The Radiant Reira

10. Moments

A week went by and the project was complete, all they had to do was practice their presentation. The pair were ahead of everyone else in their class and they had the time to see each other without speaking of the project.

The pair went out to skate and get coffee. There was no sense of nervousness anymore and they were at ease around each other as friends despite both having the knowledge of the deeper feelings they had towards each other. They skated from his neighborhood to the nearby shopping center where they took a break and sat in the coffee shop.

"So, Reira, how have you been?" Orion asked

He was glowing, despite the challenges he's currently facing at home, he couldn't help but feel radiantly happy. She was glowing as well, he brought extra excitement into her world and every time she knew they were going to hang out, she couldn't help but feel that her heart was on a big race.

"I've been doing good actually." She smiled. "Now that the project's out of the way... I can spend more time talking to you about other things."

He blushed, her obvious flirting gave him butterflies. The coffee shop was empty with just the both of them and the employees in it. Typically it'd feel lonely being the only one but with Reira, he didn't care about anything else going on at that moment. They spent about two hours at the coffee shop talking, and those hours felt like minutes as time always flies by for the pair when they're with each other. After noticing the place beginning to crowd up, they decided to leave and skate to the park.

"You know, I never really thought we'd be hanging out like this when I first saw you." He said while watching others skate.

"And why is that?" She said as she took a sip from her drink.

The pair were sitting on a bench while watching a few kids flip with their bikes and skateboards.

"You were just so outgoing, and pretty, and not the type of girl who'd ever talk to me." He said looking down.

"Excuse me?" She said

"What?" He asked. "Were outgoing? Were pretty?" She asked giving him a side eye.

He let out a small laugh. "Sorry Miss, you are outgoing and are pretty."

"You know, I didn't think you'd ever want to hang out with me." She said.

He raised his eyebrow, "Why not?"

"I don't know... I mean everyone around me would snicker and say that I try too hard. For some reason, people have something against me and... I assumed you'd think the same way."

"I'm kind of ignored for the most part by people, but I once had friends who were cool but ended up snickering and making snide remarks as well" He looked at her.

Reira was confused, in her eyes he looked like a nice, smart, reserved guy who keeps to himself. "What could they possibly make fun of you for?" She asked

"I guess I'm lame for not wanting to drink at some party every weekend. They also think I'm lame for doing homework? And I guess you're lame for liking Geology and for actually paying attention in class?" He looked very unsure.

They both laughed at that thought. When you have someone you can relate to and finally find someone who gets you, it almost feels like the negative comments people have for you no longer matters. Reira may have presented herself with confidence but in the real world, she had insecurities and she definitely second guesses herself, sometimes too much. Orion knew that the only reason why the people in his school were rude to her was because of their own insecurities. Reira was smart, optimistic, and had been around the world. He found it refreshing to know someone who was different and who wasn't afraid to be honest.

"I guess that is the case." She said sarcastically, "I'll just stop paying attention and ruin my chances of having a successful career while you can start getting drunk every weekend and hopefully develop an addiction."

"Exactly!" He played along, "Forget the future, we need to put more effort so we can peak in high school, I mean everyone else is doing it." He shrugged

Reira smiled as she shook her head, "In all seriousness though, you're already cool as you are right now."

He felt happy to hear that from her, "Thank you."

By nighttime, he walked her home-or more accurately, skated her home. Reira gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek before entering her home. Orion went home and walked past his mother, straight to his bedroom with the effects of the drug he had taken, Reira. He was again, caught in a daze and those odd conversations, those moments... made him feel totally different from his old self. He had a friend, a girl who started off as a small crush turned into someone who meant a lot more than that. He laid in bed, with a high and the feeling of love took over his body, making her feel like he was floating in a heavenly space. Orion's mother entered his room after a week of barely speaking to each other. She looked nervous-intimidated to speak to him after seeing how disconnected he was to her. "Orion.." She said with a shaky voice.

He laid on his side to look at her, "Yes mom?"

Her eyes began to tear up. She saw her little boy who was full of happiness and innocence, and no longer saw her teenager who was once filled with doubt and the feelings of disappointment. "Mom, what's wrong?" He sat up. He was confused, his mother never displayed this kind of emotion, at least in front of him. She continued to stare at him with a look of despair in her eyes, "I'm sorry." She stated.

He felt awful seeing his mother in this state, no matter how much she's hurt him, he never wanted to ever see her in a heartbroken state. In her eyes, he was a changed boy, he was radiant. He was the same kind person, yet he was turned into a better version of himself, which made her fearful of the fact that the news she was going to tell him may set him back to where he started. He was right in front of her now, confused and sad as he asked her again, "what's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, "Your father..."