"Emma, I thought you were going to go see about the purple mushrooms Old Man Litters said were growing in his yard? Remember you told him you would go and see about cultivating them before his sheep get to them? Shouldn't you get going?"

My best friend Raike stared at me in disapproval as I tried my best to ignore him. He was always a stickler for keeping his word and I kind of hated that about him. Especially on the days when all I wanted to do was spend time with him. He cared nothing about that and believed that one should be true to their word. Which was a good trait it was frustrating on days like today. Especially today.

The grass rustled as the wind blew around us ruffling his curly hair around his face, and he made no move to fix it. A leaf settled into one of his curls and I leaned over to take it out, unaffected by his slight shuffle away as he was still waiting on my response to his earlier statement.

"Hello, Emma? Are you there?" He brushed my hand away the leaf falling from my grasp and onto the lemon custard I'd spent all night making for him. Scrunching my face I make no move to remove it, a bug having already made itself at home on top of it. Abandoning the leaf in the process.

"Emma? What are you thinking about so hard? Aren't you going to go? Besides, I think I'm going to have to cut our hangout short today. Jean said he'd introduce me to his cousin coming to stay with them. He said he thinks that she and I might be a good match and I want to get there before any other guys catch her attention. Aye?" he bumped into my shoulder shimmying and suggestively raising his eyebrows.

"But what about the picnic? I worked so hard to make your favorites?" I motioned down toward the contaminated custard along with the sheep sandwiches for him to take notice of.

"Thank you for the food Em but common, the bugs have already gotten to the custard and we can just eat the sandwiches later when I see you. Plus who knows, maybe this girl could be my true love!" he clasped his hands together and made a silly pose before turning to me with playful puppy dog eyes.

"Sure, maybe we can meet up sometime later today? I have something important to tell you." Wringing my hands I smile up at him hesitantly to which he winced.

"Um, actually Licia wants me to help her prepare for the market so we probably won't be able to see each other until late tomorrow. After the market. Plus I still haven't forgotten that you promised to go see Old Man Litters. You should really go see him before it gets late. You need to prepare for the market tomorrow as well don't you?" He started packing up the food and putting it into the basket not letting my response or lack thereof slow him down.

"You've been complaining all week about needing new products to sell at market and Old Man Litters is coming through for you this week with those mushrooms. You should go." He handed me the basket of food before hurriedly folding the blanket we'd been sitting on.

Shuffling anxiously he looked behind him towards where the outline of his house could be seen from the top of the hill we'd been resting on. "We can talk next time."

He took a step back looking at me expectantly, shifting from foot to foot. "You're right, I should go and check on those mushrooms. Who knows maybe I'll be able to sell them tomorrow at the market."

Giving a cheer he turned and took off in the direction of his house not glancing back even when I shouted out to him again to confirm we'd talk later. My heart sank as I watched him go, hoping that the meeting didn't turn out well. That he wouldn't fall in love with her.

Today I'd been hoping to finally tell him how I felt about him.

Turning I started in the direction of Old Man Litters house. A gentle breeze blew as I walked back to the village alone. The basket in my hand felt as heavy as it did when we came. And just like the wind, discouragement welcomed itself into my heart as my only form of comfort. Why couldn't he see me? Why wasn't I enough for him?

The setting sun's warm hand caressed my back assuring me that night was on the way. But day and night didn't matter when my heart only desired him.