What if?

Chapter 11: Park

Michael

Whenever I go out and go somewhere Janice is my companion. When I used to go to the park where I met Nick, I always brought Janice with me not because I can’t go out without her but because I also want her to go outside the house. But I did not let Janice meet Nick back then because I didn't want Nick to see that Janice was with me, he might think that I am such a baby. I know that thinking like that is immature, but I don’t know I don’t like the fact of people telling me that there is someone who tails me. 

When Nick came over to my room, I didn’t know what to do. I feel so bad because of Mom and Dad but I still let him enter my bedroom. Now I realized that letting him in my bedroom was not the wrong choice, because now we are okay and I was able to talk all my madness out to him. 

“Nick. Come, hurry!” I said to Nick. Nick is taking so long, I am so excited to go to the park already. “Shut it Michael, I can’t eat speedily like you.” Nick answered. “Pfft! I will go upstairs and get my things.” I said. I need to get my money so we can buy things there too. Besides, we are going to eat there for lunch. Mom and Dad haven’t given Nick his money card though. 

When I asked Nick to go to the park I was hesitant if he wanted to go with me  because I was thinking that the park is a bad memory for him. But now I think it isn’t because he didn’t even think about it, he directly said yes when I asked him. The park there is important to me because that was the place I met him and Nick is important to me. “I wonder why he said yes without having second thoughts. I am going to ask him when we get there.” I said to myself. 

I went back downstairs and saw that Nick was still eating. “Aren’t you finished yet?” I asked Nick. “Can’t you see I am still eating? So definitely I am not finished yet.” Nick said. “Then when will you finish eating?” I asked sarcastically. “Tomorrow.” Nick said while eating the last spoon of his food. “Ughh!” I said and walked out. I don’t know the exact word to say to him. 

“Janice goes inside the car, Nick is finally on his way here though.” I said in a bit of an irritated tone. “Is there something wrong?” Janice asked as she went inside the car. “He is sooo slow. I don’t know why, he’s never been like this.” I said to Janice. “He’s here.” Janice said. “Ughh!” I exclaimed as soon as Nick went inside the car. “What?! I liked the food. I wanted to eat it slowly.” Nick replied. “Your timing is great.” I replied sarcastically. “Why are you in such a freaking hurry?” Nick asked. “Ughh! Whatever.” I replied. 

“Please fasten your seat belt everyone. I am going to start driving.” The driver said. The car started to move. I don’t want this conversation to go any further because Nick will keep on irritating me. Maybe he is doing this to irritate me. “Ahh now I know why you are acting like this.” I said. “Acting like what?” Nick replied while trying not to laugh. “You are doing this on purpose.” I said and looked at him. “What?!” Nick replied. 

He is really testing me. “Fine. Today you won. I will give you the credit.”I said out loud. “YES!!!” Nick said out loud. “Congratulations!” Janice said. “Thank you Janice.” Nick replied to Janice. “HAHAHAHAHA” I laughed. “HAHAHA” Nick also laughed. Janice really thought it was real. 

The park is not that far. Although it takes us at least 10 minutes to go there by car. “Janice, what time is it?” I asked Janice. “It is 9:10 am Michael.” Janice answered. “Okay. Thanks!” I asked because I wanted to check how many hours we still have to spend in the park. We need to go back home at least at 1:30 pm. Besides, the driver needs to go to Mom and Dad’s company. 

“Ouch!” Janice exclaimed. We all bumped our heads because the car suddenly stopped. “What happened? Why did you suddenly stop?” Janice asked the driver. “There was a motorcycle riding in front of us out of nowhere.” The driver said. “These days, motorcycles are a trend and many young people ride it but not wisely.” Janice said. “Yeah, lucky you were able to stop the car or else something might have happened to the rider.” I said. 

“Michael, do you have a spare earphone?” Nick asked. “Why?” I asked back. “I will use it.” Nick answered. “I have, wait until I get it. It is inside my bag.” I replied. “Okay.” Nick replied. I opened my bag and looked for my spare earphone. “I got it, here.” I said and gave it to Nick. “Thanks.” Nick said as soon as I gave him the earphone. 

“Ahh good music.” He exclaimed. 

Nick

Michael asked me to go to the park and I said yes right away. I missed the park though besides, it is an important place to me because that was the place where I first met him. If I did not go there back then, I don’t know if I would have even met him and been able to be part of the Travera Family. Everything that I have now was because I went to that place. Michael really felt bad that the so-called family day was unsuccessful so he made a decision to go to the park in order to not waste the effort that I made. I even dressed up well because I was so excited and I know he was able to see it. 

I tried to annoy Nick today. Luckily, it worked! He even gave me the credit. Now I know that I also have his skill of annoying people. While I was irritating him I was urging not to laugh. Gosh! It was so hard. All the effort was not wasted because I won in the end, this is my first victory and I will win more days to annoy him.

I am listening to EXO music now. I realized that their song growl is good while traveling. I kept on swaying my head left and right. And didn’t even realize that someone was already calling me. “Hey!” Nick shouted to my ear. He pulled the other side of the earphone. “Sorry.” I said. “We are here.” Michael said. The driver went outside the car then opened the door for us. Michael went outside then Janice and lastly was me because I was on the other side of the door that was open. 

“Ahhh it is so good to be back here.” Nick said with a wide smile on his face. “I missed the birds here.” Janice said. I looked everywhere and saw the swing that Michael and I played together with when he used to visit me here in the park. I was having my memories back, and at the moment I felt something cold on my face. When I touched it with my hands I realized I was tearing up. I didn’t know the real reason why I am having deja vu right now. I can see myself swinging on the swing while laughing with Michael pushing me. “Michael, let’s play on the swing.” I said to Michael. He looked at me and gave off a wide smile then grabbed my hand and we ran straight to the swing. 

I sat on the swing and Michael presented himself to push me without saying anything. “Michael. Why did you choose this place?” I asked Michael, trying to confirm if this place is also as important to him as to mine. “Why do you think so?” He answered with a question. “Come on, I want to hear it from you.” I replied to Michael. “Before answering your question, I want to ask you a question first. What do you feel whenever you remember this place?” Michael asked while pushing me on the swing.

Michael’s question, I don’t think I can answer it. I’m too shy to tell him the truth. “Come on. Don’t be shy.” Michael said as if he knew what was going on in my head right now. “I’m not. I’m just finding the right words to explain my answer to your question.” I answered, trying to resist him. “Your answer please.” Michael replied. Before answering Michael’s question, I took a deep breath. “Honestly, I don’t know how to describe my feelings whenever I see and remember this place. I just know that I met you here and I am so thankful for that.” I answered his question while he was pushing me on the swing. 

Suddenly, Michael stopped pushing me so I turned to look at him while still sitting on the swing. When I looked at him he was looking down then started to level his eyes on mine then gave me a wide smile. “I am just happy I get to meet and take care of you.” Michael replied without erasing the smile on his face. I can sense the sincerity of his words and I don’t even know what to reply to what he just said. 

“Ouch! That hurts!” I exclaimed because Michael patted my forehead using his right hand. “Because you were staring at me, it gives me chills dude.” Michael said. What?! I was! Ughh!! So embarrassing, I did not even realize I was staring at him. I gazed at him because I couldn't say any word to what he just said. Not because I was thinking about something magical or what. 

“You were like imagining something. Ehhhh scary.” Michael added as he ran away from me. “Stupid, I wasn’t. Ew! Why would I think that way?” I asked to add some spice to the conversation. “I don’t know, because you are staring at me closely I think?” Michael answered while running away from me. I kept on running towards him as if we were playing together. “Or maybe, you were expecting I was, but the truth was I wasn’t.” I replied, trying to divert the topic from me to him. 

“Ew! No I wasn’t.” Michael said and stopped from running. Finally I was able to reach him, when I did I patted his forehead the same way he did to me. “I know, I am just kidding.” I said to Michael. I was afraid he was mad at me because he suddenly changed his expression. “I know. Stop joking around like that.” Michael replied. I wanted to argue more with him but I didn’t want us to fight over that little thing so I just said “fine. Got it.” 

He then left me and went to where Janice was standing. I saw him reach out for Janice’s ear and whisper something to Janice and after that, Janice looked at my direction. “What the hell did he just say to Janice?” I murmured to myself. I was about to walk in their direction when I heard Janice who just burst out laughing. Michael then looked completely annoyed at Janice so he walked out and went to the driver’s direction instead. 

I continued to walk in Janice’s direction because I wanted to ask what Michael just told her. “What did Michael tell you?” I asked curiously. “Not gonna tell.” Janice said and walked on the other side. “Ughh!” I exclaimed. “La La La La La…” Janice sings while walking and doing waltz. 

I looked at every side of the park to see what other kids were doing there. I was not able to care more about other people around us because I was so into what’s happening to my field only. Then I saw that there were also kids playing with their friends in the park. Some have their parents while some don't. I think that the kids who don’t have their parents with them live near this park.

“Hey! Time to eat.” Michael shouted in my ear. I did not notice him from afar so I was a little shocked. “You don’t have to shout in my ear.” I said to Michael. “You know what, nowadays you are spacing out a lot of times. Are you okay?” Michael asked caringly. “I am okay. I was just into looking at what other  people are doing too.” I replied to Michael. “You are spacing out in here for freaking 5 minutes, just standing and staring at people. You think that’s okay?” Michael asked. I didn’t realize that it took me 5 minutes already just staring at people. “I didn’t know that. Well… umm… ehh.. Thank you then.” I replied to Michael because if it isn’t because of him I might have been still spacing out. 

Michael is right, nowadays I seem to space out a lot. I don’t know why though. “Am I thinking so much at this age?” I asked myself a question.