Changing Tides

“You know what this project reminds me of?” I ask Olivia.

“What?” she asks in her princess voice. I can’t help but chuckle. I’ve seen this face so many times; a round face, slightly lighter than ivory with a rose color tint to her cheeks. Her small hazel eyes were lively, warm, and sparkled with bliss when she smiled. Her shiny brown hair with soft curls fell just past her shoulders. My hair is not like this, its short. It’s what they call a pixie cut. It doesn’t cascade down my back like Olivia’s. Her brown hair lies on her head. Over a pink buttoned nose that is just above her delicate lips that are always wearing a faint smile.

“It reminds me the project that we did our third year of schooling.” I respond.

“Oh the one about what we think the most important rule is in our school?” Olivia remembers.

“Yes. That one!” I smile.

She continues, “That was a long time ago. About five years ago, in fact. That’s around the time we met.”

Our teacher starts to walk up to us and we get back to work. It was nice to have a friendly exchange. I sigh and gaze out the window and spot the trees. Their leaves are tinged with red and gold. Only weeks ago the air was warm and the trees held onto their deep summer green leaves. I miss those summer days, not just because of the refreshing breeze and the glowing sun. I miss them because that’s when everything was normal. Before my mom announced she was running for the office of Supreme, and before my life started to fall apart too quickly to fit the pieces back together. An impossible puzzle that somehow fit together. Or did it?