Dream of the Past

Tuli

Suddenly, I was eleven again.

It was a Sunday night, close to midnight, and I was tucked away in my room, hiding under my blanket with a flashlight and a favorite book, hoping my dad wouldn’t catch me.

A sudden knock at my window made me jump, sending my book and flashlight flying and my blanket tumbling down.

Turning towards the window, I saw a familiar teenage figure standing on my balcony, tapping lightly on the glass.

My shock quickly turned into delight. “Addy!” I cried out, using the nickname I’d given Adam when I was too young to pronounce his name properly.

“Shhh,” he whispered, pressing a finger to his lips as I opened the balcony doors and stepped outside with him.

“I can’t help it,” I said, gazing up into his deep brown eyes. I loved looking into his eyes, a rare treat since his black hair usually hid them.

I remembered when his hair was a lighter brown, back when we first met. Now, his hair was darker, fitting his emo style. But tonight, he’d clipped his bangs back.

Adam chuckled and planted a soft kiss on my forehead as I hugged him tightly. I felt my cheeks heat up. I’d had a crush on him for as long as I could remember.

But I kept my feelings to myself. He was seventeen, way too old for me. Plus, he saw me as a little sister. Still, I cherished every forehead kiss and bear hug he gave me.

“What brings you here?” I asked, looking up at him again.

I watched as the light in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a sadness. “Let’s sit down, okay?”

I didn’t understand what was going on, but I followed his lead. He pulled a chair out from under my patio table, and I sat down, murmuring a soft thank you. He took the chair next to me, his large hands enveloping my small ones.

“Tulip,” he began, using my nickname. “I have some news you might not like.”

A wave of anxiety washed over me. It felt like my heart was being squeezed, and I could only manage to utter a single word. “What?”

“I snuck over here tonight to tell you that my parents are making us move.”

“But why?” I asked, struggling to hold back the tears welling up in my eyes.

His sad expression turned angry. “Rick got promoted to upper management at his job,” Adam spat out. “It happened this morning. We have to pack up and leave by tomorrow night—they need him in California right away. It’s not fair.” His voice was choked with emotion. I felt a lump forming in my throat, making it hard to swallow. The tears slipped from my eyes, beyond my control.

I felt his warm fingers wipe away my tears. “Now, now,” Adam soothed, cupping my face in his hands and forcing me to look up at him. “Tuli, you don’t need me.”

Was he kidding? “That’s not true,” I whimpered, “I do need you. You’re my only friend.”

He chuckled softly. “You have friends. You have Megan. You have your brother Daniel, and your cousin, both who love you very much. And don’t forget how much Nicolette relies on you. You can be strong without me.”

“But what about the bullies at school?” I cried, clinging to him.

“Unless they physically hurt you, do your best to ignore them,” he advised.

“How will that work?” I asked, skeptical that his advice would help.

“Look at me,” he said, gently pushing me back so I could see him clearly. “I get bullied for the way I dress every single day. But I ignore them, and eventually, they get bored. If you don’t let their words affect you, if you don’t show them that they’re hurting you, they’ll eventually leave you alone. They just want a reaction.”

“What if they say something really hurtful?”

“If they really get to you, just try not to show it. And you can vent to Megan, or Daniel, or even me. Your dad has my Skype address, so you can reach out to me anytime, okay?”

“Okay,” I replied. I didn’t feel much better, but I decided to give it a shot.

“Just remember,” he added, “the only reason they try to hurt you is because they might be dealing with something difficult in their own lives.”

“Why does that matter?” I asked, feeling grumpy. It didn’t change the fact that they were bullying me.

“I know it’s not an excuse for them to bully you,” Adam replied, “but it might change how you see them. They might be going through something tough, and they want others to feel as bad as they do. It’s their way of coping.

“Here’s an idea: if you feel brave enough, try being nice to them. You might turn a bully into a friend if you treat them kindly. They might feel guilty about treating you badly. Do you think you could try that for me?”

I hesitated, then nodded.

“There’s my girl,” he said softly, praising me. “Oh, wait!” He exclaimed, “I almost forgot something.”

Adam reached behind him, unzipping a backpack I hadn’t noticed before. “What?” I asked, curious about his sudden excitement.

From the backpack, he pulled out a teddy bear. It looked handmade, with its charming imperfections.

Its belly and head were a plaid pattern of red and blue, except for its gray muzzle. Its back, arms, and legs were made from a puffy jacket and were a dark blue.

Its eyes were brown, its nose black. It wore a purple bow tie. It was the cutest bear I’d ever seen.

“Look, I took a sewing class and made this bear for you,” Adam confessed, his cheeks flushing a soft pink. He held out a bear, crafted from the fabric of an old jacket of his.

I wondered if he felt a bit sheepish about the sewing class. But honestly, I didn’t give it much thought. I let out a delighted squeal as he handed me the bear. “I’m going to call him Theodore,” I whispered, clutching the bear close to my heart.

Adam let out a warm chuckle. “Alright, come here. I need to give my baby sister a big hug.”

I scrunched up my nose. I loved that he saw me as a sister, but I wasn’t a fan of the baby talk. “I’m not a baby, Addy,” I protested.

“I know, I know. But you’re just too adorable.”

I folded my arms, shooting him a pouty look. He just laughed harder as I turned my back to him. With a gentle “come here,” he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

I remained a bit stiff, my stubbornness holding on. But then he rested his cheek on top of my head and began to stroke my hair. I couldn’t resist. I melted into him, nestling myself deeper into his arms.

“I love you, Addy,” I murmured.

“I love you too, tulip,” he whispered back, his arms tightening around me.