a laugh, at least.
"Hey, howza?" Niku greeted, stopping three meters away. He would move in when (not if) she showed interest, but it paid to take things slowly, at first. He rocked back on one heel, and put his right hand on his hip so that the gentle, fake breeze would ripple along the leaf-thin Pritcher, alternately hiding then revealing the corner of his muscular torso. Got to give 'em a show!
She hadn't seemed to notice his words or presence, but was still watching those stupid birds. Still she muttered, "Excuse me?"
"Howza it hold, luv'un?"
"I'm sorry," she said, in a soft, really delightful Noblespace accent, "I don't speak your language." She never looked at him, and even turned away as a gray bird darted from behind a blind of leaves, flying overhead, just a streak of energy.
Okay.
So, there was obviously a communications barrier, at least when it came to streetspeak. He could accommodate, though, no problem.
"I mean, how are you doing?"
"What an odd question. How should I be doing?"
"I don't know. Good, I guess."
"So? Then, I'm good."
Silence. She stepped away, following in the general direction of the bird, eyes to the artificial sky. Automatically, Niku followed.
"No, I mean...it's a greeting."
"What is?" she asked, over her shoulder, or really, not even, as she walked up a low hill. Her gate stately but fluid. Niku didn't even know he was mesmerized.
"What I said. It's a way of saying hello."
"Yet you didn't introduce yourself. How can a person return this greeting, if they don't know who you are?"
"It's just common courtesy to say hi back."
"Are you saying that you are common, or that I am?"
"Neither!" What was going on?! She didn't even notice his Pritcher, his Jhanlons! "Look at me."
His words were sudden, and strangely imperative; sharper than he'd intended, but it got her to stop and turn around. Up close, her eyes, the pupils all huge and dark, yet shining like she had stars inside, were more like hands holding him in place. Big hands. Strong ones.
"So? I'm looking."
"Yeah! Okay. Good."
"And why am I looking?"
"I...just wanted to talk to you," he managed. "Or, uh, you could talk to me."
"Again, why?"
Niku shook his head, brow crinkling.
"Okay let's start over..."
She just stared at him, unblinking, ebony features not offering even a centimeter of slack.
"I, uh, would like to get to know you. You seem like...an interesting person."
"In what way?"
"I don't know! Tell me about the birds, maybe."
"What birds? I have no idea what you're saying. You are a very strange boy."
"You were looking at birds..." He pointed back at the tree, and then overhead. Now he was using sign language!
"I look at many things."
"Including the birds."
"What is your obsession with birds, strange boy?"
"I don't have an obsession with..." He stopped, shook his head, and started again. "I'm not interested in birds, you are."
"And there you go again. In less than two minutes, you've done nothing but talk about greetings and birds. If you wish to talk to the birds, I will not stop you." And she started off again.
"I just think that you're really pretty!" Oops, that came out too loudly, as well. What was with this girl?!
This brought her to a halt once more. She was at the crest of the hill, now, and looked down on him.
She said nothing. Niku felt his palms starting to sweat. Forget what was wrong with the girl; what was wrong with him?
The lack of response forced more words out of his mouth.
"And...what do you think about...how I look?" He tried to strike that three-quarter pose again, but it didn't really work on the hill; he lost his balance, and stumbled a bit.
"Your clothing is bizarre, and so is the way you talk. Where are you from, strange boy?"
"I'm from here. OCS. Opal City."
"I have met many people on this station since we moved here. None of them dress like you. Are you a performer? A clown, perhaps?"
"You don't like Pritcher and Jhanlons?"
"Are those types of birds?"
"No, they're designer labels!"
"I only ask because of your obsession."
"I don't have an obsession!"
"Yet you speak with such great passion whenever the subject comes up. You shouldn't be ashamed. You could study to be an ornithologist, and earn the respect of your learned peers."
"An orni...what?"
"Though, there is also no shame in being a clown, working in the park, bringing joy to children."
"I don't bring joy to children!"
"With that tone of voice? No, probably not. Perhaps if you spoke to them gently, like when you are greeting the birds."
Niku just stared for a moment longer, before throwing up his hands in perplexity and frustration.
"Forget it! Just forget it..." He turned back, retreating down the hill the way he'd come, muttering the whole way.
"Strange boy..." she called.
"What?" He stopped, and looked at her up on the hill, tall, dark, bright, colorful. Beautiful.
The most.
Beautiful.
"I do not lie to my family."
"Good for you," he praised in confusion, starting to go once more, but again she arrested his progress.
"I will tell them about the bird boy I met in the park, and they will laugh. In this way, they will know about you."
"Oh, good. Yeah, because I'm a clown."
"On Al-Jumah...that is to say, Sixday, next week, at this same time of day. When we come to the park after service, you may approach my family. We always sit in the pavilion, just over this ridge. You may approach and ask to speak to me."
"I...really? Oh...I don't know about that, I mean..."
"They will laugh in your face, because you are the strange bird boy I told them about."
"See…around here, we call that humiliation. Why would I put myself through that?"
"So you can come back the following week, and ask again."
"And, that's when it'll be okay?"
"No, they will laugh like before, then my brothers will chase you away."
"What if I don't want to go?"
"Then they will beat you. You must go, so you can return again the next week."
"And what happens then?"
"Well...if you can bear to adorn yourself in less...joyful attire, and ask my parents if you may speak to me, showing them respect, and explaining exactly how you feel..."
"I can finally get to know you?"
"Oh, no! But when my parents berate you this time, and my brothers chase you away..."
"And maybe beat me."
"And maybe beat you...this time, they will not be laughing. And that is progress."
She watched him for a moment, then turned about. Before stepping away, she cast a glance over one shoulder, just the faintest of smiles playing over her perfect face: there and gone.
And then, so was she.
For Niku, the system primary went out; not like a lamp goes out, which might never be lighted again. It was more like dusk, where the promise of night and darkness carried with it the equal promise of a new dawn. And a new dawn. And a new dawn.
Now Purcel was looking up at that tree, visibly bored, but watching for the squirrel all the same. When he saw his friend approach, he opened his hands with a shrug.
"So?"
"She...wants me to meet her parents."
Purcel's eyes went wide.
"Alarm! Alarm! Head for the lifeboats!"
"Yeah, maybe, but..."
Still studying him, the other saw something positively frightening, his eyes going even wider.
"You're stuck on this one! Aw, buddy, you just met her!"
But Niku shook his head, half-smiling, sun in his eyes now, and from now on.
"Turns out...that comes later."
END