Seated on a bench, in a park, Aerin Chambers couldn't help but feel rather lonely. She had just left her house when her presumed "parents" started to fight over petty reasons she felt no need to remember. In her hand, she held a white ribbon, at the end of the ribbon was a single red balloon attached to it. She had gotten the object from Berry Bakery down the street, the bunny mascot was handing out cupcakes, tied to the balloon. The wrapper, Aerin had properly disposed of in the trash receptacle, but the balloon she had kept.

"Aerin, hello!" said a young child's voice. It was little James Hendrix, her next door neighbor. They had met numerous times, always at a different place.

"Hey kid, how's it going?" She asked, looking up to see him crossing over to her. He joined her on the bench and peered at her with inquisitive eyes.

"They were fighting again?" He guessed.

"Yeah."

"Don't be sad, it will be fine."

Aerin shot him a look, but then recomposed her features to that of indifference, he was only 6, what could he know?

"How can you be so sure?" She cautiously asked, eying him suspiciously.

The boy diverted his gaze up to the sky. "You can never really be too certain, but mom always tells me, if you want something to happen, just think about it, and it will. I always thought that you would be my friend, and you are." He leveled his gaze back at her, and smiled.

Aerin frowned, he made it sound too easy, if she could just think of what she wanted, and it came true, she wouldn't be here. She'd be in the grave with her parents, there was room for three...right?

"Want to know what I dreamed about last night?" James asked, changing the subject.

"Okay, what was it this time?"

"I dreamed about my cat, Soel. I dreamed that we were in a field, and flowers were everywhere...then we were cuddling...but then...she ran away from me...and I was searching for her, but she was gone." The boy looked almost sad as he told her this.

"So you didn't find her, you could always try again."

"No, because she died, and she is gone."

"That doesn't mean she won't come back to you, maybe if you call her name, she will return."

"And what if she doesn't hear me?" The boy looked at her with straight forward eyes.

Aerin held his gaze with a confident one of her own. "Then yell louder."

They both stared at eachother for a moment longer, then Aerin handed her balloon to him.

"Take it, it's a thank you gift for telling me your wild dreams."

James took the balloon from her, "They aren't wild, they are special. What did you dream?"

"My dreams are always the same, as long as I could remember...since that day...aren't dreams always the same?" Aerin asked, as if unsure.

"No, not really. Every night a dream should be different, at least they are for me." The boy said as he stood up and turned to leave. "You should go back home now Aer, it's getting late. Your mom and dad will miss you."

She scoffed and shrugged, "No they won't!"