"What's so funny? Lumberjack are heartless human beans (yes bean is on purpose) that don't care about the lives of other trees, dryad husks, or dryads!" She frowned folding her arms over her chest as if she were a pouting three year old. "All lumberjack deserve a long slow death!" She nodded as if to say, I've won this argument.
All that just made him laugh harder. "Stop, I can't breathe." He felt that the laughing was giving him a better workout then the jogging. After a few more moments of laughing he finally calmed down and wiped the tears from his face and caught his breath. "I wasn't talking about lumberjacks. Just normal guys like me, not that I'm dangerous. I won't do anything to you, but that doesn't mean other guys will." Lifting up her arm he began to roll the sleeves up for her. He thought it was weird that she said she has seen him around, but he hasn't seen her. "Do you come to this park often?" He lifted her other arm and rolled that one up as well.
She blushed as he rolled up the sleeves. "Actually, I live here…" She turned around and went to the spot where her tree form had been, the spot looked like it definitely was missing something. "Right here." She said, " I've lived in this exact spot for around…7? Yeah, 7 years. Today will be the first time I've appeared human in 7 years." Her smile widened, of course she assumed he knew about dryad culture and that dryads even existed.
"I'm sorry, what?" Now he just though she was crazy, maybe it was a bad idea to talk to her. Maybe she's on some drugs? "You're telling me that, you were a tree?" He clicked his tongue and shook his head. "There's no way that's possible."
It was Cheland's turn to laugh "Oliver, you are a funny guy. But ill show you my tree form just to prove how empty this space is now that I'm not in it…" and with that, She posed and became a full and beautifully blossoming cherry tree. The space looked whole and familiar once again.
"Oh. My. God." She's a freaking tree! Oliver walked over to the drinking fountain and splashed water on his face. "There has to be something in this water, because I think I'm going crazy." He turned around and looked at the tree that turned into a girl or was it the other way around? It didn't matter. "Wait, where did my jacket go?"
Cheland came back as a human still wearing the jacket, "It feels weird being a human after being a tree for so long…." She noticed Oliver's worried look and face that was dripping wet, " uh, Oliver are you ok? You look as if you've seen a ghost.. and why is your face all wet?"
"Probably because I just saw something that was only a myth. Are all the trees like this?" He whispered. He mind if they were, because Cheland was so cute and innocent, more of them wouldn't be so bad. "I'm sorry, I-I don't even know what to say." He looked her up and down. She seemed fine, and that definitely didn't seem like a magic trick.
"A myth? I don't understand, every bean knows dryads exists… are you pulling my leg?" She asked furrowing her brows, this was deeply troubling to her, humans would hang out in the Forrest she grew up in all the time…in fact her best friend was a human. But studying his face more closely her answer became clear, no one had seen another dryad in years, or they were all just in hiding, contemplating her answer, she tried to answer his questions as carefully as she could…" well, first off, no… you can't really tell dryads from trees just by looking at it, you have to cut it open, because no matter what, a dryad that is cut will always leak sap…it's kinda like our blood. And…it's fine…….if I were you I wouldn't know what to say either….." She sighed, " maybe this whole…me trying to meet you was a bad idea…..I should've just stayed in my tree form…ill…ill stop bothering you…" She turned to return to her spot.
"No, no, no." He was involved, investead and interested now. He ran in front of her to stop her from turning back into a tree. "You're not bothering me, it was just a surprise. Plus, people are now starting to come and I think it would be best not to turn into a tree in front of them." He didn't know how it went back in the day, way, way back in the day, but now people will be all over her and never leave her alone. For all her knew they could try and kidnap this poor girl and sale her off. "Just, come back to my place for now." He took her hand and was leading her to his small house. As they were walking she was getting a few cat calls and Oliver though it was disgusting.
"Oliver…why are the people making those noises when we walk by…it's starting to scare me." She said, clutching his arm tighter, she felt uncomfortable leaving the park, but she felt safe in Oliver's presence
(Its late where I am, so ill read your response and then I need to sleep. We'll continue tomorrow)
"Just don't pay attention to it and don't look them in the eye." He see this all the time when girls walk down the streets and he hates it. "We need to get you some clothes." First settle her in then clothes shopping. "I hope you are scared of dogs." He walked up to his door and opened it. Riven barked and ran over tail wagging. "Hey boy, I have someone for you to met." Closing the door behind him he led her to the living room and sat her on the couch. "I think my sister left some clothes here when she came to visit. Let's see if you will fit them." He walked into the extra bedroom he had for his siblings when they came to visit. He pulled out a light blue tee shirt and black skinny jeans. "Here. The bathroom is down the hall."
She took the clothes and looked down the hall, "Thank you." She said, as she entered the small bathroom. She quickly put on the t-shirt, and jeans and studied herself in the mirror, the jeans fit just right but the t-shirt was slightly big on her. She smiled at her reflection and went to find Oliver in the living room. "Oliver? Is..Is this okay?" she asked.
He smiled upon seeing her. "The shirts a little big, but that's fine. We'll go shopping and buy some clothes for you in a bit." Oliver walked into the kitchen and pulled out two cups filling them with water. "Here." Setting it on the table, he looked at her one more time. "Are you hungry, If you are, what exactly do you eat?"
(Sorry internet quit) "human food…however we do the whole photosynthesis thing when in Tree form.." She guzzled down the water, "to be honest I was getting tired of tree food…i can't remember the last human food I ate" She giggled
"Do you remember what human food you like? I'm not the best cook, but I can try my best." He rummaged through the kitchen to see what he could find. An awkward laugh escaped his lips as he looked over at Cheland. "We will have to go shopping. You okay with that or would you rather stay here?" He realized how uncomfortable she was earlier and didn't want her to feel that way again.
"Um, all I remember is that I love fruit….like the red ones…" She said, "and…I don't mind coming with you." She smiled….petting Riven." Your dog is really nice."
"Red fruit got it." He slipped a hoodie over her head and put the hood up. "That will help you." Patting her head, he gave her a reassuring smile then opened the door for her. "Ladies first." That's how he was raised, and how all men should be raised.
She walked through the door, as they walked she started to play with the strings on the hoodies, she pulled them so that none of her face could be seen. Cheland immediately cracked up, images of how she looked to Oliver passed through her head…"I've become invisible!" She laughed, "If I can't see you, you can't see me!"
"So that's how it works?" He gently pulled a piece of her pink hair. "I can see this though so I know where you are at." Looking over all he could see was a little bit of her mouth and nose. "You better keep it like this though so I don't lose you, because that would be bad." He laughed. Even though he's only known her for about an hour, he felt that they grew up together and have been friends for years.
her face grew hot as he touched her hair, she smiled. "Yeah…although, I could just turn into a tree…that would make finding me LOADS easier…" The conversations they're having…they were becoming better and better friends as the seconds ticked by…although the start had been rocky, there time together now, was more than she could've ever hoped for. To be fair, the reason why she revealed herself was that she'd developed a crush on him..and now that they were together, conversating as friends? Her love just grew like the strongest fir trees.
"No turning into trees." Opening the hood he looked her dead in the eyes, completely serious. "Got it." He hoped it didn't come off as mean, he was just worried. The store wasn't far so he figured walking would do them some good.
"Oh, I see…I will do my best." She sighed, the two walked in awkward silence for a few moments, slight tension had grown between them. She didn't want to disappoint him or be hauled off to some circus. The silence bothered her, but she couldn't think of anything else to say.
"If you see anything you want don't hesitate to tell me." A cold breeze blew when they walked through the store door. "Let's grab a cart." Thank goodness there were a few left. He pulled one out and headed for the fruit and vegetables. Picking up a red apple he showed it to Cheland. "Does this one look good to you?"
"Yes!" She smiled opening her mouth to take a bite, but then pausing knowing that they were in public, and it hadn't been paid for. " yknow, I had a friend who was an Apple tree dryad……"Her voice trailed off…."She was executed though…."