It exploded before my eyes.
The computer deserved a kick in the butt.
How hard was it to save a file? Press save and it should save! But no, it didn’t like me. It had to go delete itself. Two hours worth of study notes gone!
I threw myself onto my bed and screamed into my pillow.
Why, why, why, why, why?
Calm down. Breathe.
Once I was feeling slightly better, I lay down and took a moment to think.
Was this what they meant everything happens for a reason? Was there a reason behind me losing my work on this stupid piece of technology?
This was a philosophy I’d chosen to believe in. It seemed logical enough at the time, but now, I didn’t think so. All my work!
With a grunt, I launched my body off the bed and to the window, hoping the view would give me something to appreciate what I usually took for granted. I lived in a lovely area. I should be spending more time outside.
It was the middle of autumn; a wonderful time of the year. The leaves were transforming into warm shades of red, orange and yellow, gracefully falling from the branches of semi-naked trees. As I gazed out the window, I saw the park down the road, the one I grew up as a child in.
Come to think of it, I hadn’t been down there in a while.
I can go for a run! I realised.
The moment after I had shorts and a singlet on, I seriously considered what I was about to do.
What was I thinking? I couldn’t run to save my life.
But I was giving it a try.
It was a good day: clear sky, light breeze and the hot sun on my back. After five minutes, sweat had accumulated on my brow and poured down the sides of my face. My breathing grew laborious and wheezy, the balls of my feet aching.
I definitely didn’t enjoy my lack of fitness.
I caught sight of a woman running just ahead of me. Her blonde ponytail swayed side to side with her running rhythm. I narrowed my eyes and my determination sparked a challenge for myself.
I had to catch up and run in time with her, no matter how painful it was.
My feet carried me forward, each step a new throb of pain on top of the other. I was catching up fast, my arms swinging back and forth in time with my legs. The determination grew within me as I lost speed. No, I couldn’t give up. I had to keep going. Sweat was streaking down my face like Niagara Falls, the sun angled at my left cheek. My arms were tired from all the swinging, and my heart was pounding so hard I was scared it would break open my ribs.
Just two more steps.
My body flew in time with the woman’s, and I smiled to myself, relaxing a little.
I did it.
I managed a sweet smile to the woman, who returned it with one of her own. An iPod was in her ears, keeping her silent. I took a quick second to make an observation of her. A twinge of jealousy tugged at my chest. There was no sweat on her person at all! It was like she was a machine – and an older one too! I fought the urge to grumble.
Why did old people have to be better than me?
We ran together for a minute and at a fork in the path, we separated, giving each other a polite wave as we did so. I had entered a peaceful and shaded part of the park with a green field for ball games and picnics. I rounded a corner, my eyes glued to the old pavement, counting each step. My ears picked up on a strange, hollow sound.
Then someone yelled “Watch out!”
A second later, a great force collided with my face and I crashed onto the grass to my left. The bright day danced with splashes of red and black. Then a stinging sensation enveloped my entire face, and a stab of pain ran up through my nose to my skull. I groaned as I cupped my nose with my hands. I hoped it wasn’t broken.
“Oh jeez, I’m so sorry!” said a deep male voice quite close to me. His proximity instinctively forced my eyes open, adrenaline shooting through my veins as I attempted to protect myself with my arms from whoever was there. I was met with the sight of a lanky guy, roughly my age, who seemed concerned for my wellbeing. I took a quick second to make an observation of his appearance: floppy brown hair that fell past his eyebrows, lean, tan and dressed in soccer shorts and a white singlet. The sun shone down on his head, dimming his face, hooding his eyes.
Who is this guy?
“I told you not to close your eyes and kick the ball, mate,” another voice said from out of my line of sight.
And who is that guy?
I retracted my body within itself, my hands still outstretched in self defence. What if they tried to hurt me again? But at that moment, I realised what had happened – it’d been an accident on a basis of idiocy. That didn’t mean it hadn’t hurt. Anger filled my body and I sat up, glaring at the boy above me.
“Are you stupid or something? Why the hell would you kick a ball with your stupid eyes closed? I could have had a concussion, you know that right? God, once I’m standing up, you’re dead.” I was seething, preparing my body to give this guy a piece of my mind.
The boy closest to me – the one with the brown hair – stared at me, scared and slightly concerned.
“Might wanna start running,” the other boy said with a chuckle, walking into my line of vision. He was shorter, and his heritage was more Mediterranean than the other boy. His black hair curled into locks, and he was dressed in the same clothing as the other guy, who finally noticed I was speaking. “He totally just smashed your face in with our soccer ball.” Then he continued to laugh like it was the funniest moment of his entire life.
I wanted nothing more than to slap the two silly. I was still dazed from being hit, so I stayed on the ground to refocus.
The brown-haired boy edged closer to me. “Please,” he said, closing the small distance between us. “Let me help you up.”
Suddenly, a sharp sting spread over the skin on my leg. I yelped, forgetting self-defence, my attention focusing on my left leg. The flesh on my left calf was a light shade of pink, and indents from, what appeared to be, blunt spikes peppered the pink skin in a ten centimeter radius. The boy had jumped back and the other was rolling on the ground, roaring with laughter.
It took me a few seconds to understand what had just happened.
The boy had stepped on my leg. With his soccer cleats.
“I-I’m s-so sorry,” he started to stutter. “I d-didn’t mean t-to do that.” His hand extended towards me, urging me to take hold.
“God,” I growled. “Thanks a lot, buddy.” I wasn’t sure if my sarcasm was making this situation any better for him, but I didn’t care. How idiotic could he get?
“Just let me help you up.” The edge in his voice indicated he was exasperated.
Then something strange occurred. My heart picked up the pace and my pulse was throbbing out of my neck rapidly, a clear signal of what my body was going through. His eyes flickered to the visible blood vessel, and then looked back to me. Despite the anxiety building up inside of me, I placed my hand in his and hoisted myself up, taking time to dust off my butt. On my own two feet, there was a moment of inferiority between the boy and I. He was so tall, exceeding my six feet tall relatives any day.
However, his height didn’t change the fact I was continuing to be angry with him. I also stood by what I’d said earlier. I balled up my right hand into a fist – my stronger arm – and brought it back before pushing it forwards and punching the guy on the arm. It wasn’t too hard a punch. He was a guy, he could take it.
“Hey!” he yelled, rubbing the spot I’d just hit. “That’s not nice.”
“This is coming from the guy who hit me in the face with a ball.”
“It was an accident!”
The Mediterranean kid advanced behind him and clapped his shoulder, interrupting our dispute. “Sammy boy, you are the biggest idiot I have ever met.”
I thrust my hand up in the air. “I second that.”
He snorted with laughter again. Did this guy ever not laugh? For the past few minutes, that’s all I’d heard: his silly laughter.
“I like her, mate. She’s funny,” he said. “Have you apologised?”
The boy he’d called ‘Sammy’ stared at me, seeming to have an inner conflict. “Like a million times.” His attention shifted to me. “I’m really sorry, okay?” He did sound as genuine as a person could possibly be without pleading on their knees.
My fury had boiled down to a simmer. Frankly, I shouldn’t have gotten as angry as I had. I waved a hand, dismissing the topic. “It’s okay.”
I couldn’t hold a grudge towards an accident. It didn’t feel right.
“Awesome! So we’re all okay now.” The dark-haired guy threw his hand out to me. “I’m Jack.”
I shook it lightly, smiling. “It’s nice to meet you.” I said politely, like I was meeting someone’s parents rather than a teenage boy.
My gaze fell upon the boy who’d knocked me over. I could finally see his eyes in the light of the sun. They were a rich hazel colour, the forest green dominating the nutmeg brown.
Jack put an arm around him and said, “And this is Sam.”
Sam offered his hand. I noted he had long fingers and huge knuckles, reminding me of a giant. Well, he was a very tall person; he may as well have been a giant. I slipped my hand into his and shook it. His skin was smooth, something I hadn’t expected. I compared them to my dad’s hands, whose were layered with calluses. Sam’s felt like a baby’s in comparison to Dad’s.
Jack jerked his chin in my direction, expecting something. “What about you? What’s your name?”
Still not trusting these two boys, I answered cautiously, “Eva.”
Jack nodded his head with a smile at me. He stole a quick glance at his watch and almost blanched when his mouth dropped open. His wide eyes snapped back up to Sam and I, and he gave Sam a quick pat on the back before saying, “Sorry, I have to go.” He then started to dash off, but at the last second, he turned around as he rounded a bend and yelled, “It was nice meeting you!”
Just like that, he was gone.
I stared after him, confused. “Okay then,” – I waved at the imaginary being of Jack in my head– “See ya!”
“Yeah, don’t worry about him.” Sam said. “He has footy practice and if he’s late, the coach will make him do laps of the oval.”
The thought of running laps made me gag internally. My face scrunched up, my nose crinkling with evident disgust. “Eww, I’d hate to be a footy player.”
“Yeah, I know, right? That’s why I stick to soccer.” Then he smiled, showcasing a dimple on his right cheek. He looked down to his feet and shuffled a bit, appearing to be shy and nervous. “Your name is cute.” His words were softer than before, like the delicate wings of a butterfly.
I found myself feeling awkward, and I rolled my eyes in an attempt to shake it off. “Are you kidding me? I hate it. It’s boring.”
“I wouldn’t say so.”
I processed his words as we stood in a gauche silence.
Then he suggested the most random idea.
He mumbled shyly under his breath, “Wanna hug this situation out?”
I raised an eyebrow, baffled. He was staring at me from under the hood of his lashes, resembling a shy child who knew he was in trouble. He appeared to be so guilty for what he had done to me earlier on; I couldn’t deny him of a hug. Reluctantly I opened my arms and closed my eyes, waiting for him to meet me. His body was warm against mine, and his arms wrapped gently over my shoulders and down my back. I almost gagged when I realised my hands were on his sweaty back. My eyes opened slowly, greeted by a view of the sidewalk.
I saw under the crook of the boy’s arm an elderly couple walk past us, hand in hand, smiling at each other. I melted a little inside until the woman caught sight of us, and she melted on the spot. Why was she melting? Why was she looking at us like we were the cutest thing ever?
“Remember when we were like that?” she asked, looking at her husband, smiling.
The man spared a glance our way then back to his wife, grinning. He squeezed her hand tighter and said, “We still are.” He held up their linked hands.
She sighed, kissed her husband’s cheek and said, “I know, darling...” Her words faded away as the couple disappeared around the corner, still holding hands. I watched them walk off, stunned.
She had it all wrong. We weren’t dating! No way.
The boy seemed to have noticed how long he'd been hugging me. I hadn’t realised, too caught up in the words of the old woman. “Sorry,” he apologized yet again on his part, letting me go and beginning to rub the back of his neck.
I let go of the endless swirl of worry in my head and gave him a small smile. “It’s okay.”
I was abruptly self conscious of my appearance. I was clad in a black singlet and shorts. I didn’t want him seeing my thighs and stomach. I wiped off the sweat from my brow nervously, trying to make the action seem as natural as possible. I smiled to ease the anxiety I’d brought upon myself.
He glanced down at his watch and gaped, almost gasping. “I have to go, Eva. I’m so sorry,” he exclaimed, running around in search of something then stopped when he saw it near my feet. I laughed at his incompetence. How could he have missed it? It was right there! “Mum will skin me alive if I’m not home on time,” he explained feverishly. He grabbed the soccer ball from my feet and smiled. “I’ll see you around?”
I felt the slightest amount of disappointment. He was nice to talk to. I replied with “Sure” and a light shrug.
I stared after him as he jogged away. He sent me a friendly wave similar to Jack had done, and he was able to catch my own wave before he disappeared. I wondered if I’d ever see those two again. I leant more towards the hope of meeting Sam again. There was something about him. I couldn’t quite place it.
My phone suddenly decided to vibrate in my bra, snapping me out of my small reverie. I still had no idea why I hadn’t bought shorts with a zipper pocket for my phone yet. When I fetched it from its awkward resting place, the caller ID said it was Nick.
Honestly, the kid needed to find some guy friends.
“Yes, Nick?” I answered in an infuriated tone, pretending to be his mother. I started walking home, the pain in my leg already fading away. I did have a slight limp but it was okay.
“My lovely Eva, could you meet me at the ice cream shop in about fifteen minutes?”
I pulled a confused expression before realising he couldn’t see my face. “Why?”
He sighed heavily and I saw him rolling his eyes in my imagination. I knew the guy too well.
“Because I want ice cream and I don’t want to look like a loner.”
The way he sounded, like a little boy without a bicycle, it caused me to burst out laughing.
“Shut up, Eva,” he grumbled. “You’re so mean. You’re supposed to be my best friend. I shouldn’t have invited you.”
“You’re so cute, Nick.” I said once I was calm. “Okay, I’ll meet you there soon.”
I arrived home without my previous limp, excited to be hanging out with Nick soon. I took a quick shower, dressed myself in a pair of denim shorts, a purple singlet, and stuck in my feet in my black thongs. It was warm enough for this attire.
The ice cream parlour was five minutes away on the main road of the town. It was hard to miss. The owners had a desire to stand out with its rainbow paint. Everything was in that colour scheme, the walls outside included. When I entered the shop, I felt like I’d actually entered the Land of Lollipops, Rainbows, and Sunshine. The multicoloured walls adorned drawings from infant children and light pop music played amongst the voices of the kids. The atmosphere was so cheerful; the service people always had a smile on their face, and the kids who crowded the place on a normal Saturday afternoon were bouncing off the walls from the sugar in the ice cream.
I spotted Nick in a booth in the corner of the shop. He was licking away at his ice cream, oblivious to the world. I had to roll my eyes at his hair. His curls were pushed back and sleek with gel. It made me wonder the last time he hadn’t worn it. On the rare occasion I saw him without gel, his hair sat on his head like a massive perm. He hated his hair with a passion; he blamed it on his Greek nationality.
I sat myself down opposite him as I said, “Hi!”
Nick acknowledged me with a smile buried in his cone.
“I wouldn’t have come if I’d known you’d eat without me.” I crossed my arms over my chest with a pout.
“I’m sorry. By the way, you’ll have to go and get your own cone. I didn’t have any money for you.” His words were muffled by the ice cream in his mouth.
“Geez, where are you manners? Don’t talk with your mouth full.” I scolded mockingly with a jab of my finger at him as I left the booth.
I had to evade collisions with crazy kids the whole way to the counter. When I finally reached it, I leaned onto the cool metal and took a deep breath.
“Those kids sure are nuts when it comes to ice cream.”
I knew that voice.
I actually knew that voice.
I looked up and I felt my heart miss a beat from the surprise.
It was Sam. He must work here. It clicked in my head a split second after. This was why he had to run off otherwise he would have been late for work. He wasn’t in his soccer clothes anymore. He was clad in white from head to toe, including a little hat on his head that resembled a sailor’s. It flattened his wavy hair and pushed a few locks out. It looked like a lion’s mane with a flat top.
Apparently I wasn’t the only one who was shocked to meet again. We both must have stood there for a while, simply staring at each other with wide eyes. It was such a coincidence. What was the chance I’d see him twice in a row today? It was weird.
Then he snapped out of it and asked what I wanted.
“Oh,” – I shook my head hoping it would rid me of my awkward persona – “just a scoop of vanilla please.” The pop music and the sounds of kids yelling flooded back to my ears.
His face brightened with a smile as he stepped to the side to get the ice cream for me. “You’re one of the few who eat it. It’s my favourite of them all. I always feel so bad for it because hardly anyone eats it.”
My mouth hung agape. “Are you serious? I love that flavour.” I couldn’t believe it. My parents called me a plain Jane for liking it. They were like everyone else who ate here; they went for the extravagant flavours and let the simple ones feel bad about themselves. Maybe I liked vanilla because it was left out, a misfit in the midst of a competition to see who can be eaten the most.
Then he was looking to the ground, avoiding my eyes. “I never thought I’d see you again after today.” If I observed carefully, I could have sworn I saw a hint of pink in his cheeks.
I shrugged with nonchalance. “Well, the universe works in mysterious ways. Besides, I had to let you see my leg. Look at it! It’s already beginning to bruise.” I lifted it as high as I could without seeming like a complete idiot and without putting it onto the counter. The pink had darkened into a purple and it was slowly spreading. Sam gave it a hard look and shook his head to himself.
“I still feel really bad about it.” I heard the guilt in his voice as he fixed my cone.
I waved a hand, dismissing it. “Don’t worry, man. I don’t care. It was an accident.”
It was ironic I’d be saying those words after the events of today.
“Yeah, okay then,” – he handed me my cone with a single dimpled smile – “well, here you go. That’ll be three dollars.”
I frowned, puzzled. “But the board says three fifty.” I rummaged through my pocket for loose change and small bills. I discovered the famous, purple five dollar bill crumpled in directions.
“Shhh,” he said with a finger on his lips. “Don’t tell anyone I’m giving you a discount. Think of it as an apology.”
I leaned in close so he could hear me. “But I don’t want you to get in trouble.” I whispered.
“They won’t mind.” With that, he snatched my five dollar bill from my fingers with a half smile and placed a two dollar coin back into my hand, along with the ice cream cone in the other.
I was rather astonished by his efforts to make the both of us feel better after the little accident. I gave him a bright smile and thanked him.
“It’s no problem, Eva.”
As I started to walk away back to Nick, Sam called me back. I spun around, careful not to drop my ice cream. “Yeah?” I asked, curious.
“Come back here b-before you leave.” His stutter caught me off guard; but I nodded and returned to Nick, wondering what Sam could possibly want from me before I left.
Nick and I didn’t talk much as we ate. I didn’t expect him to. He was so busy loving his ice cream, I thought he’d forgotten I was even there.
“You’re a pig.” I remarked once he’d finished, smacking his lips and licking his fingers one by one.
“I know I am,” he replied, puffing out his chest and flexing his arms. “I am the biggest pig there is in this town.” He acted so proud of the title I’d given him. “Have you heard from Emily today yet?”
I shook my head, already knowing where the conversation was going. “Who was it this time?”
He shrugged with the added emphasis of his hands. “I have no clue, bro. It’s all top secret. If she didn’t tell you, she didn’t tell me. You’re her best friend more than I am.”
“Now don’t say that,” I reprimanded in a light tone. “The three of us are best friends in equal proportions, but I really recommend you get more guy friends.”
“I have guy friends!” he protested. “You don’t know them.”
I rolled my eyes and waved the topic away with a flick of my hand. “Okay, okay, whatever.”
Nick grumbled as we made our way out of the shop. It occurred to me at the last second that I was to see Sam before I departed. I turned around and spotted him wiping down a desk near the front window. I went to him, my curiosity reignited like a dying fire saved by more fibre to burn. I tapped him on the shoulder and he flinched as he jerked upright.
“Calm down, dude, it’s just me.” I said, throwing my hands up. What was he afraid of; a thief coming in to steal all the ice cream?
His face pulled an expression which said it recognised me. “Sorry about that,” he said, finishing the last bit on the table. “I have a bit of a reflex.”
“It’s okay. What did you need me for?” I couldn’t contain it much longer. It was so close to bursting from my chest and out of my mouth in a long ramble of words that Sam wouldn’t possibly be able to decipher.
In silence, he grabs my hand, a pen from his pocket and writes down a chain of numbers on the edge of my palm. After he was done, he dropped my hand and gave me that smile of his. “We should do something some time. I’d like to g-get to know y-you.”
“As friends and nothing more, right?” I didn’t want to give him the wrong idea. I wasn’t looking for anything and I wanted to have Sam as a guy friend. I wasn’t friends with many; it would be a nice opportunity to make one.
He nodded his head in a vigorous manner for a few short seconds. I was scared his head would fall off. “I know. That’s what I meant.”
“Good then.” I smiled, patting him on the back. “I’ll leave you to it then. And I’ll give you a call later today so we can organise something.”
“Sweet, I’ll see you later.” He turned to another dirty table and commenced wiping it down, but not before tapping the top of my head once. I had a feeling he was going to be doing that to me a lot in the upcoming future.
Once I was outside, Nick raised an eyebrow and nudged my ribs, a suggestive look on his face. I hit him upside the head and ran off, laughing when I heard him chase after me. I didn’t reach my car in time. Nick had his arms around my waist and tugged me back, gluing me to his front.
“I’ll let you go once you tell me that guy’s name.” Whispering those words in my ear brought my legs flying about and attempting to kick him away.
“No,” I said with a huff.
“Please?” No, he wouldn’t dare start pleading. “Please, please, please?”
He did dare.
I sighed, defeated. I swear the boy would be the death of me. Not only was he extremely annoying, he knew how to break me down until I was spilling the truth out like the flood gates of hell had been opened.
“His name is Sam.”