At first, everything went well. Little Miria of Ashenford jumped with agility. The others applauded. Leo, for his part, stayed back, his face worried.
Halfway across, she lost her balance.
"Ah!!!!"
She fell into the icy water with a scream. She didn't know how to swim. The water was so cold it took her breath away.
"Help me!" she cried, thrashing about.
Kil panicked.
"Leave! Everyone, leave!"
Some shouted to help her, but upon hearing approaching footsteps, everyone fled. Little Miria of Ashenford stretched her hand toward Kil.
"Kil… help me…"
But Kil fled with the others.
She struggled, growing weaker. Just as she began to sink, someone pulled her out of the water. When she raised her head, she first thought it was Kil… but it was Leo she saw.
Immediately, she panicked.
"Leo! You shouldn't have! You know cold water is dangerous for you! Your heart…!"
Leo lost consciousness almost immediately. Little Miria of Ashenford shook him, terrified.
"Leo! Wake up! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that… wake up!"
People found them and took them to the hospital. After a few hours the parents arrived. Little Miria of Ashenford's father slapped her as soon as he saw her.
"You've put Leo in danger again! Because of that Kil! That's enough! We're moving! We're leaving this town!"
Leo's mother, a longtime friend, tried to intervene.
"Calm down… it was just an accident…"
But the father remained categorical. Little Miria of Ashenford threw herself to her knees.
"Papa, Mama, I beg you! I'll be good! Aunt… say something to them!"
Nothing worked.
The scene changed. Miria found herself at the entrance to the town. Little Miria of Ashenford was watching for someone. Rapid footsteps approached. She turned around, joyful.
"Kil…!"
But it was Leo who appeared. Her disappointment was visible.
"Oh… it's you, Leo."
"Sorry to disappoint you," he answered softly.
"No… I'm also happy to see you. Especially after what happened. How are you now?"
"I'm better, don't worry. The others asked me to give you this."
He held out a package to her.
"It's a gift we made especially for you… so you won't forget us."
She hugged the package against her, moved.
"Thank you… And Kil?"
"After what happened, we haven't seen him again. Lira says he's fine… and that he couldn't care less about your departure."
Little Miria of Ashenford squeezed the gift tighter.
"That's not true… Surely his parents forbade him from seeing me…"
"Stop making excuses for him, Miria," Leo cut in. "I know you love him. But him… he doesn't love anyone but himself. Remember all the times he proposed risky things… and you defended him. Has he ever done the same for you? At the docks, you fell… and he fled. Now that you're leaving… he didn't even come to say goodbye."
A sharp pain went through her chest. She could no longer deny it.
"You're right… You're completely right. I was so stupid."
Leo took her hand.
"It's okay. If he doesn't love you… know that someone else does."
He leaned in and kissed her awkwardly. It was her first kiss. Miria, who was watching, smiled inwardly.
Miria's thought: *I had forgotten that…*
Leo pulled away.
"I hope to see you again someday."
He walked away. Little Miria of Ashenford watched him leave, her hand still stretched toward him.
Miria's thought: *If only… I had loved the right person from the beginning…*