When I emerge from the thick patch of overgrown roses, I see a boy standing all alone at the edge of the cliff, staring down into the crashing waves below. He doesn’t turn as I approach, but I know he must have heard me.
I come to a stop next to him, my toes just touching the edge of the cliff that is a hundred feet above the jagged rocks below. I’ve always been an anxious sort of kid, but in that moment I don’t feel any fear. Wind blows against my back as if pushing me closer to the edge, but I won’t take a step back, not until he does.
The boy finally turns to look at me, a mix of curiosity and respect in his gaze. I stare back as the wind picks up.
Something passes between us. Something that feels eternal and dangerous.
When he smiles, it’s like the clouds parting to reveal a glorious sun.
I won’t find out until later just how rare it is to see him smile.
He tells me his name, but it’s chased away by the wind.