"Wow, it's really you!"
Maria let out a gasp but quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, lowering her voice.
It was late, and if she got too loud, she'd wake her parents.
If that happened and caused another misunderstanding, they'd probably think she was losing it again.
Her face lit up with excitement, a far cry from her usual gloom.
"The real deal," Barry said, turning around.
He pulled out a stack of unused white notes, waved them for Maria to see, then tossed them back into a corner.
It all added up—everything clicked!
The white note she found the next day, the mysterious figure she'd never seen but who claimed to be watching her, and that strange power he had.
No mistake about it.
Piecing the clues together, Maria was 100% convinced.
"Oh, I… I'm Maria," she said, her eyes shy, nervously tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I know, kid. Relax. I'm not some people-eating monster. We're friends, right?"
Barry's detailed eyes radiated sincerity, his big smile pure as can be, his voice like a clear mountain spring.
In that moment, Maria felt the breath of nature, her nerves slowly easing.
Everything about him felt so real!
"I've got so many questions, so much I want to say," Maria said, her eyes bright with eagerness.
"It's late, good kids should be in bed," Barry teased, squinting playfully.
"But we just met! Can we…?" Maria's eyes dimmed, her head drooping in disappointment. After a moment's hesitation, she looked up, whispering something softly.
She stared at Barry, then quickly looked away, nervous.
"Alright, alright! Consider it a reward for playing detective," Barry chuckled. He hadn't even made his move yet, and Maria's personality was already shifting—small changes, but changes nonetheless.
"Yes!" Maria cheered, pumping her little fists in excitement.
"Shh!" Barry held up a finger, signaling her to keep it down and avoid making a scene.
"Sorry!" Maria whispered.
"I think we need a better spot to talk," she said, her pale blue eyes eyeing Barry's straw body, itching to grab him.
Sure, she'd lost her teddy bear, but gaining a little strawman? Not a bad trade.
Out with the old, in with the new—Maria felt like she'd hit the jackpot.
"Lie down and behave. Don't get any funny ideas," Barry said, reading her thoughts.
He crumpled a prank note into a ball and flicked it at her forehead.
With a soft yelp, Maria blinked, and Barry vanished—only for his voice to come from behind her.
"Come on, dummy."
Maria turned to see Barry walking upside-down on the ceiling, his cute chibi head looking perfectly at ease.
"Whoa!" Maria carefully climbed off her chair.
This was so cool!
If she told Lily about tonight, Lily probably wouldn't believe her. She'd likely laugh her head off, saying Maria's imagination was running wild, dreaming up an imaginary friend.
But Maria was certain this wasn't a dream or a fantasy. This was real.
Click!
The bright room light went out, leaving only a small lamp glowing.
The dim light set a cozy vibe, or so Maria thought.
On the soft bed, she turned her head and clearly saw Barry's tiny figure. Though smaller than her old teddy bear, he gave her a sense of security that far surpassed it.
Barry, you're so strong!
Maria was dying to poke his little straw belly, but his sharp glare stopped her cold.
"Barry, is that what I should call you? I don't even know your last name," Maria said softly, asking her first question.
A normal, not-too-weird question, and Barry didn't mind answering.
"Barry's my full name. You can just call me Barry, but honestly, I'd prefer 'Dear Uncle Barry,'" he said with a grin.
Maria promptly ignored that last part—she wasn't about to let him pull the "uncle" card and make her feel like a kid.
Then she asked the question that had been eating at her for a while:
"Barry, why'd you pick me? I'm just an ordinary, plain girl."
"I told you, Maria. It's gravity that brought us together," Barry said, all mysterious. He was totally making it up, but his face was brimming with confidence.
"Gravity? Like the stuff Newton discovered? Is there some kind of people-pulling gravity I missed in class?"
Maria gave him that classic slacker look, the kind where knowledge just doesn't stick.
"And why say you were drawn to me? I… I don't have anything special to draw you in," she said, head lowered, avoiding his gaze.
"Maria, you gotta have some confidence. You're the most beautiful… American girl I've ever seen."
"Your eyes are gorgeous, like they've got stars in them. This is a gift I… prepared for you."
With that, Barry pulled out a pendant necklace like it was a magic trick.
The chain was woven from straw, rough-looking but smooth and comfortable to the touch.
The pendant was a teardrop-shaped gray stone, etched with delicate rice sprout patterns.
Simple yet elegant, it felt warm and full of heart in Maria's hand.
"Thank you. It's so pretty," Maria said, accepting it, her face flushing red as a wave of trust surged within her.
Barry watched as Maria took the pendant and slipped under the covers, only half her face peeking out. It seemed like the first time she'd heard such praise, and she was clearly embarrassed.
Aw, she's shy! At her age?
Let Uncle Barry take a look.
Barry didn't call her out, continuing, "Maria, gravity brought us together, but what really drew me in, what made me stay, was you."
"Me?!" Maria blurted, her voice rising in shock.
"It's your suppressed pain calling out to me."
"Pain? What… what do you know?"
"I know everything. I told you, I'm always watching you."
Even the blanket couldn't shield her from Barry's intense gaze. Maria felt her whole body heat up.
Oh no—she realized he must've seen all her embarrassing moments!
Her focus veered off track.
"You know your pain, and you're aware of your weaknesses," Barry said.
"But don't worry. They call me the 'Coward Crusher.' I specialize in shutting down anyone who's got a problem—whether it's you or someone else, I'll take 'em all down."
"All you need to do is sign a little contract, a symbol of our lasting friendship."
"Then I'll use my power to make your wishes come true."
Barry's voice was like a devil's whisper, tempting her with words that could lead to ruin, ringing in Maria's ears.