Day's life from then on became a less exciting one than ever before. She no longer went and saw her Father every night, and although he knocked at her door every night and asked her how she was she could not convince herself that she aught to go see him.
She reasoned that it could be that He was angry with her for staying away so long. She didn't even want to think about that, let alone face it. It seemed as though the entire world had become a dreary place and every morning when she woke she felt that it would have been better had she not.
Day had lost all joy in life.
But one morning as she was getting ready to go on a walk in the gardens she spotted the wrapped heart sitting on top of her dresser. She unwrapped it with trembling hands, and as she looked at it she felt a pang of regret thinking of that wonderful night when her Father has presented it to her.
"The best I can do is wear it." She said to herself, and she hung it by it's ribbon round her neck, then out into the garden she headed.
Day was surprised to find that Gavin was in the garden as well, he looked rather bored as he tossed rocks aimlessly. "Good morning." She said as grown up sounding as she could. It took a lot of control for she wanted to run to him and kiss his cheek and tell him how she'd missed him and that she wanted so badly to play games again with him. But she didn't think he would care at all for such childishness.
He smiled at her, "I see you've listened to that dolt. I knew you would."
She frowned, "Well, he was right wasn't he? I haven't seen my Father in weeks and I wonder if this is the way it feels to be grown up; I feel so tired."
Gavin had a short attention span, and returned to throwing rocks. "I liked you better before, even if you were silly."
Day felt as though she had just been struck, she turned to go sadly. Then she remembered the heart around her neck and a strange impulse seized her. "Gavin," she said, "I have a gift for you."
She took the heart from where it rested on her chest and gave it to him. "You've always been such a wonderful friend, I want you to have this." She said and searched his eyes for any sign that she had given him pleasure.
Gavin looked long at the heart, for a moment she thought he looked amazed, then he shrugged, "Thanks" he said bluntly, "But it's too girly for me to wear, what am I supposed to do with it?"
Day remembered what her Father had done with the heart, "Well, I'm terribly clumsy you see, and I would like it if you would just take care of it, keep it safe, I'm always afraid I will damage it in some way."
She couldn't tell if he was pleased or displeased, her friend simply shrugged and placed the heart in his pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow." He said and left her standing alone.
Day frowned, wondering why she felt the way she did. Then she turned to go inside and saw her Father standing there looking at her, she couldn't tell what his expression meant, He almost seemed sad, but no, he couldn't be, he was probably angry. She wondered how long he had been watching her, and if he had seen her give the heart to Gavin. She couldn't tell why, but she hoped he had not.
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