How Did it Get This Way?

16 - The Suprise

It's been a few days since my "life-altering realization" and I'm still having a hard time gripping the concept of my new found identity. I mean, it's not everyday that you find out something new and important about yourself, especially one that can drastically change how people perceive you.

Regardless of the new information, I've still made plans to see Leo, after all, why wouldn't I want to be around him? Even before I found out I liked him I would have taken up an offer to hang out with him, he's funny, kind, never a bore, and just a great person all around. A great friend by all accounts.

I agreed to take him down to Starks Pond this afternoon around four and just hang out until we felt like we should leave. He said that he really wants to go since he still hasn't been to the pond since moving here, something I just can't stand for. Starks Pond is one of the only nice places in this town.

Im standing in front of my bathroom mirror attempting to make my hair look a little less chaotic and a little more natural. It isn't working. I let out a sigh, deciding to leave it as is. In the mean time, I should probably do something else.

I head to the kitchen and see the sink full of dishes, a little pathetic looking, should probably clean that up. I head to the sink and start loading the dirty dishes in my dishwasher until everything is inside. I put the dish soap pod in the dishwasher and start it.

It's 3:05, I still have a bit of time so I decide to go sit on the couch and mess around on my phone until I should leave. I scroll through the regular things on Instagram, not really enjoying much of what I see so I switch to YouTube, picking some random video about the lore of a kids show I've never watched. I got half way through before I had to leave.

Before I know it, I'm down in the parking lot starting up my car, Leo's address already put in on my Google maps so I can pick him up. He lives a block down from where my house used to be. That old shack became so decrepit that it eventually collapsed in on itself. That area of town was eventually demolished and made into a new a cheap neighborhood for the poorer people of town. That's where my mom and Karen currently live right now. It's not the best but the house is definitely better than my childhood home, 100%! I'm just glad that Karen is able to live better than when we were kids.

After that long train of thought leaves the station I break out of my trance and realized that I've arrived. I put my car in park and text Leo that I'm outside. He doesn't even respond, just speeds out the door and into the passenger seat, buckling himself up. "Hey Ken! I'm just so excited!" The blonde boy squeals, his excitement and giddiness rubbing off on me, bringing a cheery smile to my face. "We're just going to the pond, what's to exciting about a frozen over pond?" I ask, a small laugh escaping. He looks at me with stars in his eyes, a wide, toothy smile. He never answers. I just shake my head and laugh, putting the car in drive.

We chat as I make the short drive to the pond, shooting jokes out and talking about what we'll do at the pond. Little does Leo know, I have a surprise planned. When we hung out a few days ago he told me about his love for ice skating, how he used to go with his mother to the local rink in his hometown but as he got older, they went less. I packed a bag with two pairs of skates, the first being the ones I got as a gift from Stan and Kyle for my fifteenth birthday, they don't fit but I don't want to throw out a perfectly good pair of skates so I want to give them to Leo. I've got a new pair anyways, and by new I mean three years old.

I pull into the old, makeshift parking lot, both of us clambering out of my car with gleeful smiles, the bag slung around my shoulder as we head down to the pond.

Leo is already way ahead of me, sitting on a bench as I continue to walk through the cold snow, a slight chill of wind blowing my hair from my face for a split second.

I sit next to him, setting the bag on the end of them bench. Both of us stare up at the bright, blue sky, him taking in the environment around us. I'm simply enjoying his company.

The time passes, we exchange banter, stories, and pointless conversations, I decide that now is the right time to tell him about the ice skates.

"Hey, I wanna show you something," I speak as I pull my bag to my lap. His attention is immediately pulled to the bag, then to me. "Yeah?" It's simple and short.

"So, I did a little thinking and remembered I still had them so I decided to give them to you," I start as I unzip the back pack, starting to pull out the skates. I give them to him as he stares in wide eyed amazement. "They're an old pair of mine that don't fit, I know you said you loved staking when you were younger and I didn't want to throw them out so..." he looks me in the eye, at a loss for words. He places them next to him on the bench and hugs me.

"I don't think you understand how much this means to me," it's soft and so quiet I almost can't hear it, but I relish in the words, knowing that they are only meant for me to hear.

Words: 1013

On a bus to Florida, I'm bouta have so much fun!

I watched Scamilton on yt earlier in the bus and cringed so hard earlier.

I'll try to get a new chapter out tomorrow, no promises though.