Chapter 12: Haven Is Bound

Mon, October 19, 2074 7:01 pm: Pleasantview Youth Boarding House- Tolsbury, Pleasantview



Haven Hanby tripped over her own tangled feet while rushing up the stairs. Her arms flew wildly into the air, grasping for a slightly-too-distant banister. She managed to catch herself before her face hit the wooden edge of the step but her right foot slipped beneath her, causing her entire body to slide backwards for the length of three steps.



No one saw but she was just as embarrassed as she would have been if someone had seen.
Haven pushed herself up, her palms red and burning, her pride likewise injured.



She continued her journey up the stairs clomping heavily but slowly, hanging her head in a show of defeat. She would be cursing herself painfully for the next few days over this.



Haven reached the top of the steps, keeping her eyes on the floor just in case anyone was around. This was the problem with the boarding house- there were no good places to sulk. She had to resign herself to looking away from everyone else and pretending that she was alone.



Haven turned the corner to enter the girls' dormitory when she heard a male voice chastising her from the study room, "You really shouldn't run like that, you could hurt yourself." Orlando! Haven swiveled around abruptly and headed into the study room.



Orlando was seated at the first computer, seemingly proof-reading something he had just typed. He did not look at her. Haven wanted to fling herself on him, plant kisses all over his face and tell him about her day at school. But most unusually, Orlando seemed like he didn't want to be approached.



Haven held her breath and crept behind Orlando's chair. She would wait for him to finish his work before she hugged him. Oh, Orlando! He was her very best friend in the boarding house. No, her very best friend in the world! He was super nice and smart and fun. Haven wished that she could be just like him.



Orlando never tripped or forgot important stuff or blew his nose too loud or said the wrong things. And he was always so good to her. He never treated her like she was different or talked down to her because she was littler than him. Orlando liked her in earnest, for who she was. Haven wasn't even sure she could say the same of her parents.



Haven teetered from one foot to the other. Maybe she would count the seconds until he was done. One (one thousand), two (one thousand), three (one thousand)... She couldn't take it.
"Wanna go look for salamanders," she chirped.



"No, I want to talk to you about something," he said flatly. Uh oh. What had she done now? Haven tried to recall anything she may have said to offend him. Her square face scrunched-up tight in desperate concentration.



Orlando turned his chair around towards her and gestured for her to come closer. Haven came tentatively. When she passed within reach, Orlando took her by the hands.



Haven's hands were sticky from an orange popsicle she'd eaten a few minutes ago. She regretted not having wiped them off somewhere. Orlando had a very expectant look on his face. Haven didn't suppose he was thinking about her hands.



"Haven," Orlando started but looked away as though he was rethinking what he was about to say. "I'm going to be eighteen in December-" Haven cut in, squeezing Orlando's hands.



"Yes, I know. I've already got everything planned." Haven gave Orlando her broadest smile. Did he really think that she would forget his birthday? Orlando closed his eyes and sighed. Haven knew that sigh. It was the sigh of someone who was exasperated with her. She was a little hurt.



"I'll be too old to live here anymore," Orlando said. Years later, Haven would remember this moment as moving infinitely slower than it did. She let go of Orlando's moist hands. Amid the shock of knowing that she was about to lose him, Haven thought that the mixture of his sweat and her popsicle juice had somehow bound them like blood brothers.



"The thing about it is," he continued. "I can't just leave you alone here. I mean, Jack would probably look after you but he's hardly ever around and- Well anyway, I want you to come live with me. I've already talked to your mother and to Mr. Hanby-"



Orlando was interrupted in mid-sentence when Haven threw her tiny arms around his neck. Orlando coughed. She was cutting off his air. She let him go. He was beaming.



"So you'll come?" Haven shrugged but could not suppress the joy on her face.



"My home is where you are," she said. Orlando grabbed her forcefully, pulling her into a crushing hug. Haven couldn't remember a time that she had felt more wanted.