It is said that before one can understand the future they must first know more about the past. In such manner before we proceed more let's look back at a time long forgotten, a time before the Protagonist, Deuteragonist and Tritagonist was Born.
Graciela sat on the ground with her leg bent awkwardly beneath her, one hand place against her scraped knee. The skin there was raw and reddened a thin line of blood cutting through the dust. Tears clung to her lashes before spilling over, sliding down her cheeks in uneven streaks.
Her face was twisted in that unfiltered way only a child cries, mouth open as she tries to hold back the sob but failed anyway. Each breath came in small shaky burst like she couldn't decide whether to cry louder or stop altogether. Her brows were drawn tightly together, confusion and pain mixing in her expression as if the fall had betrayed her somehow.
Her hair had fallen forward partly hiding her face, sticking slightly to her damp skin. One of her hands hovered uncertainly near the injury as though she wanted to touch it but was afraid it would hurt more if she did.
For a moment she looked smaller than she really was, caught between wanting to be brave and wanting someone to notice she was hurt.
"What's wrong, why are you crying here all by yourself" she heard someone said, she turns to see another girl of about her age. She was a small girl about eight with a small round face that still carried the fullness of childhood, her eyes were loud and bright, filled with curiosity, always moving as if the world has so many interesting things to look at at once.
Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders slightly messed in a way that suggest she has been running or playing not long ago. Strands often slipped across her face and she would brush them away without even thinking, her smile came easily, quick and unguarded revealing a cheerful carefree nature.
There was a lightness to her movement, a gentle energy as if observing every step she takes.
"What's wrong, are you hurt?" She asked again coming forward to look for herself. She bends over her knees and begins to blow gently on the wound.
"There there, don't cry anymore okay, it doesn't hurt that much" she looks at Graciela and smiled showing two dimples that lit up her face beautifully. Graciela stops crying and started sniffling.
"That's it, no need to cry anymore" said the girl, she stretches her hand and helped Graciela backed to her feet.
"What's your name?" She asked.
"Graciela"
"Nice to meet you Graciela, my name is Georgina" replied the girl.
"Georgina" she said.
"Yes that's my name"
"Georgina, thank you" said Graciela.
"You are welcome, so what were you doing here all by yourself" asked Georgina.
"I was looking for Bella"
"Bella? Who's that?" Asked Georgina.
"Bella is my doll's name, I lost her somewhere around here" said Graciela.
"Oh your doll, so are you sure this is where you lost it?" Asked Georgina. Graciela nods her head, tears beginning to form in her eyes again.
"Huh, don't cry, am sure we will find your doll soon " she smiles at her, Graciela smiles back, something about this young girl seems to confort her.
"Well then let's go look for your doll" said Georgina .
After the encounter with Georgina Graciela started frequenting the spot that they had met in other to see her again, fortunately Georgina was also doing the same thing. Soon enough there became their meeting spot as they hit it off and quickly became friends. Though they hit it off real quick but Graciela couldn't understand her feelings towards Georgina, she looked up to her and still somewhat despise her simultaneously. It was a mixed feelings and she couldn't tell just what she thinks of Georgina.
They kept frequenting that place everyday, they would play, laugh, chat and go home, once Graciela gets home she would start to reflect on what Georgina had told her, she never really understood most of what she says and sometimes it seems to her as if Georgina is speaking in another language foreign to her.
As time went on they had both met at their usual meeting place.
"Georgina guess what" said Graciela, her eyes sparkling with excitement and anticipation.
"What?" Asked Georgina.
"I said guess" Georgina sighs.
"Just tell me please, I can't think of anything" Graciela looks at her, the excitement fades off her face.
"You are no fun" she said and then just as eager as she was before or perhaps even more eager this time she said "He spoke to me" Georgina looks at her confused.
"Who spoke to you?"
"What do you mean who? My prince charming of cause"
"Oh you mean that Victor boy you've been telling me about?"
"Yes!!! He called me by my name and asked if he could seat next to me"
"I see"
"He knew my name, can you believe it, I didn't have to tell him my name, he already knew my name"
"Uh huh" said Georgina as she watched her. Graciela folds her hand beneath her jaw as if she was praying and then looked up to the sky.
"Do you think he likes me?" She said asking no one in particular.
"What?" Asked Georgina.
"My prince charming, do you think he likes me? Do you think he would come for me and take me to his castle?"
"I think you're confusing fairy tale with reality Graciela" said Georgina but Graciela wasn't listening, she was already self absorbed in her imagination.
"Perhaps he would take me to his castle and treat me like a princess"
"Why do you think he would do that?" Asked Georgina.
"Why? Because am precious to him of cause, am his dream princess" Georgina smiles.
"Sure if only that's how life works" Graciela looks at her confused.
"What are you talking about?" Asked Graciela.
"Tell me, is a princess special because she's a princess or is she a princess because she's special?"
"I don't know " said Graciela as she stares at her, one thing ran through her mind, "Georgina, she's started again, saying things that are so confusing"
"Well you tell me Georgina, which is correct?" She asked.
"None " Graciela tilt her head and stares at her.
"Huh, what do you mean"
"You don't get it do you, I expect as much, when people speak about being special they always say things like, treat me like a princess, treat me like a queen, often representing specialty with royalty, it makes you wander if being born into royalty makes one special"
"Well yes I suppose, after all they have maids and gaurds all around the palace taking care of their every needs " said Graciela.
"Exactly, royalties aren't special, they are just wealthy, if they weren't paying the maids and attendants, no one will be there in castle taking care of their every needs"
"So wealth is what makes one special?" Asked Graciela.
"I can't say, what is it that makes one special, I've not been able to figure it out yet"
"You know you are kind of wierd and it's becoming creepy" said Graciela. Georgina looks at her surprised.
"Wierd and creepy huh, that's what they always say " she thought, "many parents have stopped their children from associating with her because they find her wierd, they say she thinks things too much for a kid"
"Why won't you just be like other children " her mom has once told her, it's not her fault she was born different, not her fault she doesn't behave like other kids her age, but no one cares. "Just act your age" they always say.
Georgina smiles and tries to change the subject.
"So tell me more about this your prince charming?" Said Georgina. Graciela smiles.
"He told me that my ribbon looks pretty" Georgina looks at her for a moment.
"Oh that's nice" said Georgina "but you know that only means he noticed your ribbon"
The smile on Graciela's face faltered slightly.
"What do you mean?" Asked Graciela.
"Compliments are easy" said Georgina "people say nice things because it changes how others feel about them, adult do it all the time"
"You think he was lying?" Asked Graciela.
"I never said that, I just think you shouldn't conclude that he likes you just because he spoke to you. You are quick to jump into conclusion"
Both of them sat there silent looking at each other, the air suddenly felt heavier. Graciela frowned.
"Why do you always make everything sound so cold" asked Graciela. Georgina blinks, confused at her reaction.
"I wasn't trying to..." she said but Graciela interrupts her.
"You make people sound fake all the time"
"I never said he was fake" said Georgina defensively.
"But that was what you meant" Georgina was quiet for a while picking her words carefully.
"You have the wrong idea, I didn't say he was fake. I just think you're treating a single compliment like it meant something permanent. if you ask me I'll say that this Victor might have already forgotten he said something like that to you"
The word hit harder than she intended. Graciela's face reddened with frustration.
"You just don't understand this kind of stuff" she said, Georgina watches her silently.
"Perhaps you are right, perhaps I just don't understand those kind of stuff" said Georgina.
"Or perhaps nobody ever liked you before, that's why you just can't understand it" Graciela snapped and immediately regretted it.
Georgina looks at her expressionless, she didn't argue, she didn't reply her nor did she try to defend herself, she just watched her silently.
Graciela suddenly stands up and walks away, a few steps away, she stops.
"Don't bother coming here again because I won't be coming back" she said and walks away.
Georgina stood there watching her as she left, although she was sad her expression was unreasonable, this wasn't the first time she had ever lost a friend because she was different. She has been lonely for quite a while now, because no one wanted their child to associate with her, she was beginning to find confort within her loneliness when she met Graciela.
At first she was just conforting a girl that got injured but over time they actually became friends. At some point she actually thought that this time their friendship would last.
"Guess I was wrong" she said to herself as a single tear fell down her eyes, once again she was going back to find shelter within her loneliness.