Chocolate Wrapper
Ami first met Pula when she walked across the tangles of bushes and persistent grass during the first rays of sunlight.. At least, Ami had not heard of it yet. The girl spoke in a garbled, broken version of Ami’s language, one that she had not heard before. The sound of it grated on her ears, like she was reading a book through its reflection in the mirror. Ami did not ask, and she did not attempt to decode what the other girl spoke about. It didn’t matter anyway since she didn’t bother to introduce the girl to her parents. Instead, she started referring to the girl by that burning, bright red hair of hers. She would have preferred that hair to her own, which was dark brown, the edges always neatly trimmed because her parents wouldn’t allow a bad haircut. Ami wished she knew how to say your hair is beautiful in words that the strange girl could understand.
That first morning, The sudden rustling on the other side of the wall was her first warning. No one dared to come near that gate. Ami previously found a section of the fence that gave way for her to look past the leaves and take a peek at what lay on the other side of the wall. As far as she knew, the only things that existed on the other side were miles and miles of barren land and scraps of metal buried deep in the sand.
Her mother had cracked down on sweets recently, insisting that they were dangerous for the family. As a solution, she’d started hiding her candy collection in that closed off nook often, right around the bend of the fence where she and her treasures wouldn’t be seen. She went there now to drop off a piece of peppermint she had stolen from the pockets of the maid, but was instead met with bright red hair and a thin arm reaching through the fence to reach for a wrapper. It wasn’t a welcoming sight this early in the morning.
They fought often in those early days, because Pula would take candies Ami had intended on taking for herself without her permission. She always looked like she was ready to fistfight Ami, and her movement was sudden and wary. Ami was curious about the life the other girl lived outside of the fence. She thought about the divide between the lives they lived, and the rarity of meeting someone who lived an opposite life to you.
Fall came and went, and along with it she found herself growing closer to Pula, and laughing with her in their closed off section of the garden was more fun than sitting alone in the cold living room.They never used words to talk to each other, and for Ami it was because she was too shy. They spoke with anything else, or not at all, instead. They’d play guessing games at what fingers either of them were holding behind their back, or make up melodies together by tapping on the fence or humming out loud. It was a peaceful existence.
Ami enjoyed Pula’s quirks, and the strange games she played with Ami made winter that year much more enjoyable. She thought once, late in the evening, that it was easier to bridge that distance between them because they had no other way to communicate than with their hands and face.
As winter passed, Ami started recognizing quirks and habits Pula had, fractions of a personality that gave life to a whole. Her eyes were drawn to the brown candies first, because she loved chocolate. She clasped her hands together when she was excited and, unlike Ami, her laughter was loud. Her grip was always steadfast and confident.
Spending time with Pula allowed Ami to notice more things about herself like how she would say pft before laughing and how she always held her own candies close to her chest. Looking at Pula on the other side of the fence sitting on the ground with her legs crossed made the brown-haired girl realize how scared she was of getting dirty all the time. Just by indulging in this small happiness with Pula, a careless little girl like Ami had learned to brighten her days.
The worst didn’t happen, but it came close. She should’ve expected it. Her family never stayed in one house for over a year, always attracted to the larger houses, aiming higher and higher. All the while, leaving others behind. She didn’t let them know why she was so adamant on staying in this house, saying excuses that she loved the garden, or that the air was cleaner here. She couldn’t change their mind, no matter how much she protested against the move. All she succeeded in was the agreement that the weather was perfect here, and that they’d purchase a home here to live in during the summer. Close enough, Ami said to herself. I can settle for that.
A week before their departure, Ami rushed down to the garden after packing half of her things. She’d nearly missed their usual time. Pula was leaning against the fence and turned when she saw her.
Ami took a deep breath, and then pointed at herself. “Ami,” she said it as clearly as she could. “I’m Ami.” She was going to tell her that they were moving, but they’d be back, and there wouldn’t be a fence between them the next time she came. Pula blinked at her in confusion, and when she opened her mouth to say it again, Pula laughed.
“Okay,” Pula said, shrugging and reaching for a chocolate bar. “I have never heard your voice before,” Ami stared at her blankly while Pula looked up and gave her a grin. “It’s nice to meet you.”
While Ami sputtered and stared, Pula explained that since she had never heard Ami’s voice before, she had no idea which tongue to speak in. She spoke several, she said, and she was a little out of practice with Ami’s, which is why it would be perfect if they could speak more. It was fun taking her candies, she commented. She apologized for making Ami confused, but it was fun to speak without words too. It had been a language they’d created on their own.
“In that case,” she started, “my family has decided to move, but I managed to convince them to buy a summer home here, so I can still talk to you! I’ll give you candy from wherever we move too!” Pula visibly brightened at the idea, which made Ami smile.
“It’ll be good to communicate without this,” Pula agreed, knocking on the wooden fence between them. “In the meantime, I guess I’ll send you letters too. It’s been a pleasure!” She was glad it seemed like nothing would really change. She had learned so much about the world just by speaking to someone outside of her family.
As Ami waved goodbye, she called out, “I think your hair is a wonderful color!”
By: Adelle Sison