Grian's Perspective-
Grian blinked in surprise.
"W-what?" Grian stuttered.
The woman laughed, "I was wondering how you've been! We haven't spoken in ages! How's your family?"
"Er—wait... Mumbo?"
"Birdie?"
Grian froze.
His parents then caught up to him.
"Grian? Why did you stop- "
"Yara!" Grian's mother shrieked, hugging Mumbo's mom.
"Hello Rebecca! How've you been?"
"Good, good. Where's Mat?"
"He's right behind us. Had to stop to take some pictures of seagulls or something."
Grian's mother nodded and smiled.
"But yeah! What are you guys doing here?"
"Oh, you know..."
Grian tuned out, staring at Mumbo.
He looked...the same.
Just taller.
"So..." Mumbo said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.
"Yeah..."
"Er..." Mumbo coughed awkwardly.
"Yep." Grian clicked his tongue.
He then started to look around, desperately trying to disappear.
Sure, he wanted to spend the two weeks with a friend, but not Mumbo! They hadn't spoken in years!
They grew apart!
They met new people!
They didn't want this!
"Why don't we hang out today? What are you doing?" Mumbo's father pitched.
"Well, we're visiting Grian's grandparents, my parents, tomorrow, but we're pretty much free today." Grian's father told Mumbo's father.
"Splendid! We simply must dine together. Give Mumbo and Grian a chance to catch up."
Grian gave his parents a pleading look, but they didn't seem to notice.
Mumbo did though.
"I know, I'm really boring." Mumbo said, a joking smile on his face.
"Oh no!" Grian said nervously, not noticing the smile on Mumbo's face, "I just- it's not that your boring- there's just- I didn't..."
Grian sighed as he scratched the back of his neck, "I didn't really wanna come here." He mumbled.
Mumbo elbowed his playfully, "Hey, it's just a joke. Chill out."
Grian laughed playfully before they fell into silence.
They started walking behind their parents who were talking cheerfully as they walked to the restaurant.
"So...you said you had made a new friend. The person who moved in my old house."
"I did?" Grian tilted his head, confused, "When did I say that?"
"Oh, you didn't say it now..." Mumbo coughed awkwardly again, "You...er- you mentioned it a couple of years ago in an email." He muttered the last part.
Grian laughed, "Oh, that makes sense at why I don't remember."
Mumbo smiled playfully.
Despite it being very awkward, he missed
hearing Grian's laugh and seeing his smile.
"But yeah, my good friend Scar. He's super nice, kind, caring, he always wants to make me happy." Grian started listing things off, blush forming on his face.
Mumbo gave Grian a smirk and Grian turned even more red.
"So Scar's just a friend, huh?" Mumbo asked, a playful smirk on his face.
"Yes! Just a friend!" Grian said, trying to calm down his burning red face, "There's also Tim. He's got a super big crush on this guy named Tango."
Mumbo nodded.
"What about you?" Grian asked, "Any new friends?"
"Er- yeah I made some friends."
"Who?"
"Pix and Oli. They're nice."
Grian nodded and Mumbo put his hands in his pockets as they continued walking.
"You know," Grian said, "It's kind of funny how we just happened to run into each other."
Mumbo nodded and half shrugged, "Yeah I guess it is."
"How've things been in New York?"
"Good. We moved to a small part up there so it's nice and peaceful."
"And how's it been down in Ashville?" Mumbo asked.
Grian shrugged, "Just made new friends. That's really it."
"How's school?"
Grian gave Mumbo a disgusted look.
"What am I supposed to ask?!" Mumbo asked in defense.
"Not that question! That's the question old people ask us when they don't know what to say."
"Well, I don't know what to say!"
"That's the stupidest question though.
Seriously, you could've asked me anything."
"Like what?"
"Like where my parents are taking us for lunch."
"Oh...yeah I guess I could've done that."
Mumbo said, laughing awkwardly.
Grian rolled his eyes.
"Er- where are we going?"
"Some café called The Major's Café."
"What?"
Grian shrugged.
Eventually their parents came to a stop as Grian's dad held the café door open.
They all filed in and were sat down at a table.
Grian and Mumbo sat down awkwardly next to each other.
"So what's going on with Scar?" Mumbo asked.
Grian blushed a bit.
"Nothing!" He said, turning away, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Birdie...I know when you're lying."
Grian opened his eyes when hearing the nickname Mumbo had given him all those years ago.
"Sorry!" Mumbo apologized quickly, "Do you not want me calling you that now?"
"No, it's fine!" Grian smiled, "It just caught me off guard."
"Does Scar call you something?"
Grian shook his head, "Just Grian. Well, sometimes he calls me Gri or G."
Mumbo nodded and then put his hands behind his head.
"Well, it seems like you like him."
Grian blushed a bit as he looked away.
"Maybe..." He mumbled.
"What was that?" Mumbo asked, a playful smile on his face as he leaned forward.
"Don't think I heard you." He smiled.
Grian rolled his eyes as he flicked Mumbo's forehead, "I'm sure you heard me just fine."
Mumbo shrugged as he sat back, "But you do like him, don't you?"
Grian started fidgeting with his hands, "Yeah."
Mumbo smiled, "I'm sure he's super nice. Just talk to him."
"Easy for you to say."
"How is that easy for me to say?"
"You don't have a huge crush on a guy! You're not dealing with my problems!"
Mumbo shrugged as he folded his arms, "True."
Just then, a waiter walked up to them.
He had cyan hair and a pencil behind his ear.
He wore a white apron that had a bunch of things inside its pocket.
There was a poppy embroidered on the apron and the words 'The Major Café' under it.
He also wore a nametag that said 'Scott Major'.
"Hello!" He smiled, "What drinks can I start you with today?"
"Er- I'd just like a water." Mumbo said.
"One water. And you sir?" Scott asked Grian.
"Oh, uh- could I get a water and some hot chocolate?"
Scott nodded as he wrote down Grian's drinks.
"Whipped cream with that?" Scott asked.
Grian nodded, "Yes please."
Scott nodded again and said, "The hot chocolate's very good."
He then moved on to Grian's mother.
After a couple of minutes of deciding what to order, Grian got up to use the restroom.
While he was in there, their drinks arrived and Scott had taken out his pencil and notepad to take their order.
"I'd like the strawberry waffle, please." Mumbo said.
Scott nodded as he scribbled it down.
"And what would your boyfriend like?" Scott asked, looking up at Mumbo.
Mumbo blinked, "My...my what?"
"Oh, are you two not dating?! I overheard you calling him 'Birdie' and I just assumed you guys were boyfriends."
Mumbo blinked and laughed awkwardly, "It- it's fine! I can see how you made that mistake. I guess it is weird how I call him that despite us just being friends."
Just then, Grian walked back.
Scott turned red from embarrassment.
"Er- what's your order?" Scott asked, trying to ignore the mistake he made earlier.
"Oh, I'd like the blueberry pancake please."
Scott nodded, wrote down Grian's order and walked away to their parents, still red in the face.
"What's going on with him?" Grian asked Mumbo, looking at Scott.
"Oh, he just...made a mistake."
"What?"
"Nothing." Mumbo said and when Grian gave Mumbo a suspicious look, Mumbo quickly changed the subject.
Mumbo had fun trying to figure out all he can about Scar.
After a while, the day ended and Mumbo went to bed, feeling happy.
Maybe these two weeks wouldn't be so bad.