Not Real. Not Imaginary.

PART FIVE: NINA. [Breathe again]

I took a deep breath and the fresh air filled my lungs.

When I realized where we were heading, after a good long while of driving, I was pleasantly surprised.

After hopping into Terry’s car, and when we had already been driving around for a while, I noticed the big buildings were suddenly gone, and there was not much more around us. And then, after a couple more minutes, trees replaced the little quantity of buildings that we were passing by; and then, there were more trees, and…more trees. The air freshened up, and I felt like I could breathe, with an easiness that I hadn’t been able to do so lately.

Terry caught me looking throught the window with awe, or at least, I think she did, because the crystal lowered all of a sudden while I was leaning into the window, as if she was trying to give me a better view of the landscape.

Maybe it was because we were out of town, and starting to get away from the civilization, but I felt slightly safer now. I wasn’t nearly as anxious as when we first hopped in the car.

She started to drive away from the main road, into a small secondary road that led between the trees, into the forest. It was a little darker now, since the trees covered the light a little bit, but it wasn't nearly as scary as I always imagined a dimly lit forest would be.

We parked at the side of the road, and she quickly got out of the car and ran to my side before I could open the door. I rolled my eyes, seeing how eager she was to show such chivalry.

“Where are we?”

I looked all around us as I stepped out of the car. Everything was green around, even the tree trunks, that were covered in green moss. It was such a beautiful scenery…although…it didn’t compare to the forest in all the new memories I had after visiting the Prism.

“Well, we are in the woods outside the city.” She said jokingly.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head.

“I know that silly I mean…what are we doing here?”

She chuckled softly, satisfied with her witty response. I rose an eyebrow and looked at her seriously.

“Sorry, sorry…” She giggled one last time, and then she cleared her throat. “We are having a picnic.” She answered, as she reached in the trunk for a basket and a backpack. Judging by the weight, both were completely full.

“Oh…but…we just ate a little ago…” I tilted my head confused, and she giggled again.

“We don’t need to eat right now. We’ll wait until you’re hungry, meanwhile, we can just relax, and have a meaningful chat.” She shrugged and threw the bag on her back. I quickly reached for the basket and she rolled her eyes at me before turning around to close the car trunk and walk past the line of trees at the side of the road.

I tried to pay attention to Terry as we walked deeper into the woods, but I easily got distracted with the scene around us. Even if there was only trees and leaves…it was all different in my eyes; every single leaf had something very appealing to me, each in a very distinctive way.

After stopping to admire the leaves, and other things on the way, I have no idea of how I managed to not be left behind, or get lost. All I knew is that suddenly we were at the edge of a lake that I didn’t even know existed out here.

I was stunned at the view, and just stood there for a moment, immobile, taking in every detail of that secluded place.

“What do you think? Should we have our picnic here?” She sounded satisfied.

I just nodded, still in awe, and heard her leaving the backpack on the ground, opening it and searching around inside it. I looked down and saw her taking a blanket.

‘Of course…’ I thought to myself before placing the basket on a side, and helping her place the blanket, neatly, on the ground.

We were sitting on the blanket in silence, just looking towards the lake, I don’t know for how long…. It wasn’t that we hadn’t anything to say to each other. It was more like…we were too mesmerized by the scenery before us.

“How did you find this place?” I finally broke the silence, but I kept my gaze fixed on the sunlight reflections in the water.

“Well, I stumbled upon it once a long time ago.” She was very vague, and I sensed a tinge of sadness in her voice, so I didn’t ask about it anymore.

“I didn’t think I would ever meet such a lovely place in real life...” I hugged my knees smiling sadly.

It was the kind of place I would like to live nearby, so I wouldn’t have to deal with the madness of the world.

“In real life?” She looked at me confused and I giggled.

I couldn’t tell her my mind had created this kind of place, for me to escape from the real world whenever; and that there I kept the bits of me that I had been slowly retrieving, in order to be myself again.

“Well, in movies and TV shows there’s always places like this. I just never thought there would be one this close…” I replied, making sure I had something to replace the truth with, that could make sense…just enough for her to not suspect anything.

She nodded and smiled satisfied with the answer, then her hand reached for mine, and held it tightly. She moved it to her lips and placed a gentle kiss on the back of my hand. I smiled. I wanted my smile to be warm, and reflect happiness…but I felt a little of unspoken worry and sadness sipping into it.

Terry didn’t seem to notice, or out of politeness, decided not to ask about it, and I appreciated it.

“I really appreciate you bringing me here. This might just be what I needed.” I kept my gaze fixed on the horizon. Despite of being surrounded by trees, I felt less trapped right now. “For the first time in what feels like an eternity…I feel like I can breathe again.”

She looked at me confused, and I just smiled at her. This time, my smile felt warmer.

“Am I putting too much pressure on you with the whole…’moving in with me’ situation?” Her brows furrowed with concern, and my hand moved on its own. My fingers gently rubbed between her eyebrows, to smooth out the frown, she closed her eyes as she felt my fingers touching her brow.

“You’re not, I promise.” I sighed. “I have just been trapped into my own thoughts for too long. I basically have been locking myself in again. I guess Greer was right…getting some fresh air helped a little.” I chuckled, and hugged my knees again.

Terry seemed to be deep in thought for a moment, then she turned towards me again, and cupped my cheek. I leant into her hand and closed my eyes for a moment. I felt her leaning closer, and then…my stomach growled.

I opened my eyes chuckling and blushing, a little embarrassed.

“I guess it’s been long enough since we ate breakfast now…” I pulled away as gently as possible. I tried not to let the relieve I felt, at the sudden interruption, be too evident.

Terry giggled and pulled the basket between us.

“I hope you like sandwiches.” She said in an awkward tone, and I inspected her expression to figure out why she had used it. She looked at me apologetically and confessed: “I don’t really prepare my own meals…so I don’t know how to do much. But I wanted to do something for you…”

She looked adorable in that moment: blushing slightly, in embarrassment, and so flustered to confess she couldn’t do something.

“It’s okay. I am not the best cook either.” I smiled and placed my hand on her shoulder, giving a soft squeeze to encourage her. “Like everything else, it’s okay to start with baby steps. Today a sandwich, tomorrow...who knows? Maybe you’ll be the next top chef with a little practice.”

She shook her head and scoffed.

“I doubt that. But thank you for the pep talk kitten.” She gently brushed my hair with her fingers and I smiled and sat back straight, gently pulling away.

I pretended to be stretching and I noticed she tilted her head a little. Probably after noticing how I intentionally avoided contact that time. Just then I realized, during the drive there, and all that time up until that moment, I was avoiding to have too much contact with her, but I wasn’t quite sure of the reason.

“Well, let’s try these master creations!” I joked as I grabbed one of the halves of sandwich and brought it to my mouth.

She smiled bashfully, and then looked at me attentively while I took a bite. She seemed to be eagerly waiting for my opinion on the food she had prepared.

I chewed carefully taking longer than necessary, prolonging her expectant anxiety to know what I thought about them.

“Well Miss…I can tell that you have relied too long on your helpers at home, and on restaurants…” Her brows furrowed with worry again as she heard me. “…and you shouldn’t because this is delicious.”

She sighed in relief and leant back, falling on her back. I giggled and took another bite as I watched the relief paint all of her factions.

“You had me worried for a moment there.” She stood up effortlessly, and I felt jealous. If I had tried to just get up after being on my back, specially without using my hands like she had done, I would probably look like a turtle that had been tipped over.

“I feel a little offended missy. When have I ever been that mean, for you to think I would actually say something…well…mean?” I pouted slightly, feigning indignation, but it didn’t last long since she stretched her hand towards me to clean a couple crumbs from my bottom lip. I couldn’t help but to blush.

However, I must confess, I didn’t blush because of the situation…it was more because of the memory it suddenly fired in my head; a memory of one of those first nights, when the mysterious presence had been so daring to gently touch me in a similar way.

The rest of the afternoon was a delight…. It was all like a normal picnic, or at least, like what I imagined one to be. I was really thankful for that opportunity to take a breather, and distract my mind of the threats that I still had to deal with back at home.

I almost wished I could stay there forever, but the sun went away, the light faded, and then… something lurking on the dark, directed its rage filled gaze towards us.