Sina the Songweaver

Sina had, of course, heeded the warnings of her friend, but this didn’t mean that she hadn’t been looking out for an occasion to talk to the infamous Selina, her pretty neighbour. She sometimes caught her from her window as she left or entered her house, but didn’t dare rush out to meet her because even Sina knew that it was strange. But she did mention Selina in the first letter that she sent to her parents, saying that she had a very pretty neighbour which was rumoured to be nasty. 

Yet, when the occasion presented itself, two weeks after her arrival in the Star Caravan, to go and talk to the elusive popular girl, Sina immediately pounced on the occasion. She had already been walking down the path to her front door when she heard the creak of Selina’s door behind her; Sina immediately whipped around and saw that Selina was coming out of the house. 

She immediately changed course, choosing instead to go talk to the other. 

Selina seemed surprised to see Sina walk up to her, but quickly scrubbed that expression from her face and waited with some dignity. As for Sina, she didn’t dare breach the last few steps so that she would be standing near Selina, meaning that she first addressed her from a distance which was more than respectful. 

“Hi!” she said. “I believe that we are neighbours.” 

“Ah…” said Selina. She paused, so Sina thought that this was going to be her sole reply, but Selina soon added, “indeed, I believe so too.” 

“I actually just arrived not too long ago,” said Sina. “Yes, I think it was something like ten days ago. So it’s normal that you’ve never seen me! My name is Sina, and I don’t really have a shorter nickname to go by but I think that Sina is quite short, don’t you think?” 

“Indeed…” 

“I know your name, I heard of it from a friend. It’s Selina, right?” 

“That is my name, yes.” 

“I think it’s an extremely pretty name. It reminds me of the sea… I like the sea! Sometimes, I walk all the way up the Star Caravan’s cliffs and I look at the sea while I’m eating a picnic. I did it twice already! In ten days!” 

“Oh, I think I know the place you’re talking about.” 

“Yes, Hyver showed it to me… Hyver is my traveler.”

“I know Hyver…” 

“And I’m an artisan! You’re an artisan too, right?” 

“Yes… I work in flowers and berries.” 

Sina beamed. She was nervous but didn’t quite realise that she was; when she was in such a state, she tended to ramble and not really listen to the other person. From Sina’s point of view, she was talking with her beautiful neighbour, and she was glad for it. 

Which was why the turn which the conversation took next came as a complete surprise to Sina. 

“Listen,” said Selina. “I don’t know what Hyver said about me, but… may I request that you stop spying on me for him?” 

“Spying?” 

“Oh, please, do not pretend as if you don’t know,” said Selina. “I can see you from your window. Are you telling him when I meet up with my friends? I can’t believe he’d be this obsessed with me that he would make his artisan move in the house in front of mine.” 

“I’m not spying!” 

“Well, whatever you do. I told him that I’m not interested in him once, I am so annoyed that I have to tell him again and again. How about he goes to bother someone else? Tell him that. Tell him that he should bother someone else.” 

Sina was getting a little mad at this nonsense, but she wasn’t at the point where she was going to explode. She just didn’t think that Selina would be this rude! 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, there is somewhere I need to go, I have to meet up with friends,” she said. “So. Please move out of the way.”

Selina started to walk alongside the suspended path and Sina had no choice but to get out of the way. She wanted to reply something, but she didn’t know what she could say to convince the other that she was not spying on the account of Hyver! 

But, when Selina had left and was out of Sina’s sight, giving her an occasion to calm down, Sina starts to think about their exchange a little more critically. And while Selina had made a lot of assumptions, there were things that she had said which were… intriguing, to say the least. 

Sina concluded that Hyver had a lot of explaining to do, and went to go look for him right away.