I was laying down at the top of the playground, right by the slide – my feet propped up and dangling in the entrance – staring up into the darkening sky when I heard Tony approach.

“Rori?” he called, sounding unsure if I was still here.

I quickly sat up, kicking my knee on the slide in the process. “Ow! I’m here, hold on!” I called in a strained voice and I looked over to see him slowing making his way over here.

He chuckled. “What are you doing up there?” he asked as I tried to situate myself in the enclosed slide entrance that clearly wasn’t made for anyone over the age of twelve, let alone a grown woman.

I groaned and then forced myself down the slide, letting out an occasional curse when the static build up sparked me on the bolts in the slide. I finally made it down and I just laid at the end of the slide, my feet touching the ground as I contemplated how smart that decision had been.

“Motherfucker, ow,” I muttered and I looked over to see Tony looking at me with an amused expression, trying not to laugh. “I was just laying down, thinking about life.” I said to him then, finally answering his question from before.

He chuckled again. “Yeah? Did you come to any ground breaking conclusions?” he asked with a smirk.

“Yeah, I’m too damn big to go down the slide,” I muttered before I finally stood up and looked at him giving him a smile.

He laughed and then gave me a weird look when I pointed my finger at him, grinning widely.

“What?” he asked with amused confusion.

“Touch it,” I challenged, raising my eyebrows at him.

He grinned, his eyes widening. “What, why, so you can shock me? No thanks.” He said with a laugh.

“Aw come on, don’t be a pussy,” I said playfully, taking a step closer to him and I smirked when he took a step back.

“No way,” he said, grinning as he shook his head back and forth.

The two of us paused all movements and stared at the other, contemplating what the others next move would be and Tony must have seen right through me because as soon as I made a move for him he turned around and took off at a run. I laughed and started chasing him, the two of us were both laughing and playfully cursing the other as we ran around the park. Our antics turned into more of a game of tag – with me being it – and I was struggling to catch up with Tony as he ventured away from the woodchip covered ground and headed toward the grass.

I pumped my legs and arms as fast as I could and when I was finally close enough to him I took a chance and launched myself on his back. I wrapped my legs around his waist and gripped his shoulders as he stumbled from my attack but he steadied himself before we both fell.

“Ha! I win!” I shouted and I felt him reach back and clutch my legs, keeping me from falling off him.

He chuckled and shook his head before he suddenly stopped walking and started to spin around in circles, the snap back he had been wearing falling off as I held onto him tighter.

“Tony! Stop! I’m going to be sick,” I shouted in between giggles as he continued to spin, laughing loudly.

“Only if you say that I won!” he countered with another laugh, still spinning.

“But you didn’t!” I argued, sounding like a little kid.

“Say it if you want me to stop,” he said in a singsong voice.

“Fine! You win, you win! Now please stop spinning!” I said with a tired laugh.

He laughed triumphantly before he stopped and my head lulled back as I closed my eyes. I loosened my grip on him and I felt him release his hold on my legs and I slid off him but I stumbled backwards - dizzy from his spinning - and I reached out onto his shirt to keep from falling back. He turned around and grabbed my hand, so that I could let go of his shirt, and then he told me to sit down – while laughing the entire time – and the both of us plopped down on the grass. I leaned back, not caring that I was lying down on the ground and I looked up at the sky, trying to ignore the way Tony’s eyes were watching my every move, it wasn’t in a creepy way or anything, it was almost as if he didn’t quite believe that I was right there, in front of him.

“Thank you,” I said with a sigh and a smile, turning my head to look at him.

“For what?” he asked curiously as he reached around him and picked his snapback up off the ground and began to twirl it around in his hands.

“I needed that, to clear my head,” I said with a shrug.

I noticed him frown before he laid down beside me, his arm brushing mine and I tried to ignore the way my skin seemed to tingle with his touch. I rolled slightly so that I was lying on my side, facing him and he smiled at me, though it didn’t reach his eyes.

“What happened with your Mom?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

I sighed. “She keeps wanting me to look at photographs and she wants to tell me all these stories but none of it makes sense to me and after a while it just gets to be confusing and I feel more lost than I did before.” I explained quietly.

I heard him sigh heavily and he shook his head back and forth with frustration, his eyes closed shut and I realized he was probably trying to control his emotions before he finally opened his eyes again and looked over at me with an almost sad look.

“She hasn’t even said anything about you.” I muttered.

He chuckled in annoyance. “Of course she hasn’t. I’m sorry Rori.” He said quietly and sighed again.

“Don’t be sorry, you’ve actually helped me a lot more than she has in the past week,” I said as I started to pick at the grass.

“What do you mean?” he asked curiously.

“I remember more with you, well, because of you.” I explained, furrowing my eyebrows as I wondered if my explanation even made any sense.

“How so?” he asked, turning on his side so that he was facing me and I heard the happiness in his voice.

I smiled. “I don’t know, I just, being around you or even when you tell me to do something, like telling me to watch that show or to listen to that music, I’ve remembered more than I have with my mother trying to help me.”

He smiled. “You know, I think you’re remembering more than you realize.” He said quietly.

“What do you mean?” I asked with confusion.

He smiled and then sat up and even though he didn’t say anything I knew that I should sit up too so I did and we looked out at the park a few feet ahead of us.

“This place, Sunny Creek, did you plan on coming here?” he asked and looked over at me.

I shook my head. “No, I didn’t even know where I was going until I ended up here. Why?”

He grinned and looked down with a small laugh. “This is the place where we met Rori.”

“Really?” I asked, shocked and looked back out at the playground, trying to picture it. “Wait, I thought you said we’ve known each other our whole lives?” I asked and turned to look at him.

He laughed again. “We have, I mean, it sure feels like it. We met when we were kids. I was seven and you were six.”

“Really?” I asked again. “I don’t remember.” I said sadly and I frowned.

He was quiet for a moment. “Do you trust me?” he asked hesitantly.

I looked back at him to see him looking at me with an expression that I couldn’t really read but if I had to guess it was something between loving and nervousness.

“I do,” I admitted strongly, just now realizing it myself. I still had no idea who he was but I did trust him, I felt safe around him.

He grinned and looked back down, hiding his smile before he stood up and came to stand in front of me, holding his hands out to me. I smiled and then placed my hands in his – once again trying to ignore the tingle that came with his skin being on mine – and he pulled me up, leaving one of his hands in my own and I felt my cheeks warm up as he gently pulled me along, leading me back to the park.

“What are we doing?” I asked as he brought us to the swings.

“I want to try something,” he said and then looked back at me with a small smile.

“Should I be nervous?” I questioned, pausing where I stood.

He chuckled. “No, it’s nothing weird or anything, just here, take a seat.” He said and gestured to the swing.

I gave him a skeptical look before I sighed – causing him to snigger – and I made my way over to the swing, letting my hand slowly slip from his and I took a seat facing him in the swing and I brought my arms up and wrapped my hands around the cool chain handles. He came and stood in front of me and I leaned my head back to look up at him.

“Now what?” I asked.

“Close your eyes,” he said quietly.

“What?” I said, my voice squeaking slightly with shock.

He laughed. “Just trust me,” he said and took another step toward me.

I debated his words before I finally sighed and did as he said, closing my eyes as I continued to sway slightly.

“What if I fall?” I asked quickly, cutting him off as he started to speak.

“Don’t worry, I’m right here, I won’t let you fall Rori,” he said quietly.

I smiled at his words and took a deep breath. “Okay.”

“Alright, now just listen to my voice,” he said and waited for me to nod my head before he continued. “Okay, picture it, it’s a Tuesday afternoon in July. You just got out of school and your Mom took you here to play. You’re wearing a yellow dress and your hair is in pigtails. The sun is shining and it’s hot but it’s not too hot. The wind blows and you’re standing…”

Tony’s voice faded out as I concentrated on what he was saying and it wasn’t long before I found myself lost in his words.

I was standing off to the side, glaring at the swings as I watched them sway in the breeze. I turned around and saw my Mom sitting on the bench by the sidewalk, engrossed in her magazine. My dress ruffled around my knees with the wind and I turned back around to stare at the swings. I tugged at one of my pigtails as I scrunched my face, cocking my head to the side and I sighed.

“What are you doing?” I heard a voice say beside me and turned to see a boy about my age looking at me, an amused but confused smile on his face.

I sighed. “Looking at the swings.” I said and looked away from him.

“Why?” he asked confused.

“Because I’m mad.” I muttered and pouted my lips.

“Why?” he repeated, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Because I want to go on one.” I said flatly and sighed.

He laughed. “So come on, there’s no one on them, let’s go,” he said and he grabbed my hand – something that shocked me – and started to tug me toward the swings.

“No wait!” I said quickly and stopped moving, my eyes wide.

“What? What’s wrong?” he asked, noticing the way I was frozen in fear.

“I, I’ve never been on a swing before,” I admitted sheepishly.

“Really?!” he said loudly, his eyebrows raising in shock and I nodded my head slowly. “Well come on, I’ll help you.” He said with a warm smile and started pulling me toward the swings again.

“Wait! What if I fall?” I said, still slightly fighting against him as he pulled me along.

He turned and gave me a huge grin. “Don’t worry, I’m right here, I won’t let you fall.” He let go of my hand as we stopped in front of the swing. “Here, get on like this.” he said and then sat in the swing, showing me how to sit and where to put my hands before he got off and motioned for me to do the same thing.

I grimaced at the swing and then very hesitantly and very slowly went and sat down, doing exactly what he had showed me and he was standing right there, just like he said, his arms out in front of him, prepared to catch me if I started to fall.

“Now what?” I asked with a strained voice as I tried to concentrate on gripping the chains for dear life and not falling on my butt.

He chuckled. “Just relax, breathe, you’re not going to fall. Now, I’m going to push you.”

“What!” I nearly shouted, my eyes widening and I held on to the chains even tighter – if that was even possible.

He chuckled again. “Calm down, you’ll be fine, just hold on to the chains. Trust me.” He walked behind me and placed his hands on the chains just above where mine were and he started to pull me backwards.

I held my breath as he let go and I swung forward. I didn’t go fast or far but it still caused my hair to blow behind me and even though I was still scared, I smiled. I felt him gently push my back and I swung forward again.

“Now, you need to start pumping your legs,” he said from behind me as he continued to push me. “Next time I push you forward, stick your legs out in front of you and when you start to come back, bend your knees back.”

I did as he said, still holding on to the chains for dear life – it was actually starting to hurt my hands – and I felt myself picking up speed. I stared down at my legs, making sure to swing them in the right direction and I was too busy concentrating on that to realize that he had stopped pushing me.

“You’re doing it! You know how to swing now,” he said happily from the side of me and I glanced up to see him standing beside me, watching me with a smile and I grinned, not even caring that he wasn’t standing behind me in case I fell.

“I’m doing it!” I said excitedly and looked over to where my Mother was, wanting to show her that I was finally swinging but she was still staring down at her magazine, not even paying attention to me and I frowned before I turned and looked at my legs again.

“What’s your name?” he asked and I turned again to see him now swinging in the other swing, still smiling at me.

“Rori,” I answered, starting to loosen the death grip I had on the chains.

“I’m Tony.” He said and then I watched as he slowed his speed so that we were swinging in unison.

“Thanks Tony.” I said and smiled at him.

“You’re welcome Rori, how come you didn’t know how to swing?” he said, still giving me a small smile.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, my dad’s never home and mom is always busy.”

“Do you come to the park a lot?” he asked in a hopeful voice.

I sighed. “Not really, my mom only brought me here today because she has a bunch of tests to grade later – she’s a teacher – and wants me to go to bed early.”

“Oh,” he said sadly. “Where’s your mom at?” he asked suddenly.

I nodded my head to the side – being as I wasn’t going to let go of the chain. “Over there, reading a magazine.” I said, frowning when I saw she still hadn’t noticed me.

I looked back to see him pursing his lips and he jumped off the swing – like actually jumped and I was so amazed I barely heard what he said as he took off running. “I’ll be right back,” he called over his shoulder and I slowly started to panic when I realized I had no idea how to stop or get off the swing and I sure wasn’t able to jump off like Tony had.

I watched as he ran over to a woman and he talked to her before he pointed over at me and they both looked at me – both with huge smiles – and then Tony pointed over to my mom and the woman he was talking to smiled and nodded her head before she reached down and ruffled his hair and I giggled when he made a face and waved her hands away. He came running back to me and I noticed the woman start to walk over to my mom.

“My mom is going to see if she can get your mom to bring you here every day after school,” he said with a huge grin as he stood in front of me, off to the side where he wouldn’t get hit by my swinging legs.

“Really?” I asked with excitement in my voice and looked over to see Tony's mom and my mom talking.

He nodded. “Yep, now come on, let’s go play before you have to leave,” he said and then started to walk away and I panicked again.

“Tony, wait!” I called out. “I don’t know how to stop!”

He laughed and came back. “Stop pumping your legs and drag your feet along the ground.” He said and I tried to do what he said but I was too short and my toes barely grazed the ground. He laughed again, “Okay, new plan, hold on tight,” he said and then came and stood right in front of me and I thought I was for sure going to crash into him.

Just as I came forward he placed his arms out and gripped the chains of the swing, causing me to jerk and come to a sudden stop. I bumped him slightly but it didn’t even faze him as he held onto the swing and I opened my eyes – having closed them in fear – and found myself staring into his big brown ones. He grinned at me and I grinned back and he helped me down and we started running, chasing the other around the park as we played while our Mom’s continued to talk to each other.

Much sooner than I would have liked my Mom was calling me and telling me it was time to go home and I was sad until I found out that my Mom and Tony’s mom had come to an agreement that my mom would drop me off here after school and Tony’s mom would watch us and then take me home later. I left the park that day wearing a huge grin because I finally had something to look forward to after school. I finally had a friend.

I opened my eyes to see Tony standing right in front of me, an unreadable expression on his face as he stared down at me, his big brown eyes looking right into mine. I smiled and it was only then that I noticed how close he was to me. My legs were touching his as I swayed slightly, though not much because Tony was holding onto the chains of the swing, his hands just above my own, causing him to be leaning over me slightly.

“You okay?” he asked softly, giving me a small smile.

I nodded. “I’m okay,” I said, my voice just as soft as his. “I remembered Tony, I remember meeting you.”

He grinned, his eyes lighting up. “Really?” he asked, the excitement in his voice making me smile.

“But that’s it though, I remember that we used to come here after school and your Mom would take me home but that’s it, its starts to get fuzzy if I think about it too much.” I admitted sadly – I wanted to remember him just as much as he wanted me to.

His smile faded slightly but his eyes were still shining. “That’s okay, it’s progress Rori, I’ll take whatever I can.” He suddenly leaned forward and placed a sweet kiss on my forehead.

“Tony?” I asked quietly as he pulled away.

“Hmm?” he hummed, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

“Can I ask you some questions, about me?” I asked hesitantly.

“Of course,” he said but I saw something flash in his eyes.

“You’ll tell me the truth, even if you know I won’t like the answer?” I questioned, wanting to make sure we would be on the same page.

He sighed and seemed to think about his answer before he looked back down at me, his eyes searching mine before he took a deep breath.

“It’s your life Rori; I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”

Notes

yay she remembers meeting Tony!! :) so I'm actually not to happy with how this chapter turned out but I'll get over it lol we'll find out a lot more about Rori and her past in the next chapter so look forward to that but in the meantime let me know what you guys think!!! your comments make me smile :D

Thanks for reading and leaving me your lovely feedback <3