In the heart of the summer of 1970, Michael Jackson and Madeline Winters met, and at once, the children became inseparable. Underneath that summer sun, an imperishable connection blossomed between them; a connection that, across their passage to adu...
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Madeline
After supper, Mike and I helped clear the table and clean up with the other kids. When we received permission to go back out outside, we ran to the front. We chatted—gazing into the the brick fountain's blue water—while Dad and Grammie remained getting acquainted with Mrs. Katherine indoors. Silence had soon permeated the air, however, as I thought of an adventure for us to go on. I raised my eyes from the water to look at the various trees that were dispersed around the premises, whose green leaves were glowing because of the sun's golden hour. I was quick to feel my heart jump when a perfect idea popped into my head.
I gasped, causing Mike to look at me curiously. I smiled. Today, we had partaken in most of the things that we loved—but climbing trees.
"What?" he asked me, his dark brown gaze glowing with curiosity.
"You wanna go to the park?" I asked him. "I wanna show you something that I think you'll like."
He nodded. "Yeah!" he cheered.
Cheerfully, my smile grew. "You have a bike?" I asked him. He nodded. "Oh, great! We can ride there!" I said.
"Okay," he said, eagerness swarming his face.
"Okay," I repeated, matching his emotions.
"You go get your bike, and I'll ask our parents for us," he then suggested. "I'll meet you at the gates with my bike after."
I nodded, and as eagerness continued to drive each step of mine, I ran back home.
I returned to the black iron gates of Mike's house a couple of minutes later with my yellow Schwinn StingRay bike. Just as I sat on its white banana seat, the gate began to open, and out came Mike as he walked his orange bike off of the service road. He sat on his bike's seat, and I smiled when he rolled up to me. He smiled in return.
"We can go?" I asked.
He nodded. "Yep."
"Great!" I cheered. I set my shoes on my bike's pedals, and I began to ride into the street. "Let's go!" He didn't hesitate to trail me.
When we were cruising beside one another along the center of the street, I beamed as I noticed that the beautiful sky was beginning to turn orange because of the setting sun. I became far more eager to see the magical twinkling stars of the night—which were my most favorite to gaze at. Gripping the tall handlebars of my bike, I soaked up the warm golden sunbeams with ease.
"What'd you wanna show me at the park?" Mike then asked as he cruised by me.
As my brown hair was brushed behind my shoulders, I turned my head to glance at him with a smile. "You'll see when we're there!" I told him.
A smile lit up his glowing face. "Awe, no! You gotta tell me!" he giggled.
Giggling, I shook my head, earning me a groan from him. "I promise, though..." I said, thinking of his love for climbing trees. "You'll sure love this." I glanced back at him, seeing that he was brimming with wonder. I grinned before beginning to speed up. "C'mon!" I shouted, pedaling faster on the street.
