He looked at me, I knew he was trying to figure me out, to no avail. As I stood there just as him, also trying to figure my self out. I was being reckless and I knew it. He stood there questioning my sanity as well as his own. I was questioning my motives, knowing that I was completely sane. Did I really not care if I was exposed because, I knew, at least, on some sub-conscious level that I may very well be doomed? Or was there something about the way this human didn’t make me feel even the slightest bit sick. Even his smell, which in most humans made me gag and heave, seemed friendly and inviting to me. Most humans smell like something fake, and to someone like me, where I thrive and live off of nature, smells like that make me ill. Yet, there was something oddly familiar about his scent. He seemed to either have started to believe in both of their sanities or gave up all together trying to analyze the predicament he had found himself in.

“So...a nymph, huh?” was he trying to change the subject, knowing that I did fear my death, such a mortal thing to fear. All I could do was look at him with a blank stare

“Yes.”

“How long have you been... bound... to your tree?” I was confused. Why was he so interested, and what was that look in his eye? Was he so curious?

It startled me, and it took me a while to comprehend that he really wanted to know. I figured it was obvious that I was new at this, I did get caught. I didn’t want to answer. “Do you know the age of the trees?” There, Haley, think I’m old!

“I’m not sure, actually. I’ve lived here all my life, eighteen years, and most of them have been there since then.”

“Most?” I inquired, I knew my tree was old, but that doesn’t mean I had been bound to it all it’s life. I didn’t want him to know how juvenile I was I looked the age I’d remain my entire existence until my tree fell, however, I also looked the age I was in human years.

“Some are relatively new.” He was hard to read. Most dryads I could read, I guess I didn’t have practice with humans, being as how I didn’t think I’d ever need it.

I smirked, I don’t think he could read me either. “My tree is an old one.”

“But that doesn’t answer my original question. How long have you been bound to it?”

This boy was cunning. Could he read my deception? “I was a gift to the previous hamadryad, to release her at my birth. I’ve been bound to the tree since then: seventeen years.”

He looked confused. That was pretty strait forward, I thought. Why didn’t he understand that. I had answered his question: Seventeen years. “Released her? Is being bound like a punishment? And what happens when you’re released?” So many questions. My head was spinning.

I had to gather my thoughts. I had to turn questions around on him, as well. “Yes, allowed her to be a dryad, removed her from the threat of…” how could I put this nicely… “your kind.” I paused for a second; I wanted to see how he’d respond. It amazed me, and slightly annoyed me how understanding he looked. “You’re your released your just a wood nymph and free to roam forest to forest as you please.” That hurt me, saying it like that. It did seem like a punishment. For an instant I felt trapped. He didn’t recognize it in my face so I covered myself up. “However it’s not a punishment at all. Do human punishments bind you to trees?” as much as the thought of that sent shivers up my spine, I figured I’d ask.

He laughed. “Are you really that dense. We’re not locked up inside, or on trees. They put our criminals, the ones who deserve punishment in jails.”

He was being so serious. I laughed. He didn’t catch my sarcasm at least not until I laughed. I guess he’s the dense one, hah!

Our conversation continued. I found out more about him. His grandfather had own the house near the edge of the forest, where he had spent his childhood and summers since high school. Now that he graduated, he was attending a college nearby in the mornings, and he lived in this house. His grandfather had past away when Haley was only sixteen and left him the house. He moved in now because he, conveniently, in my opinion, chose a good college near this house.

Every now and then he’d pause and ask me a question, which I would answer and counter with a question. Sometimes when he was listening to me he’d close his eyes and draw a breath. I’d watch him at these moments my fluid purple eyes never leaving his gaze. He was a rarity for me. Not even other nymphs would look me in the eye when they spoke, and not once, not a single time while he was speaking did his dark brooding green eyes deviate from mine, so my deep purple eyes would never deviate from his.

“Wow. Your eyes… they’re purple.” I’m also not human… he really doesn’t get this does he.

“I’m a nymph!” I said incredulously, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And yours are green” I added. I don’t know why I said that. I’m not as oblivious as him I’ve known his eyes were green since he first saw me. Everything around me was green; you’d figure that it’d bore me by now. But the way his eyes were the dark green on the outside of his eye cascading into the light bright green in the center then falling, almost like a green waterfall into the black abyss of his pupil. Why are his eyes such an object of obsession for me?

“I’ve never seen eyes that colour before. Now that I think about it, I’ve never seen eyes of one solid colour. It’s amazing. Green skin and purple eyes, you’re one of a kind”

“My skin isn’t green! I told you it’s my natural camouflage! I use the scenery around me to pull the green pigments in the air to my skin. Like your eyes” WHAT?! Shut your mouth before you say something even more stupid.

Thank goodness, he didn’t catch that last part. “Other than your eyes, you could really pass for human. That red hair and this aura you have about you, you’d make a hit foreign exchange student. I hope that comparing you to a human doesn’t offend you in any way.”

Uck. Just the thought of it made my stomach squirm. “The smell of humans and most buildings make me sick. It wouldn’t work. And it doesn’t offend me, it’s natural for you to compare me to humans, it’s supposed to be the only creature your conscious of. I sit here comparing you to nymphs, just not out loud. You’re not supposed to know that I even exist, and I’m not supposed to let you aware of my existence.” It hurt me telling him these things, because as much as I didn’t want to lie to him, it seemed easier to tell him the truth even though it may offend him. Interesting how we were worried about offending each other. “I hope that me being such a nymph doesn’t offend you in anyway.”

“Not at all” he said. He did that closed eye sigh thing again and when he opened his eyes. This time he was looking up. The sun was nearly down and the stars were beginning to come out. “However, I’ve been talking to you all afternoon. It’s getting late and kind of cold.” He looked at what I was wearing, probably wondering how I wasn’t shivering. “I think I should head in, I have classes in the morning.”

“Oh.” I was just going to let him go. Just like that. But something inside of me triggered. The natural nymph in me I guess panicked. He was walking away and I bounded after him, forgetting how soundless I ran. I expected him to turn around, when he didn’t I crashed into him. “Oof”

“Aren’t faeries supposed to be graceful” He was teasing me. How rude.

“You… I mean… you’re... Well... I... er...” I can’t even put a coherent sentence together! Aylai pull yourself together!

He looked at me, expecting something. What did he think I was going to say? “Yes?”

“You… you’re not going to tell anyone are you? About me? About everything I told you today? You’re not going to tell anyone right?

“If you don’t want me to… I won’t. But I have to go now. I have classes.” With that he turned and walked away. Those last two bits he didn’t look at me. He was gone. I believed he wouldn’t tell anyone. What I didn’t know… was whether I’d see him again or not. Because I knew, bound by my tree, without a doubt. that for longer than a day or so at a time, was I able to leave this forest. I knew at least that he was curious enough about me. But curious enough to ensure his return or denial enough to come here and confirm it for himself again. Or would he think himself crazy for having such an apparition and never come back. There was something about this boy that I couldn’t figure out. It would be a while before I actually did.