Gran needed to rest so she went inside for a nap leaving Cara and I outside. She borrowed my yo-yo and simply played with it as she was walking around.
The wind was stronger for me as I was on the tire tied with a rope to a hopefully strong branch. Standing up and holding onto the thick rope, making sure my grip was as tight as ever as falling would hurt.
Autumn leaves kept on falling, dancing along with winds. It's nice to hear the rustle of leaves and grass instead of the horns and nonsense talk in the city. This feels much better.
I swung back and forth as I conversed with Cara.
We talked for hours, reminiscing about our old memories about the place. The fields where we used to run in, the places we hide in, this tree we used to play around in. . . Things.
We were there until nightfall until she said the bugs were getting at her and she wants to help gran with the dinner. I stayed behind as she went along. I was more than comfortable here.
They say if the air is still fresh, there are fireflies around. . . Looking up, I still see a lot of them, blinking yellow lights. Even when I look at the pond, their reflection flies all over. They're getting fewer though.
Speaking of the pond, I knew when I was a kid, in times of autumn, I'd grow very excited as winter is coming. I always couldn't wait until it freezes over.
Minutes later, they called me in for a wonderful dinner. After that, we went separate ways.
In my room, I looked at my closet, things I had when I was nineteen. I looked down on my sets of shoes, glad to say my style throughout the years never changed. My skating boots are still there, customized.
I remember my brothers making fun of me because I am rather fond of skating but that never did bother me. At least, I don't slip on ice like they do.
Gran comes in, asking me if I'm comfortable.
I nodded.
She told me she'll see me in the morning and hopes I sleep well, then she walks out.
I slipped into something more comfortable, clothing up top mainly nothing since gran likes to keep the heat up. I pulled the sheets over my head and went to sleep.
The tranquillity of the beautiful place had me dreaming of winter and spring, summer skies and beautiful waters. One colour in particular stands out a lot. . .
My eyes snapped open with the sound of my ringtone. I gasped quietly, searching for my phone, or glasses, whichever catches my grasp first. Rubbing my eyes with my other hand, I took my phone and answered the call.
"Er, h-hello?"
"Oh. Did -- Did I wake you up? I did? Oh God, I did not mean to, I didn't think you'd be asleep too early."
Taylor.
I looked at my wristwatch instead of my phone clock. I only realised it when I saw the time, 12:14 a.m.
"It's midnight, Taylor."
"What? Montreal and New York doesn't have too much time differences," she pointed out.
I didn't say anything to that. Instead, I said, "You woke me up again."
I heard a light laughter from the other side. Ringing and beautiful, it's almost lulling me back to sleep.
I wanted to ask her why she called as I stared out at the scenery to my window. I could barely see the moon as all I saw was a tiny slice of light with the firefly-like stars around it. Once again, I could feel my eyes getting dragged down by the weariness but I found myself trying to stay awake.
"I just wanted to call you, for some reasons."
"Hmm." I adjusted myself, sitting up with my back against the headboard to keep myself from feeling too sleepy. "I wish you were here with me."
"Day three and you're already missing me." She had always been the teasing type and frankly, I don't mind it at the moment.
Silence crept in and it's making me wonder whether or not she had some things to say before she called because she seemed like she was completely unprepared for a conversation. If I didn't know any better, I'd think she called for no reason at all. I appreciate it but it did wake me up.
I blinked, still staring at the sceneries outside as I await her words. She knows that I'm not much for words.
"Is it a clear night, where you are?"
"Yes."
"Good, mine too." If it were possible, her voice is growing softer and gentler. I'd really love to sleep. "It's nice to look up to the skies and you know the person on the other line is looking up too."
I chuckled quietly, feeling the smile on my lips as I do. "How'd you know that?"
"Otherwise you wouldn't be able to tell if the night skies are clear or not. Simple things to conclude about."
I exhaled, blowing off wind with a slightly howling noise. "You're quite fond of doing that."
"Well, I wasn't the best in research in school for nothing." She gave out a forced chuckle and continued. "So anyways, I'm sorry I woke you up. And you really sound tired so I guess I should--"
"Don't," I said. She'll hang up and I don't want that. I licked my lips first. . . "Stay up with me for a while."
My eyes had already adjusted to my wake-up mode so I probably wouldn't be able to sleep until later.
I didn't want to think about the choice I've made as I might regret it. I honestly do not want to regret it.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"Great."
Conversing was easy for me when it's someone already close, Cara, granny, some of my siblings. With Taylor, I do feel comfortable but I never really knew what she liked.
"Tell me a secret," I said once it occurred to me that she is an open book to her family, sometimes to me. "Tell me one secret even your family doesn't know."
"Like?"
"Any secret," I replied.
There was a slight pause, I could even imagine her biting her lip as she sunk into thought.
"Okay, I got one. . ." She sighed. "I have uh, been to an mall jail. Detained for a night."
That woke me up from my sleepy state far too quicker than I could comprehend. I blinked a few times, trying to think if I heard it right. That is one of the last things I know she'll experience but. . .
"Please repeat that."
She laughed, "Don't tell my parents, they'll freak out."
"So it's true?" I don't believe it. It has to be mistaken identity or something. "Why?"
"Weird story," she replied. "That was like two years ago. I was looking for this gift for Scott --" she paused, long enough for me to notice the name. With that kind of pause, I can only conclude that Scott is her ex. "-- I'm sorry, where was I?"
"Uh--"
"Never mind. So anyways I was in the department store, I chatted up this guy who had a cool shirt at the time and I asked him which aisle he bought it from. He told me to ask the cashier and I thought he was that nice because he even accompanied me."
So far, I can catch up.
"But then, in the middle of the asking-where-the-shirt-came-from, he suddenly bailed and I thought he was just in a hurry to go to the bathroom or something. Turns out he stole something from the cashier and the security thought I was an accomplice."
I gave a bit of a laugh, amusement failing to be concealed as I'd never expect anyone to have that kind experience, especially not her.
"Don't tell my parents." Soft her kisses, her voice echoed inside my head. I wished she didn't have too much of an effect like this but it's already there.
"I won't."
"So your turn. Tell me a secret."
That's where I am not excellent at, looking back at my life in search for a specific thing because there had been too many. I've had many secrets I never told anyone in one life time.
"Can't think of one."
"Come on, I told you one of mine. It has to be something even Cara doesn't know about."
I licked my lips, trying to think back through the memory. It took me a while but I got to remember a few secrets to choose from. "I read the whole Harry Potter, Divergent, Twilight, Percy Jackson, and Heroes of Olympus series. Cara always thought I closed the books just as I finish the first page."
"Wow. I thought you weren't a reader."
"When you have nothing else to do with your life you tend to do things you're not accustomed to doing." I groaned quietly as I adjusted myself once more, rubbing my eyes carefully.
Silence had taken over once more and it was rather comfortable. It amuses me because of the fact that she really did call when we've got nothing to talk about.
"We really have nothing to talk about," I said.
"Yet that doesn't seem much of a problem to you. What's your favourite thing in the world?"
"The seasons," I replied. "I like how they change."
"Hmm, how so?"
"Reminders. Things come and go but some things come back. . .just different than before. You?"
"Cold nights," she answered. "Nights at winter, when you're snuggled in warm blankets and sweaters right by the fireplace, the sound of an old record player playing something like a lullaby."
It sounds very comfortable. It's a simple but nice thought in winter.
"Where are you now?" I asked.
"Hotel room. Best be quiet, a naked stranger is right beside me." I heard her laugh after, letting me know it's a joke.
Though I didn't reply.
"Harry, it's a joke."
"I know, Taylor." I placed the phone on the desk and yawned, covering my mouth so she wouldn't hear it. "I can take jokes."
"Hmm, yeah, of course." I heard her sigh. "Sorry, it's just everything feels foreign."
"You're in a foreign country," I pointed out.
"Guess you're right. Okay, I got one question. What is the best toy your father gave you?"
Upon instinct, my eyes darted to my shelf. It contains every single toy my father gave me and I never thought of which is the best.
"I'm not certain," I answered.
"At the moment, which one do you think?"
I haven't got an idea why she's asking but I answered, "Probably the steel chess set. I never really used it but he gave it to me for my graduation in highschool. I was pretty much surprised that he knew I am decent with chess."
"You're a chess player?"
"Decent one. Although not anymore."
"Ha. Lendon's great at chess, you two should play sometime."
"I don't play anymore," I said, reminding her of my statement earlier. "Why do you like asking me about my dad?"
"I am curious," she answered. "It seems to me like your father doesn't do things without thought. He has reasons, you never took it upon yourself to find those reasons and that's why I want to find out."
"All you're ever going to find out is disappointment, as he have brought to me ever since I was a young boy," I said placidly. I don't hate my father, I don't like him either. I am neutral with him.
"Do you really believe that your father never cared about you?" She asked, sweetness yet strength can be found in her voice.
With that, she's already turned the conversation around.
"Okay, Taylor, you win again. How is Somalia?"
"Montreal," she corrected with a laugh. "Cold. Mostly cold."
"W hat else do you expect?"
"Is it cold there?" Taylor asked.
"I am not in New York."
"I figured," she replied. "It took me a while to get a call to you. Where are you?"
"England," I answered. "You'd really love to see it here, especially in the winter."
"If you agreed to come to your family reunion, I'd really see it in the winter."
I didn't need that reminder.
I smiled a little, "Hmm, you're pushing your luck, love."
"Always have been. Anyways, looking forward to see you this Thursday. Tell me about your trip."
"Will do."
"Get to sleep, I know it's like already one, there. Good night."
I nodded. "Good night, Tay."
She didn't hang up, not just yet.
"Harry," she called so I gave a slight hum. "Do you think of me sometimes?" She asked sweetly.
I recalled, it was one of the things she asked me back then, during our first night phone conversation.
"Good night, Taylor."
I hung up on her once more.
Smiling, I let myself stay up for a few more moments. I wasn't very sleepy, in fact, I could stay up longer if she hadn't signalled an end in that call.
I do think of her at times, there was no denying that. But I am not a people pleaser and giving off satisfaction isn't my forte. At the very least, I think I know she knows the answer, she just wanted to ask.
Typical Taylor.
It wasn't very long before I decided to go back to sleep.
One thing was right though, I wanted her here.
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Author's 🎵:
Happy Halloween!!!!
Stay awesome!!!!😀😙😄😂
~DP22