Try and Catch Me

Gab (2)
“What’s funny?” Gab asked Lia. They were huddled together in front of the child’s new plant.

Lia glanced at Gab and frowned. “I’m not smiling.”

“No, before.” Gab insisted.

“I told you, I’m not.” Lia put down the watering can and tousled his hair. While Gab acted and sounded too old for his age, there were times when his real age was showing. It might be his too innocent or too curious face. Lia wished he would be able to enjoy his youth more.

Gab wriggled away from her hands, laughing as he combed his hair back with his finger. In the two weeks that they had known each other, Gab grew more interested in botany. The more he learned, the bigger his plant collection became that they had to move from a small passageway to the back of the garden where there was a bigger space. The echeveria they took care of before was thankfully revived.

Lia let Gab continue watering and sat to the nearby stone bench. She watched him talk with the plants because, apparently, that was what his cousin told him.

Dearest Lia,

I found a new plant yesterday. I don’t know what it is. I wish you were here to tell me its name.

E

Earlier, another parcel of letters came in. They were all short letters, talking about the weather, the food, the plants — all random things, but they all came from this sender E.

She caught herself smiling and schooled her features right away. Gab had been right then. Darn.

“You see you are doing that again.” Gab poked Lia’s cheek as he sat beside her.

“I am not.” Lia huffed then gestured for Gab to lay his head on her lap. Whenever they were finished with their plants, Gab liked taking a nap while Lia reads her book.

Lia opened her book and tried to study. Her fingers absent-mindedly pat Gab’s head. As she stared off in space, she found herself staring at Gab’s hair. That was when she noticed something strange.

Gab had black hair like the rest of Kaeje’s population. But the roots had lighter colors. ‘Huh. Isn’t he too young to have gray hairs?’

“Look you already have gray hair. That’s because you’re too serious for your age,” she joked.

Gab, who was dozing off on her lap, suddenly sat up and stood far away from Lia. His face looked mortified.

Lia was dumbfounded. “It– it was just a joke…”

“I’m not a m-monster!” Gab shivered as he shrunk further away from Lia.

“Of course not. What are you saying? What’s wrong?” Lia gestured for him to come closer, but he only shook his head furiously. “Gab, please tell me what’s wrong. If I did something that offended you, I’m sorry.”

“Are you… are you not scared?” He sniffed.

Lia took a moment before she strode towards him. He tried to run away, but Lia reached him before he could escape. She hugged him and rubbed his back, hoping that it would calm his nerves.

“I’m not scared of you,” she said as she heard the child sobbed.

“I thought you would hate me if you see my hair.” He managed to say in between sobs. “Mother said that people will be afraid if they see my hair.”

“Why would they be afraid?” Lia was surprised. Why go to such lengths to hide it? Was it even safe for a child to use such mixtures?

Her eyes landed on those strands again. The more she looked at it, the more she realized that it was not the usual gray hair. It was almost gold.

But the noise outside caught their attention. The soldiers were running towards the gate.

“Guard the borders! Make sure they are refugees from the north!”