Reya''''''''sfavoriteptheworldwastheamusementpark.
SihedayLubroughtherhome,shehadfacedtlesspeople,tlessroutines,andallofitseemedunbearablyb.
Sheneveruoodthepointofschool,orwhyitcamewithsomanyrules.WhyLuandMoxiwenttoworkalmosteveryday,evenonholidaysandweekends,sometimesdisappearingintothenightandleavingheraloneiyhome.
Tenyearshadpassed,anditseemedlikeshehadperfectlybleothisworld.YetReyahadalwaysfeltlikeavisitorinsomeoneelse''''''''sstory.
Hercssmatesthoughtshewasweirdandshehadneverhadmanyfriends.Shewasn''''''''tiedinanythingtaughtatschool,andnaturally,theteachersdidn''''''''tlikeher.
Hercoworkersattheamusementparkbarelyiedwithher.
Tobefair,inthebeginning,theyatleasttriedtoioparties.Butafterrealizingsheneverehem,andafterlearningshehadacopforafather,thoseinvitationsquietlystopped.
ItwasasifGodhadcarelesslydroppedherintothisworld,andshehadlearowalkitsstreetswithouteverreallytougtheground.
Andincreasingly,shewasmorecertainthahatshedidn''''''''tbelonghere.Notjustbecauseherbodywasuhergirls'''''''',butbecauseshedoubtedtheverylogicthatheldthisworldtogether.
Roles,titles,expectations—theyedaroundpeoplelikecords,turniopuppetswhomovedwithoutwill.Onlyinthechaosandeuphoriaoftheamusementparkcouldshetemporarilyfeeflickerofrelease.
Whenshesurrerolofherbodytoaplungingride,whentheworldspuntoofasttoholdform,there—rightthere—shetastedfreedom.Thekindthatmadeherwonderifhersoulhadcrossedathreshold.
Shelovedhidinginsidemases,speakingthroughastranger''''''''svoice,steppingintoiedlives.Whowouldshebetoday?Whatwoulditfeelliketobeesomeoneelse?
Blendingintovariousroleshelpedherimagikindofbeingshereallywas.
Here,Reyacouldshedtheweightofwhatsheposedtobeandtouchherraw,authenticstateofbeing:aspiritthatrefusedtobetamed.
***
AfewhoursbeforeQuasimodo''''''''sdeath
Theweatherwasbeautifultoday.Thesunbzedoverhead.Althoughitwasn''''''''ttheweekend,theamusementparkstillteemedwithpeople.
Reyaloungediheoversizedbeare,slouchedoheshade,eyesclosed.
Shecouldsehevariouscolorsofenergyradiatingfromthecrowd.Themoreexcitedsomeonewas,thebrightertheirhue,liketlesstinysunsdriftingaroundher,bathingherinlight.
Therealsun?Itdidn''''''''taffecthermuch.Evenyeredinplushfabriasummerday,shedidn''''''''tfeeltheheatthewayothersdid.
Amongthecrowd''''''''sswirlingcolors,onefigurestoodout,drapedingreyish-whitelikecooledash,eerilydetachedfromtheworldaroundthem.
Reyahadrarelysensedaheparkwithsuchcalmenergy.Curiositymadeheropenhereyes,andstraightenedherback.
Ayoungmanstoodthere,slightlyhunched,wearingapinT-shirtandgreypants,handstuginhispockets.Heblendedsowellwiththegreycastlewallbehindhim,almostinvisible.
Hehadbeenwatgher.Whensheshifted,hefliwithisleftlegbetrayinghisurgetoflee—yetheremainedrootedinpce.
Reyaremovedthebearheadagentlyonthebench.Shebrushedherhairbadsmiled."Hi,Quasi."
"...Hi."
ThemanshecalledQuasigher,thenquicklyloweredhisgazetoherfeetstillinthebeare.
Hisslightlylonghairfelloverafacethatlookedlikemeltedwax.Hisdarkskinwasmottledwithrawpinkpatches.Hehadnoeyebrows,askinaroundhiseyesshemataneerieangle.Hischeektwitched,perhapsaosmile,buttheeffortonlymadeanearbychildburstintotears.
Thechild''''''''smotherscoopedhimupandshotQuasialookthatstunglikeasp.Hewinced,lookedevenmoreflusteredandembarrassed.
Reyastoodup,holdingthebearheadunderonearm,andwavedhimover.Theurowardthealleybehindthem,slippingthroughadoormarkedCastMembersOnly.
"Quasi,isn''''''''tthehauntedhouseunderrenovation?Whatareyoudoioday?"sheaskedoncehejoinedherinside.
"Uh...I..."Quasistumbledoverhiswords.Hescratchedhisheadaanervous,"Hehheh,"hisdeformednosewrinklingwitheachsound.
Thiswasastaffbreakroomonthesideofthecastle.Notbig.Justatable,chairs,acoudtwolowets.Thechairwastootinyforthemascot.Reyaperchedoable,hermascot-cdlegsdanglingandswinging.
Shetiltedherhead,amusementglintinginhereyes.Themanbeforeherlookedlikehewaodigaholeandcrawlintoit.
Quasilickedhisentlips,thenfinallypulledanenvelopefromhispocketaouttoReya.
"Forme?"Reyaasked,surprised.
Henodded,eyesflickeringwithbothhopeandfear.
Reyaacceptedtheenvelopeandsliceditopenwithaletteropeingoable.
"ToMyDearestEsmeralda..."
Reyalookedup,puzzled."Yougotthewronggirl.Myname''''''''sReya,notEsmeralda."
"...Iknow."Quasigesturedtowardtheletter,urgiokeepreading.
"...Iknowyournameisn''''''''tEsmeralda.Ha,youguessedwhatIwasw."Reyachuckled,ghim,theurheletter."Andmynameisn''''''''treallyQuasimodo..."
"Julian,"Quasisaidquietly."MynameisJulian."
"Julian?"Reyarepeated,thennodded."Niame."
"...I''''''''vealwaysbeenalone.Nofamily.Nofriends.Youprobablyguesswhy.
Afterawhile,Istopexpeganythingdifferent.Igetusedtobeingtheshadowintheernoonelooksat.
Untilyoushowedup.
Thefirstdayyoucametowork,someoftheoldstaffdaredmetoscareyou.It''''''''stheirprankfornewhires.
Whileyouwereintrodugyourself,someoneshovedmetowardyou.Istillrememberthemanageryelling,andeveryoneughing.Butyou...youdidn''''''''tugh.
Yousmiled.Andyoureachedoutyourhand.
Thatwasthefirsttimeanyoneeversmiledatmewithoutfear.Withoutpity.Justkindness.LikeIwasn''''''''tamoall.
TheycallmeQuasimodo.Fromthatmoment,youbecamemyEsmeralda.
InTheHunchbaotre-Dame,Quasimodocouldn''''''''tsaveEsmeralda.Buthere,inthisamusementpark,IswearIwillprotectyou.Always."
Reyastoppedreading.
ShehadneverreadTheHunchbaotre-Dame,butsheuoodexactlywhathemeant.
Nowthatshethoughtaboutit,eachtimethatsleazymanagerhadtriedsomething,Julianhadbeenthere.
Aclumsyinterruption.Anawkwardtrip.Asudden,unnecessaryrequest.
Hehadbeenullingherfromthefire.He''''''''dbeelyprotegherthiswholetime,andshehadn''''''''tnoticed.
Juliahergaze,andforamomenthelookedasifhereyesalonemightbreakhim.
Shesliddownfromthetableandwalkedtowardhim.
Julianwasaheadtallerthanher,buttheskinaroundhisnedshoulderswhichweretightfromburns,limitedhismovement.Hewasalwaysslightlyhunched,asiftheworldhadforcedhimtoflinchallthetime.
Shedidn''''''''tknowhiswholestory.Butsheknewenough.Enoughtheacheofbeingdifferent,enoughtouandthesilenceofloneliness.
Theywerebothunwele,uedbythisworld.
Thekindnessshehadshownhimhadneverbeendeliberate.Shedidn''''''''tcareaboutbeautyordeformity.Sheckedthehumaninstincttojudgethese.Shesimplyfeltthattheenergyhecarriedwascalm,alwayslikeaquietkeinthemoonlight,andshelikedthat.
Butnoling.
Shesteppedcloser,closeenoughtoalmosttouchhim.
Juliandidn''''''''tretreat.Heloweredhishead.Hisnervousgaze,flickeringanduain,filledslowlywithsomethingelse.
Reyaclosedhereyes.Inthedark,hiscolorbloomedagainsthermind—paleyellowatfirst,softaive,thendeepeningintosomethingwarmer,steadier.
Twoarmsencircledher,hesitantatfirst,thentighteningwhenshedidn''''''''tresist.
Warmbreathbrushedherlips.Sheopenedhereyes.Hisface—distorted,scarred,unbearablyfragile—wasonlyinchesfromhers.