Then, a few weeks later, everything changed. When I arrived at my place, a boy was fishing. He had his back to me and didn’t turn around. I wished he wasn’t there. It wasn’t like I owned this section of riverbank, but it felt like I did. This was my place, and I didn’t want anything or anyone to ruin it for me. After taking a deep, calming breath, I made my way over to the pebble art and sat down, intent on losing myself in the work. I hoped he might simply leave.
“What are you doing?”
Startled, I looked up into beautiful, dark brown eyes gazing down at me. I immediately recognised him as Mereki, the boy who’d stood up for me when Jacob stole my antennae.
“Are you talking to me?” I asked, in barely more than a whisper. We were all alone, but I couldn’t help associating him with the bullies.
He looked around, cocked his head, and smiled. “Who else would I be talking to?”
“Nobody, I guess.”
“Well, I’m not nobody.” He grinned. “I’m Mereki, but you can call me Ki if you like.”
I gave him a half-hearted smile. “I’m Emerson.” I scrunched up my nose. “I don’t have a nickname.”
“I know who you are.” He sat down in the dirt in front of me. “So what are you doing?” he asked, studying the pebble design I’d made in the dirt.
I put my finger up against my lips, just as the lady at the market had done weeks ago. “It’s a secret.”
He appeared interested but perhaps a little puzzled as he jumped up and walked away. I felt a pang of sadness and confusion. He seemed so nice, and I couldn’t understand why he’d left. Pushing away my disappointment, I refocused on my artwork.
So far, I’d made a good start despite having no idea what I wanted it to be. A full circle was taking shape, but I’d decided I wouldn’t think too much about the overall picture and would simply enjoy it. Not knowing how it would finish up felt like an exciting adventure.
Ten minutes later, Ki returned. “I thought you might need more supplies,” he said, upending a bag of pebbles on the ground beside me.
“What?” I asked.
He pointed to the small pile near my design. “You’re nearly out.”
His kindness reminded me of the lady who gave me her art. “Thank you. That was really nice.”
“So what is it?” he asked.
“I’m telling a story without words,” I replied, hoping he wouldn’t laugh at me.
“With pebbles?”
I shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
Not only did Ki accept my explanation without question, he spent the next half hour collecting more pebbles and helping me sort them. After unloading his third haul onto the ground beside me, he knelt down and pushed two random pebbles into the dirt.
“Yell out if you need more,” he instructed. “I’ve got some fish to catch.”
I glanced up from time to time over the next couple of hours, but he remained at his post, standing at the water’s edge. I really hoped he’d catch a lot of fish.
Just as I was thinking of leaving, Ki called out to me. “I’m heading back now.”
I desperately wanted to walk with him but didn’t have the courage to ask. Instead, I waved him off with a smile. “Bye, Ki!”
When I returned the next day, I was thrilled to find him fishing in exactly the same spot. I gave him a small wave, sat down, and quietly continued with my design.
Within minutes, his shadow loomed over me, and a bag of coloured river stones was deposited on the ground beside me. I smiled up at him, wider than ever before. “Thank you.”
Ki bent down, sifted through the pile, picked out a smooth, grey pebble and rubbed his thumb along its surface. “Can I help?” he asked.
I shrugged, not entirely sure if I cared or not. It was meant to be just for me, but something about sharing it with someone felt good. “If you want to.”
Very carefully, he pushed the pebble into the ground and then ran his finger along the circle. I watched as his finger rose and fell. I was completely mesmerised by his action and found myself doing the same thing. I liked how the different textures felt against my skin. The jagged ones grazed and the rough, dirty ones left a mark, whilst I skimmed easily over the smooth, flawless ones.
“I really like this,” Ki said.
“I’m glad,” I replied. “I’m just playing with pebbles now, but one day I’m going to be a professional artist.” I scrunched up my nose. “Do you think that’s silly?”
He shook his head. “I think we can do whatever we want.”
“And what do you want to do?” I asked, gaining confidence by the second.
“I want to be an engineer so I can design and build the best skyscrapers anyone has ever seen.”
“Have you ever been to a big city?” I asked, thrilled and impressed by his response.
He shook his head. “No, but one day I will.” He sat back on his hands and looked to the sky. “I’ve seen documentaries on TV about how they make the tallest buildings in the world.” When he looked back at me, his wide eyes shone. “It’s incredible.”
His passion for buildings mirrored my feelings about my art. “I would like to see a tall building one day, too, I think.”
“When you’re a famous artist and I’m an engineer, maybe we’ll stand together at the top of the tallest building in the world after you’ve exhibited at a gallery.” His smile was so wide, I thought his face might split in two. “Do we have a deal?”
I laughed. “We definitely do!”
Some days, Ki randomly added to my artwork. Some days he didn’t. Over the coming months, I stopped thinking of it as my story and started seeing our story, never having the slightest clue of the impact it was going to have on the rest of my life.
On the last day of spring, when Ki had finished fishing, he hovered over me. “I’m going to head back now.” He rocked from toe to heel a few times before asking, “Are you ready to go?”
I slung my bag over my shoulder then stood. “Yes. I should probably get going.”
For the first time, we made the trek back along the river into town together. I had no idea why he waited for me that time, but I was glad.
“Where do you live?” I asked.
“On Murchison St, opposite the park,” he replied. “You’re outside town, aren’t you?”
I nodded. “It’s not too far on the bus.”
After walking in silence for a while, I decided to ask him something I’d been wondering about since the first time I saw him fishing alone. “How come you don’t hang out with Trent, Jacob and the others anymore?”
He stared straight ahead, and for a minute, I didn’t think he’d heard me. “I don’t like the way they treat people,” he said finally, shrugging.
“You don’t have to stand up for me at school, you know,” I said, fixing my gaze on the road ahead. “I can handle them.”
“I know, but Mum says we should treat people the way we’d want to be treated.”
My heart exploded with joy, and I felt like hugging him because I knew he was someone special and he was my friend.
“Ki,” I said, waiting until he faced me.
“What?” He met my gaze.
“I’m really glad you found me.”
The corner of his mouth curled into a smile. “I didn’t know you were lost.”
“Neither did I.”