Us At Midday

The Plan (pt3): Summer in Late February

We stood outside of the arcade, waiting in line for the others. The lights were bright from inside the place, loud too.
It was eight o'clock, and we've been in and out, looking for them. Played nearly every game too.

"You know, I'm just gonna say it. Aisha's a bad host." Sol sighed, frustrated.
"Agreed." I hummed.
It was chilly out, and people were walking out now.

I noticed a little nook, right between the diner and the balcony. "Let's go, I wanna see something really quick."
I ran past him, sliding between the bricked crack of a pathway.
"For Pete's sake, where are you going?"
I wasn't listening to him anymore, I was already in at my destination.
It looked like a smoking corner but the door to the diner was locked. You could see the inside of the kitchen, the head chef was closing up shop. He was a big burly man, like Chef from Total Drama. I didn't think he could see me though.

"Hey, where are - oh." Sol squeezed through the crack, almost not making it. He looked up, the moon was cut up in half. He looked pretty under the yellow of the streetlight and the blue of the moon.

"Gorgeous, right?" I didn't know whether I was talking about him or anything else.
He leaned on the handrail, absolutely taken in by the beauty of the night. "Yeah, it is."

Suddenly, music was blasting from the speaker that we had ignored until that point. Summer of Love by Shawn Mendes.

It was the summer of love, a delicate daydream. And for a couple of months, it felt like we were eighteen, the singer's voice blared.

"But we are eighteen." Sol said.
"Well, how does Shawn Mendes know that?" I giggled, dancing to the rhythm. He looked at me like I was crazy but I held out my hand.

"Dance with me."
He hesitated, but he took it. "So long as you don't fall on me again." He grinned.

I think I was falling for you, I wanted to say but I bit it back. I was starting to see him differently, in a way that could ruin us, our friendship. "Deal." I twirled him around. I couldn't believe I was catching feelings for this dork.
Yeah, but you wish he was your dork, my jerk of a brain retorted.

We could see the empty parking lot from here. I wished I could stay on that balcony, dancing with Sol for the rest of my life.

Meditation and tequila, calling you my senorita. Didn't know how much I need ya, hate it when I have to leave ya.
I laughed with Sol when I accidentally stepped on his shoe and I decided I was going to ignore these feelings right now and live in the moment.

As the song was ending, he smiled that heart-warming smile. "You know, these types of places are where people get murdered."
I giggled, "We better get back then."

...

We walked past the motorcycle games, coming across a claw machine game.
"Do you still have some money left?" He checked his pockets. I gave him a R2.
"Only if you could win me one."
"Bet."

He slid the coin into the thing, making the machine came alive. I giggled, looking at the red little teddy bear in the corner. Sol went and tried to grab it.
"No no, you're doing it wrong." I said.
"Uh uh, I'll let you have the next turn." His eyebrows were squished in concentration. Sure, I could've let him win it for me, but my true goal in life was to absolutely pester him.

I pushed random buttons, to Sol's utter dismay, and him shooing me away wasn't helping him at all. I just came back like a fly in the summer but to no avail however, he still managed to win me that cute teddy bear.

"Aww he's so cute," I cuddled the little bear. "I think I'll call him ... what should I name him?" I looked at Soleil.
"Let's name him ... call him Valentine, or Val for short."
I chuckled, giving Val a small kiss. "Val it is."

We went next to the gorilla grip game. "Let's do this one next. I'll hold Val."
As Soleil took the bear, I rolled up my sleeves. I would not gonna embarass myself in front of him like this. I was going to win.

...

I lost.
"You have a weak grip, you know that?" Sol had a bundle of tickets along my lousy ten.
"Yeah, yeah. Let's just go play air hockey -"

"Heyy!" It was Aisha and the gang with a packet of McDonald's. Everyone had one, except for Sol and I.
"Did you guys eat something yet?" Aisha hugged Soleil, who rolled his eyes.
"No, cos we've been waiting for you the entire time."
"Sorry about that, I'll pay for everyone to get ice cream, as an apology." She batted her eyelashes.
"I need to get have a smoke break though. Who's coming with me?" Mikayla said. It had been ages since I had a cigarette.

"Sol, can you keep mine? I'll go with Mikayla." I asked him, and he nodded.

We departed and things became quiet between Mikayla and I.
We sat outside, and she lit the cigarette.

"So, you and Soleil, right?" She said it bluntly, taking the cig to her lips and drew it back.
"Yeah, no, it's not like that re -" I stuttered.
" - cos it was his idea, you know? To invite you." Mikayla sighed the warm mist out. What?
She handed me the lit cigarette and I drew back too, coughing. Sol was a good influence when it came to these sort of things. Too good.

"Sorry, it's been a while." I took another drag. She nodded smoking the thing done.
"We should go back to the others."

She stomped it out, turning away and heading inside.
Sol and the others were waiting for us by the ice cream shop, next to the pizza place and a few people left the cinema behind them.
Sol was holding a sparking pink drink and an ice cream, giving me the drink "I didn't know what you would like so I hope it's decent."
I took a sip, he had good taste. "Try some."
He hummed into the straw, slurping. He held out his spoon in response. Tasted like a frosty heaven.

"Guys, my dad is waiting outside, who's taking the Uber?" Aisha was on her phone. The boys, Zainab and Daniel, nodded and said their goodbyes.
We walked outside (again), Mr Jacobs sat in his car. Inside, the place was covered in dirt and smelly clothes.
I sighed, sliding in on the left side, Mikayla and Sol slid in the opposite side.

Aisha was a good liar, hugging her dad like she wasn't out all day with a boy. Exactly how I was going to act with my parents.

It was cold in the car, windows open to its limits. I leaned on Sol's shoulders, rubbing my arms. Should've worn more layers.
Before I knew it, suddenly Sol's fingers tangled themselves with mine.

Don't embarrass yourself, don't mess this up.
My brain was on overload with emotions. I sighed the jitters away. I rubbed his hand with my thumb, and he squeezed my hand in reply. Was that a call and response type of thing?

How could he have possibly known, how could he have planned it all down to that?