GREY

CHAPTER 51 - Rain

Tuesday 14.10.22

I clutched onto my stomach, laughing at the comment Roni made. "I'm not even joking, look at him." We all faced towards Toby, bursting out with heavier laughters as we witnessed his constrained face expression.

Mase simply chuckled to himself, and although I wanted to drag him in with the humour even further, I was too involved with guffawing. It was pretty strange especially because Roni and Mase used to be the pair that would take in turns to poke fun at Toby, but now it was just either one of them doing it.

My body was shivering but even through that the amusement that consumed me was inevitable. It has been so long since I've heard Roni say these stupid jokes and I couldn't deny how bad I missed them. Though all six of us weren't exactly the same anymore, it still felt like the old days.

The sudden ringing of Toby's phone perked our attention as I got back up on the picnic blanket that we had decided to lay out in the autumn season. Thankfully it wasn't too cold, and I was thanking myself for putting on my beige lambswool polo coat, which El had gifted me for my birthday this year.

Coming here was completely unplanned. Mase dragged us all into the park situated by Toby's house to simply take a picture of a bird he had never before seen. He took so long that we all ended up sitting on the ground until Toby offered to bring us a blanket to sit on.

"Hey." Toby placed the phone on speakers and I instantly knew it had to be El from the number of heart emojis I recognised from the caller ID.

"Hi, Gray and I will at yours in a bit." El announced and I felt my heart tug at the mention of that very specific name. I hadn't seen him the entire day yesterday and even today when we had all come to Toby's, both El and him were missing.

The others seemed to know what was going on, but I was sat here clueless as my mind burned with curiosity. He had just come here, and since this place was something he has come to visit now, surely there shouldn't be much on his plate to do.

Roni has been saying that she had finally been getting the freedom she wants by coming here, since she can put a pause to all her responsibilities, but Gray seems to busier than he has ever been.

"Nah come to the park behind my house, we are all there." Toby replied through and soon enough they both hung up. My eyes searched for the entrance of the park, as I felt my pulse slowly raise, knowing exactly who I'd be seeing there soon.

The vibration of my phone suddenly brought my attention back down and a light simper raised itself on my lips as I read the messages that popped up from the group chat that was filled with the friends I have in Queens.

'When shall we all meet up??? - JOANNA'

'Yeah, it's been a while - LILY'

'I know - JOANNA'

'Well it depends when Ari's coming inni - CALLUM'

'I'm not sure yet guys, but I'm hoping 2 come someday this week - ARIA'

'U were supposed 2 come on Saturday - CALLUM'

I let out a light giggle, imagining his chestnut brown eyes glistening as he did that puppy face behind the phone.

'Ik, I just have a few things to do ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ - ARIA'

In all honesty, I had nothing piled up on my to do's list. In fact the whole reason I'm even staying much longer than I anticipated to do was simply because the six of us have finally been reunited after so long.

I wasn't in talking terms with Gray and there was a tension between Mase and Roni, but it still felt good. It had been something I have been wishing to see for so long and although I couldn't enjoy it as much as I would have preferred, it still whelmed my heart.