Playground

sectumsempra and everclear

He had not expected them to come over to him, though maybe he had hoped. But there was a clear path and a clear gang of playmates in the playground that did not include Carrigan, and he expected that it was much more appealing to join the group than to stand with the anxiety ridden boy standing off to the side. Perhaps it was too late and he would try another day… his first trip to the playground had failed, he decides. He should leave. But some part of him longs to stay frozen to the ground, just for another moment or two, holding onto some false hope that perhaps they would come and ask him to play.

And while he is correct, and they do not, someone else does approach him. First, he wonders why, but then he breaks into a smile and that maybe, just maybe this girl could be a friend. She says her name is “Dovey” and he thinks that is a lovely name, and decides to tell her. “Dovey is a lovely name,” he says. He is not particularly poetic but he is genuine and he grins a little boy grin. He is really too young to think about girls like that but he is young enough to instantly decide that she is his friend. “I am Carrigan,” he declares happily.

Then she asks him why he is standing alone, and he frowns. He is far too young to think of deception or even just spinning a statement a certain way to make himself sound a little more manly – he thinks of nothing but honesty and tells her matter-of-factly, “I’m nervous. I’ve never really been out on my own before. They might not like me, anyway.” He shrugs and throws the question back at her. “Why’d you come over to me? They’re probably more exciting, you know.”