~ Free Spirit ~

1

Growing up was something I missed most in the world. I think that My childhood was better than the average child. I was able to travel the world, meet new people of different cultures, explore my wildest dreams with nobody holding me back. It was everything a child could ask for. Although changing schools and learning new languages every few years was a struggle, I never stopped having fun. Even though I wasn't the most social person I still made friends wherever I went and as a 20 year old woman I still speak to some to this day.

My mother and father met in high school and they perused a relationship until my mother got pregnant with me. Being young and in love can make you do all sorts of things so it wasn't shocking that my father stepped up to be a parent aged only 16. I can't say too much for my mother. She had found out she was pregnant with me too far along in her pregnancy to get an abortion so she decided to give birth to me, hand me over to my father and run away to the opposite side of the world.

I can understand how hard it must be to be young and pregnant so I do sympathise with my mother. Being 20 I know for a fact I'm not ready for children at all, so I can't imagine how frightened she must have been. Though there's no excuse for abandoning your child. Even though I have never had a mother I have had a happy life. When I was only 6 months old my father joined the military meaning I grew up without a father figure predominantly there. Sure I would see him every so often but not for long. As a result of this my grandmother took care of me my whole life alongside my aunt. They both acted as my mother and father in a way.  Of course my grandmother did not want to be too far away from her son so we traveled and lived wherever he served.

When I turned 13 my father had been deployed to Afghanistan and on his first mission there he was shot and killed. Of course I was devastated, he was my father for crying out loud! He may not have always been there for me but I was his DNA.

Life goes on though, the pain lessons over time. My grandmother stopped her travels of course and decided to return us to live in America where we settled down and have lived ever since. I enrolled into American high school and it sucked, but I already knew that so it wasn't such a shock.

I truly love my grandmother, she's basically the greatest person in the world. She has always been so kind, caring and loving from day 1. I always felt like she was a mother, sister and friend all in one. She has such a free spirit along side my aunt. Aunt Grey has always had my back, even when dealing with her own troublesome children. Growing up aunt grey only came with us to other countries a few times, but she always has my twin cousins Jake and Michael with her. Eventually she settled down with the twins and their dad in America until she got divorced to the twins father and raised them alone.

Aunt grey used to call me the wonderer as I never stayed in one place for too long. Before I left for another place she would always invite me to live with her but I always refused every time. It was so fun being with my grandmother and besides, nobody likes feeling like a nuisance in somebody else's home.

Now here I am, 20, living with my grandmother in her monster of a house. She told me she inherited it from her parents when they passed away but always felt it was too big to raise her family in it. That is why now I'm older it's perfect, plenty of space to be free in.

~~~

"Grandma frannie, what should we do today?" I wonder aloud as I plop myself down on the couch. I hear her scoff from behind me.

"How many times do I have to say this Esmay? Do not call me grandma! Call me Francis or frannie. I get more wrinkles the more I get called the rancid G word." I laugh at her silliness and turn to face her.

"It will always feel weird calling you something other than grandma but Ok then francis, what should we do to occupy our time today?" I say in a posh accent. Grandma Francis laughs and flips her hair as she sits down with her back straight. "Well my dear Esmay, I do believe I heard that there was a market going on in the town today. Perhaps you would be kind enough to accompany me?" She replies back in her posh voice and I chuckle but carry on with our joke. "How could I deny such a request ms Francis Hart, do lead the way."

Soon enough we arrive at the market where fresh fruit, spices and handmade clothes are being sold. There's also a singing performance being held in the centre of this all gathering a small crowd, it seemed to be some sort of Beatles tribute band. When they started to sing 'ob-la-di' the small crowd starts to dance with each other, a older man and woman that were dancing see me watching and invite me. Of course I blush and deny them straight away but as they keep waving me over with their kind smiles I give in and walk over. The woman laughs and holds my hand as does the man and we all swirl around dancing, laughing and having fun. Even the tribute band were clapping and encouraging the crowd.

I turn around quickly and wave at my grandma but as I do this I am swung around so quickly I don't know what has happened.

Only when I look up and see I am stood in the arms of a man who's hard chest hardly softened the blow do I realise what has happened. I quickly gather myself and look up into the mans eyes.  His hazel eyes stand out against his sharp features as a small smirk makes its way onto his lips. I whisper out a small "Sorry"  and quickly walk back to another group of strangers who are pulling me in to dance to a new song.

I couldn't help but look back up to find the handsome man staring straight back at me. His stare gives me butterflies but why? I have barely said one word to him and that was after slamming into his body. I turn my eyes away and spot my grandma who was filming me on her phone, I start laughing and walk towards her after saying goodbye to the dancing strangers.

Before I even get to her I am intercepted by the same man who was looking at me just now.

"Your dancing was really good." He says down to me, his frame towering over me. I'm average height so I wonder how tall he is? I lightly blush at his words and chuckle nervously.

"Thanks, I think I did a good job." His smirk deepens and it reveals a dimple. Oh yep, his handsomeness just went up another notch.

"What's your name?" He asks me. It's not like I ever just give my name out to anybody but I couldn't control myself, his stare was very intimidating. "Esmay. Why do you want to know?" I ask curious.

"Well..." before he can talk the Beatles tribute band loudly sing "I want to hold your hand" into their mics, making me jump. The handsome stranger laughs "it seems like they answered your question."

Confused I ask "what do you mean?" The handsome stranger smirks again and holds out his hand to me.

"I am Adonis and I am asking you to dance with me"