I'm sitting in the coffee shop today, waiting for June to arrive. He texted me yesterday saying he was lonely without his best friend and I immediately felt guilty. The past three weeks flew by with working on the set, practicing lines and in every other spare second I had, I was with Patty. I was ignoring June without even realising it.
We agreed to meet up in this coffee shop. It's practically the only one I go to because it has no clocks, mirrors, everyone wears gloves so there is no fear of germs and it's always relatively quiet. He's already ten minutes late but it's no surprise, so I start playing my game to pass the time.
There's a teenage girl with green strands in her hair a few tables over. She must have read too many dystopian sci-fi novels and now she has some rebellious streak and wants to fight against the system.
There's a man too. He's trying to be a writer but he always leaves his projects mid-way through and starts another. He has yet to publish anything yet and his bills are piling up. He's not even sure if his card will be accepted or declined when he tries to pay for his bagel.
And then there's the woman in front of me, she has on a long flowy dress and a beaded necklace and a bandana on her forehead. She must be really into health and organics. I decide she's must be trying to purchase her own farm in the countryside and go off the grid. She's on her way to a real estate agent now.
"Good luck with finding your new house in the country!" I tell her as I walk past to order. She just gives me a very strange look and doesn't respond. Huh, maybe my prediction was wrong?
I order and go back to the table. I scan the room and I see June has just walked in. June with his messy mop of black curls falling over his eyes like usual. June with his freckles and speckled brown eyes and a clueless expression on his face. He's such a doofus.
"Over here!" I call and his face lights up when he sees me.
"I missed you," he says softly and I slide him over a hot chocolate. I knew that was his favourite so I already ordered it from him.
"It's only been four days!" I laugh.
"I know, it's just you're always hanging out with Patty now and every day you're in the hall painting with him. I feel like I hardly see you anymore." I take a gulp of my drink. I can see his point.
"It's just that we need to get the set painted on time and now that I have a role, I need to practice in all of my spare time."
"Nah, I get it," he mumbles.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to blow you off. But you are my best friend and that won't change, alright?"
"Alright," he says smiling and taking a sip. When he puts his cup down he has a ring of it around his mouth. I can't help but smirk.
"What?" he asks grabbing a napkin self-consciously when he sees me staring.
"Here," I say and take a deep sip out of my cup as well, making sure it leaves a ring. He laughs and reaches over to wipe it off for me.
"I love you," he says. My heart is singing.
"Love you too," I laugh. We leave the coffee shop and walk down the street together. We have a lot to catch up on.
"So it sounds like you and Patty are getting pretty close then...?" he glances at me quickly and then looks away. I feel my cheeks go a little pink, I'm not usually shy or embarrassed like this around June. It's probably because I know he won't approve.
"Yeah, I guess so. I just don't think I'm ready for it," I say.
He sighs, "Any guy would be lucky to have you." He mumbles it under his breath and I'm not sure if I heard correctly.
"What?"
"Nothing," he says looking away.
"Anyway the whole thing is just stressing me out. Can we please talk about something else?" I look down at the grey pavement. He smiles.
"See that man over there? The one with the Basset hound? He's obsessed with dogs and he has over a hundred dogs at his house right now that he picked off up the street and he wants to open his own shelter for them." He's playing my game. I told him about a while back but I didn't think he remembered.
"So wholesome," I say smiling and he smiles right back at me. His grin is so radiant it could light up the entire world. I want to stay in this moment forever. We walk past a fountain and June stops, rustling around in his pockets for a coin. He gets two out handing one to me.
"Make a wish," he says. I have no idea what to wish for but I close my eyes and think for a second.
"I wish that I wasn't so afraid," I whisper before tossing my coin in. I watch the droplets splash up at it hits the surface and the little waves ripple out. If only it was as easy at that. Maybe there is a planet somewhere in the multiverse where wishes really do come true?
I see the man with the basset hound is watching us. I wave at him and he smiles, waving back. I wonder what kind of wish his dog would make? If basset hounds could make wishes, that is.
"Follow me," June says grabbing my hand and dragging me across the street. I have no idea where he is taking me.
I follow him dutifully and his face is alight with enthusiasm. We go across the road and a few streets down, through a parking lot and finally stop. I'm out of breath, I could hardly keep up. He was practically running.
"That," he says pointing and I start laughing again. The thing he so desperately needed so show me turns out to be a massive warehouse. It's one of those ones with all the building materials and tools and whatnot.
"Why are we here? What does this have to do with anything?" I honestly have no idea what's going on in that mind of his sometimes.
"I was thinking," he starts, "that to commemorate our friendship-"
"This isn't some ceremony," I interrupt, "Please talk like a normal person."
"Ok. Ok fine," he cries, "I think we should renovate our treehouse."
"I hardly think it can be called a treehouse."
"Exactly why we need to renovate," he says with a flourish.
"June! We are way too old for that. What would be the point?"
"I'm sure my little brothers would like it, and c' mon it'd be fun!" he starts tugging on my arm like a nagging toddler and I give in. I can never say no to him.
"I mean, why not?"
"YESSSSS!" June yells and he starts running off inside. "Well, are you coming?" I sigh and follow him in. He almost crashes into a lady wheeling her trolly out and I grab his arm and force him to slow down. He legitimately needs supervision all the time.
We walk through the aisles a bit aimlessly collecting up all the things we think we might need. This treehouse might turn out worse than the last one if we're not careful. It's only when we wheel the trolly full of stuff out into the parking lot that we realise our mistake. How on earth are we supposed to get any of this back home?
We must look ridiculous, just standing alone and in fits of laughter with a trolley full of crap and no car. We really are idiots. I call up my dad, he didn't have work today so he drives to come to get us. He thinks we're bloody idiots too.
"So tell me, why are you building a treehouse again?" he grumbles but June and I know him well enough to understand that he isn't really annoyed.
"Tim, Tim, you don't understand," says June "We aren't just building a treehouse. We are designing a fortress for thousands of children to enjoy."
"I don't even think it's legal," I say. I mean, I'd assume the park is council property and I don't think you can just go building random structures on there. Especially not unsafe ones which ours will undoubtedly be. Seeing as there is already one up there, I guess there's no harm to it though.
"You can do what you like," my dad sighs, "But please. I beg you. Do not come to me crying when you accidentally drill a hole through your arm." I cringe at the mental image.
"Dad! We'll be fine," I say looking at June for affirmation.
"I'll be fine. But I wouldn't trust you with a hammer any day."
"Hey!" I say kicking the back of his seat. He sat in the front, beside my dad. He just laughs.
We get home and drop everything off in June's backyard. Unlike my house where you have to climb the fence to get into the park, June has a gate out the back of his so it will be easier for us to bring everything through.
It's too late for us to start actually doing anything tonight but we agree to meet up soon to work on it.
"Bye!" I call to June as I let myself out his back gate. He waves at me and goes inside.
I can't wipe the smile off my face. I just love him so much. I'm so glad we're friends.
I cringe at myself. I sound like I'm on some cheesy reality television set. Even so, every word of it is true.