Free Through Her Eyes by Ava Harrison

might be.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Will you trust me? I know everything.” He winks.
    Reaching into my souvenir bag, I don the children’s bunny ear headband I bought at the souvenir store. When I bought it, I really had no intention of ever wearing it. I thought it would be funny to watch Chase stare at me like I was insane. But seeing him saunter through the streets of Rome with such self-assurance, I can’t help but make an ass of myself.
    “What the hell are you doing?” His eyes flicker with amusement, and he bursts into laughter. Seeing him so entertained makes me bring my hand up to my mouth to stifle my own laughter, but I fail miserably and burst out in my own fit of giggles.
    “What?” I mock playfully. Chase shakes his head as his thunderous laugh rings through the air.
    We continue to stroll through Rome, Chase with his head held high, me wearing my bunny ears. We really are quite the pair. I believe my companion secretly loves it. I can see the pride in his eyes as I openly embarrass myself. It’s as if he knows this is out of character for me, and he loves it. As we make our way further into the city, I notice how vibrant and full of life it is. The picturesque streets are a living, breathing work of art. We lose ourselves among the interweaving lanes of the historic center. As we make our way along a cobblestone path to enter the piazza, I take in Chase. His gait is graceful, his swagger confident. He carries himself with a calmness I envy. His hair is ruffled, and his face looks like he hasn’t had time to shave for days. He turns his head to look over his shoulder and waves his hand to hurry me up.
    As we navigate our way, I fall in love with Italy all over again. Rome is a complete contrast of Tuscany. No rolling hills spanning in the distance, just cobblestone and history—hundreds and hundreds of years of history. Each building is remarkable. When we finally make it to our next destination, I’m speechless. The Colosseum. To think so many died here. So many gladiators lost their lives during the time of the Roman Empire, and in such a barbaric way. So many lives were changed because of this structure. It’s dark and ominous, and evokes a feeling of dread, a foregone conclusion to all those who enter. Death is all around, its murky imprint left for ages as a reminder of the past.
    We make our way inside, and I walk further into the pit. Looking down, I study the dirt and imagine the death. Had they known that this was the end for them? Does anyone really know when the end is near? My eyes well up at the thought. Chase’s voice is soft as he lulls me out of my dark thoughts.
    “What’s going on in that head of yours, Princess?”
    “Do you ever wonder why? What’s the reason for all this . . .?” I move my arms about. “What’s the reason for all this death?”
    “Sometimes there’s no reason. You just have to have faith that everything will right itself in due time.”
    “How can you say that? So much evil happens. So many bad things that shouldn’t.”
    “The water will rise, the tides will come, but eventually it will recede. Life is a cycle. Things happen for a reason.”
    “How do you live like that? My mind won’t let me.”
    “Just keep telling yourself there is a truth intended for you. Don’t let life become routine. That’s not the life intended for you.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Didn’t I already tell you? I know everything.”
    I bend at my knees to scoop some dirt into my hand. It sifts through my fingers like the sands of time, reminding me of history. The history here and my history back home. I stare as time slowly passes through my fingers.
    Snap
    Snap
    I place my hand back on the ground to give me leverage to stand back up when Chase speaks.
    “Hey, don’t move, okay?”
    I suddenly have an immense desire to do just the opposite of what he says. So, what do I do? I pose . . . bunny ears and all.
    I turn and glower at him as he snaps another