《August》 Chapter 01 This book will be based on the songs "August" and "Betty" from Taylor Swift''s "Folklore" Album. Although the story will be based on Taylor Swift''s songs, this work will have different elements, however, it still will have the famous love triangle. For copyright reasons, I will not use Taylor Swift''s song lyrics in the story. And for the same reasons, I will also not use the names present in the songs "August" and "Betty". To be more objective, the names of the three involved in the story will be, Summer (Augustine), Jason (James), and Behati (Betty). Ultimately, this short story will focus on the point of view of "August". *** 01 I met Jason when I was seven years old. He was everything I had dreamed of. He was everything I wanted. He was the magic that I was hoping for. And I still remember the euphoric feeling I felt when I met him that day. I still remember how excited I was about the future to come. Because for the first time until that moment, I would have a best friend. *** My parents told me about Jason a month before he moved in next door. They told me that a little boy would live in the house next door. They told me that this little boy was sad because he didn''t want to move from his town. That little boy was sad because he wouldn¡¯t have any friends. He was sad because he wouldn''t know anyone. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. That little boy''s situation made me sad. Thereby, when my parents asked me to try to be his friend, I said yes. Because the only thing I wanted ¡ª just like that little boy ¡ª was not needed to play alone ever again. That night, when I was ready to sleep, I promised myself that I would do my best to have a friendship with that boy. Because somewhere inside my heart, I knew that we could be wonderful together. *** I was a lonely child. The street where I lived with my parents had no children around my age. In that way, I just played with other kids in my school or when my parents had free time to take me to the children''s houses. I got used to playing alone at home, but I still remember how sad it made me. Because that only thing I wanted as a child was to have someone to play with me. A true friend Thus, the day my parents told me that a new family would live next door, it felt like my lucky star finally heard me. And for the first time I would have someone to be my real friend. I was radiant. I was so happy. *** I met Jason in August. My school was in the summer break and the air felt infinite. Jason''s family had already moved in for a week when he finally showed up at my door. I remember that when I finally opened the door, I almost exploded with happiness. He was shy, and I could tell he almost ran away when he saw me. My heart sank. I stopped breathing, afraid to scare him. I remember telling myself that I should be careful because he could be my future best friend. I opened a big smile before saying, ¡°Hi.¡± As soon as I said that, it felt like he was electrocuted by an invisible force. He straightened his posture, and recited like a mini robot, ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Jason Hill, your neighbor next door. I moved just a week ago. And I was wondering if you would like to play with me?¡± He was adorable, but it felt like he was reciting a line from a play that he barely memorized. That made me smile more. Besides that, he was obviously nervous and could not keep his hands still. That specific moment always made me curious, thus some years later, Jason and I talked about this day, he told me that he and his mother practiced for a considerable time, what he would say on that first visit to my home. He said he didn''t want to mess up because he really wanted someone to play with. ¡°I have a swing in the backyard and my grandma baked cookies,¡± I said before he ran away. As soon as I said that, he opened the biggest smile I ever saw. ¡°I like cookies,¡± he said, still smiling. ¡°So let''s go in, ¡°I said, letting him into my house. ¡°By the way, I¡¯m Summer.¡± *** Jason stayed at my house all afternoon. And honestly, I did not remember what we made all afternoon, but at the end of that day, Jason and I were best friends. Chapter 02 I remember our first Friday night. That night was one of my favorite childhood memories We decided that day that we would watch as many horror movies as possible before my parents found out and sent us to sleep. We made a tent with sheets, stocked chocolate in our pockets, used flashlights to light the room, and watched the horror movie on an old television my family owned. I remember that I almost could not control my animation to finally watch a real horror movie. And when the horror finally started, I almost gave up on that idea and went back to movies appropriate for my age group. But Jason did not let me give up ¡ª although I nearly died of fright more times than I remember. At the end of the night, after more chocolate than I could count, we watched just a horror movie. And because we were scared even of our shadow, we watched an animated film before going to sleep. And when I was almost asleep, I heard a whisper from the sleeping bag beside me, ¡°Goodnight Summie.¡± *** On Saturday morning, after breakfast, our doorbell rang. We were watching a cartoon in the living room. And as soon as my mother opened the door and Jason listened, the voice of the person in the door, he got up from the sofa and ran to the door with a smile on his face. ¡°Let''s go, Summie,¡± he said while running. And when I arrived in the entrance hall, I saw him for the first time. Aaron Hill. Jason¡¯s brother. ¡°Hello, strange,¡± he said with a smile to Jason. ¡°I hope you haven''t given Mrs. Moore trouble.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°Nope. I was a perfect guest, thank you very much,¡± Jason said confidently. ¡°Okay, Sir,¡± Aaron said, still smiling. And after a moment turned to my mother, ¡°Thank you so much, Mrs Moore, for letting Jason spend the night at your house playing with Summer.¡± ¡°No problems Aaron. Summer loved spending more time with Jason. Wasn''t it Summer?¡± My mother said, looking at me. I waved at that unknown boy as I hid behind my mother. ¡°I think I forgot to introduce myself to you, didn''t I?¡± he asked, making a face. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m Aaron Hill, at your service, my lady,¡± he said, bowing lightly. ¡°And you miss? What is your name?¡± I remember slowly stepping out from behind my mother, and I tried to look like a real lady. ¡°Summer,¡± I said, and after a moment I heard my mother clear her throat, ¡°Moore. I¡¯m Summer Moore,¡± I fixed, even though I knew he already knew my name. ¡°It''s nice to meet you, Mr, Hill,¡± I said, bowing just like Aaron. At the end of our little theater, I went back to my mother with a smile on my face, totally satisfied with my courtesy. Aaron smiled at me. A smile similar to the one he gave Jason. ¡°Okay, go get your stuff Jason, dad has finished putting his trampoline together,¡± Aaron said. ¡°Trampoline?¡± My mother asked. ¡°Yeah, my mom promised that the new house would have a trampoline. So Jason was looking forward to it, honestly he was a little crazy about it,¡± Aaron said trying to contain his laughter. After only a few minutes after he had gone upstairs, Jason had resurfaced, ready to leave. ¡°Come on Summie, we have to see my trampoline,¡± Jason said impatiently. ¡°Can I go, mother?¡± I asked with wide eyes. My mother turned to Aaron and raised an eyebrow. ¡°Well, I think it''s okay. But we can ask my mom,¡± Aaron said slowly. *** I will always remember that day with the Hills. We stayed all morning on the trampoline. Our families had lunch together ¡ª I think that day was when our parents started to be friends. In the afternoon, Jason and I played video games with Aaron ¡ª I lost more than I gained, but the fun with them was worth the humiliation of defeat. And when we started to get hungry, Aaron baked cookies for us. Moreover, at the end of the day we watch the sunset lying on the trampoline. Chapter 03 I don''t know where everything went wrong. I don''t know where everything changed. I don''t know where I stopped wanting to be just friends with Jason. But I know that one day I realized that I was in love with him. One day I realized that I wanted more than just to be his childhood friend. One day, I realized I wanted to be more than the girl next door. I wanted to be more than just the girl he surfed with on Saturday mornings. That was a mistake. That day. The overwhelming need to destroy something built over the years just for the hope of building something new on top of the ruins and rubble. But I was in love. I was young. *** We met Behati on a Monday morning. It was the first day of junior year. And I could feel the liveliness in the air. Everyone was happy because we were almost there. We were almost at the end of high school. We were on the brink of freedom. I remember Jason could not control his smile when we left home. I remember thinking that I was happy not because we were almost at the end, but because I was there with him. I was happy with the little things. But everything changed that day. Because we met Behati that morning ¡ª Jason met Behati that morning. She was new at school. That Monday morning was her first day. And by the whim of fate, she sat next to Jason in first class. She was the new beautiful girl. And she was so kind, outgoing, talkative and incredibly sweet. Jason likes her instantly. And by the end of the class, he had already invited her to lunch. *** That moment that I saw Behati and Jason together for the first time, my heart stopped. Somehow, they looked harmonious side by side. I stared as they waited in line, grabbed lunch and interacted naturally. I stared as they walked to our table. I stared as Jason distributed smiles to that new girl. She was a torch in the middle of a dark night. And Jason looked at her like a moth that was attracted to the light. They did not know each other. They were strangers and should not smile at each other as they had known each other for years. That was wrong. That was wrong My mind feels like a loop that went on for an eternity ¡ª singing that what I was seeing was not right. Because in my mind ¡ª in my broken mind ¡ª that was not right. And I just wished to remain in darkness for all eternity. I just wished there was no light. ¡°Stop staring,¡± Audrey whispered to me. ¡°It is scary.¡± I blinked. I took a deep breath. And I lowered my gaze to my food tray. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°What''s up guys? This is Behanti. She is new. I invited her to lunch with us, so I hope you don''t mind,¡± Jason said, raising an eyebrow at everyone at our table, and then turned and winked at Behati. And just like that, like magic, everyone becomes talkative and friendly. *** I did not remember what everyone said at that lunch. I did not remember if anyone talked to me. I did not remember what I ate that day. I did not even remember getting up and leaving that table. I just remember how I felt that day ¡ª that lunch. I remember I felt small and insignificant. I remember the feeling of wanting to disappear. I remember telling myself that that was not happening. I remember telling myself that I was not seeing Jason falling in love with a random girl in front of me. Because that could not be happening, not when I had been in love with him for so long. Not when I had been hoping for so long that he realized that I was there ¡ª that he could fall in love with me the same way I had fallen in love with him. I was there. I was there. And I had waited ¡ª dreaming ¡ª so long for him to realize that I was worthy of his love. That I was there and the only thing he needed to do was open his heart to me. That was the only thing I wanted. I was a fool. I was a fool. But even when I realized it, I kept telling myself that it was a bad dream. Over and over and over again. *** That first week was a living hell. Behati had lunch with us all week. I did not remember a lot about that lunches. I did not remember if at any time she tried to talk to me. I just remember sitting down in that uncomfortable chair and watching all my friends fall in love with the new girl. But the lunches weren''t so horrible, because what really broke my heart was realizing that Jason was looking for every possible opportunity to chat with her and to keep her company. What broke my heart was realizing that he was more willing to fall in love with a stranger than with me. Because the worst thing in the world is realizing for the first time that you don''t stand a chance with the people you''ve spent years in love with. Thus, I spent all that first week silently dying inside. The first time we talked about Behati was a Friday afternoon when we were driving home in Jason''s car. We are in an awkward and uncomfortable silence that was unusual for us when Jason took a deep breath and spoke for the first time, ¡°So, what is wrong? What is bothering you?¡± I tried to control my reaction to his questions before answering innocently, ¡°What? I don''t know what you''re talking about.¡± ¡°Really? Because you''ve been acting weird all week and every time I asked you what was wrong you said it was nothing. So why don''t you cut the crap and tell me the truth,¡± he said seriously and looked at me quickly before turning his eyes to the road. ¡°It¡¯s just that ¡ª I don''t know,¡± I said, desperately trying to get out of that situation. I took a deep breath, ¡°it''s just that since you met that new girl, you have been different.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°I don''t know, but it looks like you are looking forward to being with her and falling in love with her. It seems that we are and one of those confusing love at first sight movies. This is weird.¡± I said carefully. ¡°And by that you mean what exactly?¡± he said, glancing at me. That I''m in love with you. I almost said that. Almost. But I controlled myself and said instead, ¡°That you must be careful. You don''t know this girl. Things don''t have to be so fast.¡± ¡°Things are not fast¡±, he said with a smile. ¡°Really?¡± I used the same tone he used just a few minutes ago. ¡°Are you really going to tell me that you don''t want to ask her out?¡± He laughed. ¡°No, I won''t say that because I want to ask her out.¡± He was silent for five seconds before opening his mouth and saying it like it was some sort of badge of honor, ¡°but I still haven''t asked her out.¡± ¡°You should be proud,¡± I said dryly. ¡°Of course.¡± We stayed silent while Jason parked in front of his house. And we remained silent for what seemed like an eternity before he said, ¡°I''m not going to ask her to go out with me, at least until I get to know her better, okay?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He sighed and turned around in the car seat to look at me before asking, ¡°Is something else bothering you?¡± ¡°No,¡± I felt like that lie was choking me. I was a coward. A coward. I closed my eyes and said, ¡°I am okay now. I just want you to be happy,¡± I whispered the last part like it was a prayer. Jason stared at me seriously for several seconds before saying, ¡°are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes, I am sure, Jason,¡± I said like I signed a contract without having read the fine print. I got out of the car, but before I closed the door, I said, ¡°By the way, thanks for caring about my feelings, Hill.¡± He cracked a half smile, ¡°It''s my pleasure.¡± I crossed the distance between our houses, and when I was almost on my porch steps, he yelled, ¡°Moore?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you want to go to the beach?¡± I laughed. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, it will be fun. We can surf a little,¡± he said, approaching my porch. ¡°Beside that, do you have anything more important to do than have fun with your best friend?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± I said with a smile, and he automatically rolled his eyes. ¡°I can think of some more interesting things to do with my time, Hill.¡± ¡°Ouch,¡± he said, putting a hand over his heart. ¡°You are evil.¡± ¡°I do what I can.¡± ¡°See you in 30 minutes?¡± he asked. I sighed and then rolled my eyes before saying, ¡°okay. But you drive.¡± Chapter 04 Jason asked Behati to go out on a first date with him a month after they met. That should have made me happy, but all that month just made me miserable because during that period I could see them fall in love firsthand. They had several classes together and had lunch together and studied together in the library ¡ª it felt like they spent every minute of their time at school together. And if I had not been so unhappy, I would have found them adorable. But I was unhappy. And the only thing that made my days tolerable was the knowledge that they did not spend as much time together outside of school. ¡°You could pretend it. Or at least try it,¡± Audrey suddenly said one day. We were at school, lying under a tree waiting for our ride ¡°What do you mean?¡± I said innocently. ¡°You''re walking around like someone kicked your cat, and you couldn''t do anything about it,¡± Audrey said, looking at me like what she said made all the sense in the universe. ¡°Why would someone kick my cat? She is so sweet,¡± I said, smiling at her. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°No, I do not,¡± my smile faded. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Audrey sighed. ¡°Listen, Summer, I know you¡¯re hurt. I know it. But you need to make a decision,¡± Audrey sat up and looked into my eyes. ¡°Are you going to tell Jason how you feel about him, or are you going to let it go? You need to decide because you can''t stay in the middle of nowhere feeling sorry for yourself.¡± I widened my eyes in shock. I let out a whistle. ¡°You did not have to be cruel,¡± I whispered. ¡°It wasn''t cruel, it was the truth, Summer. I¡¯m your friend, and as your friend, it¡¯s my duty to tell you the truth,¡± she said like she was talking to a wounded animal. ¡°You can''t go on like this. It''s not healthy, Summie.¡± I wanted to disappear. I wanted to shrink and become so small that no one would ever see me again. I wanted to be so small that no one would ever ask me questions and say things that I did not want to hear. I looked at Audrey and blinked my eyes. ¡°I do not want to lose him,¡± I whispered. ¡°But you also don''t want to tell him the truth,¡± she whispered like me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Summer, but you don''t have much time because he is falling in love,¡± she was silent for a while, as if she wanted me to get used to the idea. ¡°Maybe if you tell him how you feel, he''ll give you a chance. Maybe he won''t give it to you. Anyway, you''ll only know if you''re honest with Jason. But if you choose to let him go ¡ª if you choose to let Jason go ¡ª you need to try to be kind to Behati.¡± ¡°I do not want to lose him,¡± I repeated it like a prayer. ¡°But you''re already losing him,¡± Audrey said. ¡°Because you¡¯re walking away from him.¡± I was avoiding him. I did not want to be in the same place as him. Or alone with him. I did not want him to ask me questions and worry about me when I was barely containing my own misery. I did not ¡°I am losing him." Chapter 05 On a particularly emotionally torturous silent night, I thought a lot about my life and the relationships I had built along the way, and how those relationships have affected my existence. Because life is so finite and at the end of human existence, what will really define the quality of this experience is the way we impact the lives of the people around us. And in that same night I realized that I did not want to have a bad experience and realized at the end of my life that I had not positively impacted the people around me. That was a really curious thought because no matter what you do, at some point in your existence, you will negatively impact your own life and the people around you. Because sometimes people do bad things and make bad choices ¡ª this is life, and no one can do anything about it. And because of all these epiphanies I had in the middle of that night when I could not sleep, I remember what Audrey told me. For this reason, I thought about my surreal fear of losing Jason and in my fear of my own emotions. And above all, I thought about my mediocre attempt to avoid my reality. And with these foolish acts I risked my friendship with Jason and with the people around me Stolen story; please report. When I really started to think about my actions and emotions, I realized that the main action I had been avoiding for centuries was the decision I needed to make regarding my feelings towards Jason. I did not want to ruin our friendship and I did not want to say how I felt about him. But I think that deep in my heart I wished he would choose me. Just choose me. Because even though at that moment I only had pieces of broken glass in my body, I did not want to put him on the wall and make him pick between having a romantic relationship with me or breaking what was once my heart. Those were the tangles of words that stayed in my head until dawn. And when the first rays of sunlight broke through the curtain of my darkened room, I realized that I should let him go. Because at the end of the road, all that swirl of emotions inside me was not good for my mental health. That was not good for me. And all these feelings that stayed in my head like a stone wall would only bring me pain and regret. Chapter 06 Jason and Behati officially started dating two months after they first met. And one of the hardest things I had to do up until that point was keep the commitment I made to myself that night to let Jason go. The first months of the process that I called emotional maturation was painful, and the mere joy of the new couple made me want to cry. But that process was necessary. And after a time I started to be happy for the happiness of my best friend. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. But besides accepting that who you liked did not like you, what was really hard was getting close to Behati. She was a really kind and sweet girl, but every time I was alone with her, I felt extremely uncomfortable. For this reason, whenever I had a conversation with her, I did my best to have a third person interacting with us. That behavior was horrible, and she did not deserve those embarrassing moments, and much less deserved the deafening silences that were our attempts to approach each other. She was a nice person that just fell in love with a boy whose best friend was also in love with him. Chapter 07 It was the fourth day of the last week of junior year when Jason and Behati broke up. This originally started as a buzz among the students. And essentially it was just a whisper from someone who saw the two of them arguing on the football field near the stands in penultimate class. The gossip said they were so angry with each other that from afar you could see smoke coming out of their ears. I remember thinking that the news was a bad joke when Audrey told me because even at that moment I knew that this would break Jason''s heart ¡ª this thought made me want to cry. At the end of class, I found Audrey in her locker, ¡°do you know where he is?¡± I asked as soon as I was close enough to her. She rolled her eyes. She hated when I was not courteous at the start of a conversation. ¡°The last time I heard about his whereabouts, he was still on the football field,¡± she said. ¡°Okay, thank you so much, miss White,¡± I said, bowing with a half smile. She rolled her eyes. Again. ¡°Nice try, Miss Funny.¡± she said out loud as I walked towards the football field. *** I saw him walking to the parking lot from afar. I stopped for a second to think about what I should do. Nothing felt right. Everything looked out of place and blurred. And I felt myself struggling to stay above the surface. I saw him getting in the car. I started to run. Because deep down I knew that moment was important. And when I was almost there¡ªalmost there ¡ª, my heart turned to ash. He was sitting with his hands on the steering wheel and even though I could not see his face directly, I knew he was crying. He was paralyzed. And I knew that inside his mind, he was fighting a battle to control his emotions. I knew that my best friend was trying with all his strength to control himself and stop crying¡ªjust stop crying. I took a deep breath and I went to sit against a tree. I wanted to get in that car and say that everything was going to be okay, or something else that really would not help at all. I want to do something to make him stop crying. But I knew he needs more alone time than generic motivational quotes. *** I sat under that tree for a long time I did my best to give Jason privacy ¡ª so he could feel his emotions without anyone bothering, or judging him¡ª but at the same time I kept an eye out for when he wanted to get out of that parking lot. I was worried about him, but I kept my distance. And when I noticed him starting the car, I ran to approach and knock on the driver''s window. I scared him. He did not notice me under that tree. And after the initial shock, he just stared at me. I stared at him too. And we just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. I sighed. And suddenly open the driver''s door. ¡°Get out, please,¡± I said as he continued just staring at me with red eyes. He thought for a moment before getting into the passenger seat. ¡°Seat belt please,¡± I said lowly. I looked at him. He did not look good. His face looked like someone who had never experienced happiness. His movements seemed lethargic. And his eyes were red and swollen. my eyes filled with tears. I averted my eyes. I took a deep breath. We did not need another emotional person in that car. *** I drove to our favorite bakery and bought Jason''s favorite strawberry pie. After I returned with the pie, we sat in the car in deathly silence. I could hear the silence closing in around me. I wanted to do something to get that pain out of his chest. I wanted to scream. I wanted him to look at me with smiling eyes and not eyes that at any moment could fill with tears. He was sinking and I could not do anything. I was just there witnessing his decline. I swallow my urge to cry for my best friend. ¡°Do you have something important today?¡± I asked, whispering. He shook his head. ¡°Okay,¡± I said. I looked at him and gave him a sad half smile. And after that, I finally started driving. *** I drove for over forty minutes non-stop. And as soon as I started driving, the only thing I could feel inside the car was an overwhelming sadness. The feeling was overwhelming and final, and it felt like all the joy in the world was gone and turned to ashes. We remained silent for twenty long minutes until that melancholy became too much for me. I glanced at Jason quickly and saw that he was still looking at his hands. I took a deep breath. And I finally put Jason''s playlist to play. Queen started playing like a ray of light inside Jason''s car. I turned the volume up to the heights. I looked at him again with wide eyes. And I could not control myself and opened the biggest smile I gave that afternoon. ¡°Come on Jason, Queen needs you,¡± I said louder than the music, ¡°will you let them down?¡± I took a deep breath and sang at the top of my lungs. I felt him looking at me and after a moment he started singing with me the songs he knew by heart. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. That made me happy. His voice made me happy. So happy. At that moment, I could feel the music surrounding us and turning a horrible time into a tolerable time. I looked quickly at him and saw the sun coming through the window lighting up his face and the wind blowing his hair, and I saw the half smile he gave me as he sang along to the song. For a brief minute, I could not see the boy who was crying in the parking lot. In that brief minute I could only see a beautiful and healthy boy with so much amazing stuff to see and experience and learn and a spectacular life ahead of him. I was happy for that boy. I looked out to sea and felt that that car on that road was the only place I should be that day. And I promised myself that I would do my best to make Jason look like that boy I saw sitting next to me for a moment again. For him to go back to being the boy I had known for most of my life. That thought became a mission for the days to come. ¡°Can you stop at a drive-thru before we arrive?¡± Jason asked me suddenly after forty minutes on the road. *** The landscape took my breath away like every time I visited that place. I could see the sun shining on the horizon and the sea as blue as the sky in spring. And I could feel the air entering my lungs and promising me life and happiness in the near future. That cliff by the sea was one of the most beautiful places in the world and, at the same time, it was one of the places with the happiest memories of my childhood. Coming back there was like coming home after a long time away. ¡°My first thought when you kidnapped me was that you were going to kill me, and throw me into a shallow ditch away from everything and everyone,¡± he said as we got out of the car, ¡°but after a while I remembered this place.¡± ¡°Who guarantees that I will not do it here?¡± I asked, smiling. ¡°After much consideration and reflection, I have decided to have a little faith in you, and your goodness,¡± he said with a half smile as he took our food from the backseat. ¡°My goodness?¡± ¡°Yeah, your goodness,¡± he said, winking an eye at me. ¡°Besides, you wouldn''t kill your best friend. You love Me. I¡¯m your sunshine, Summie.¡± ¡°If I were you, Jason, I would lower your ego because it is already making you delusional, sweetheart,¡± I said while I took a blanket from the trunk. ¡°Ouch,¡± he said, placing a hand over the heart, ¡°you hurt me saying these things.¡± I opened a huge smile. ¡°Well, you are going to survive it, I think,¡± I said, while throwing an arm over Jason''s shoulders. We walked to an area with grass and flowers near the cliff. We can hear the roar of the waves below us. I could smell the scent of flowers in the air. And despite all the pain and crying and suffering that had led us to that moment, in that place, I could have sworn that sitting on an old blanket next to Jason with the sky above us and the sea below us was the closest that human beings could ever get to happiness on earth. Happiness. It was a conflicting feeling. Because I was sad for Jason, and for his relationship, but at the same time, I was happy for that moment, that memory we were building despite the terrible circumstance. ¡°Let''s eat? I''m starving,¡± Jason said. *** We were silent for almost an eternity on top of that blanket eating fast food. I waited for him. I wanted to say something. I wanted to make a horrible joke that would not be funny, but he would laugh anyway. I wanted to make him smile. But I could not do that. I could not do anything to make him feel better. The only thing I could do was wait for him. Thus, I waited. I waited until he wanted to talk to me. Talk to me about what happened earlier. Or about school. Or about the future. Or about a wonderful song he had recently discovered. Or about what was going on in Aaron''s life. I wanted to talk about anything or everything. But I know that deep down it was not the conversation itself that was making me lose my mind. What was making me lose my mind was the prospect of letting him sink into the ocean, and that there was nothing I could do to keep him from getting lost in the depths of the unknown. I wanted to dive into that ocean and keep him from drowning. That was a foolish thought. I was fool. A fool. I looked at Jason. I could not see his eyes¡ªbecause of the red cap he put on as soon as we started to eat, it blocked my view of his eyes. I could not stay silent any longer, wondering what was going through his head. That silence was killing. Slowly and painfully. I took a deep breath. ¡°Jason?¡± I asked, whispering. I was almost afraid of his answer. ¡°I can¡¯t understand,¡± he replied, also whispering. His voice sounded like broken glass. ¡°We talked about it,¡± he said. ¡°We made that promise to each other. She ¡ª,¡± his voice broke in half He took a shaky breath. ¡°I can''t understand, Summer,¡± he said. ¡°What can you not understand?¡± I asked, feeling sick. ¡°I can''t understand her,¡± he whispered like a nurse lost on an immense battlefield. With blood on his hands and sweat on his face. Lost and deeply tired. He took a deep breath. ¡°Some time ago,¡± he said, ¡°we talked about what would happen to us after school. If our relationship was going to have an expiration date or if we would have a long distance relationship or something like this. We talked a lot about it, you know. Because none of us wanted to be in a relationship for years only to break up after graduation like it was some type of business transaction. We ¡ª Behati and I¡ª wanted something real. Something lasting.¡± His hands were restless, and he was looking at an area with pink flowers as if it held the answers to all his questions. ¡°We talked about it,¡± he said, almost like a prayer. ¡°And I thought we had come to terms about the future. About our future. My future. With her,¡± his voice sounded lost and broken. ¡°But now everything seems to be falling apart. I feel myself falling apart. Just falling apart. Because I created this whole scenario in my head, and today I find out that this was all just a tale I''ve nurtured all these years. It¡¯s not real. It¡¯s a tale. A silly tale I convinced myself was real.¡± He placed a hand over his throat and was quiet for several heartbeats. I looked at the sea again. I could hear the waves crashing against the rocks on the cliff. And I could feel the salty air filling my lungs. And for a moment I wanted to dive into that sea and I wanted it to strengthen me and give me the power to never again be a slave to my emotions. I wanted freedom from my emotions and feelings. I wanted to feel that my heartbeat is just and only for me. I did not want to have to use my heartbeat to count how long someone has been silent. I wanted my heartbeat back. I closed my eyes. I closed my eyes for a long time. And like a ghost appearing in the middle of the night, he let out a humorless laugh. A wicked laugh that scared me for a moment. That laugh broke my heart. I open my eyes. And I looked at him. ¡°I don''t want to have these kinds of feelings, Summer. I don''t want to have this mess in my head,¡± he said, taking off his cap. ¡°I''m so mad at myself. I''m so mad at Behati. And I''m so mad at the world for normalizing the concept of school relationships not being lasting. But above all, above all this anger, the most dominant feeling is sadness,¡± he whispered as he ran a hand through his hair and brushed it away from his face. ¡°And the only thing I want to do is cry. I just want to lie down somewhere dark and cry. The height of my adolescence, isn''t it, Summer?¡± he said, looking at me with a half smile. ¡°But boys don''t cry.¡± I wanted to ask what had happened. I wanted to ask for an explanation. I wanted to say that I was not understanding anything. I wanted to ask if he would talk to Behati again. I wanted to shake his shoulders and scream for him to tell me the whole story. I was not that person. I was not that person. He did not deserve that. I was his friend. His best friend. He was in an emotionally sensitive and delicate place. He needs a friend. I was his friend. I could not do that. And I would not do that. I took a deep breath¡ªas if just that breath would free my heart. ¡°Thus, I think you are not a boy,¡± I said, leaning my head on his shoulder. He laughed. And I felt his laughter echoing through my body. ¡°Perhaps. Or perhaps the phrase ¡°boys don''t cry '''' is wrong. Maybe it¡¯s not wrong at all. But I''m not quite sure yet,¡± he said. I opened a big smile. A smile he could not see. ¡°You should make a t-shirt,¡± I said, taking his red cap. ¡°Of what exactly?¡± Jason asked softly. I used the hand that was not holding the red cap to simulate a sign in front of us, ¡°¡°Boys don''t cry. But I''m not quite sure yet.¡± I think this has a great chance of making you a billionaire.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± he muttered. ¡°Please don''t be a snob when the money comes,¡± I said playful. He laughed. Again. ¡°I would never do that,¡± he said as he pulled us down onto the blanket. We were laying on top of that blanket. Side by side. He looked at me. ¡°If you want, I can even buy a plastic pool for you. Only if you want.¡± I could not control my smile. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course. I''m going to be a billionaire, silly,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, I almost forgot about it,¡± I said, lightly tapping my hand on my forehead. ¡°Thus, besides my pool, will you take me to a fancy dinner party to celebrate your success?¡± ¡°Yup. At Aaron''s restaurant,¡± he said, ¡°I mean, if he accepts us at his super fancy restaurant.¡± ¡°We''re going to be without dinner then,¡± I said, putting the red cap on my head. ¡°Because if he ever has a restaurant, he will never accept us there. He will say something about Tweedledee and Tweedledum bringing bad luck.¡± ¡°Maybe, but I''ll test my luck with him,¡± he said, smiling at me. I looked into his eyes. I blinked. And for a brief moment that smile reached his eyes. And for a heartbeat he was back to being the boy I was in love with. Not the sad parking lot boy. But the boy I had loved my whole life. Chapter 08 I found Jason sitting alone on my backyard swing. He did not see me right away. And I almost said his name out loud. Almost. But I did not want him to see me. I wanted to see him. For a brief moment. Alone. He swayed slowly on the swing His hair was messy, and the sun made it shiny. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt. And I could see the olive wood resin pendant that we bought when we were small kids around his neck. He was beautiful. And I wanted to look at him for all eternity But I could not do that. Because the world is unfair in a cruel and miserable way. I take a step forward. And another. ¡°Hey Jason,¡± I said as I walked over to sit on the swing next to him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, slowly, ¡°I mean, I''m not fine at all. But I think I''ll be okay. In the end.¡± I nodded. I wanted to say something. Anything. But my voice was locked inside my body. And the only thing I could do was drown myself along with my words. The only thing I could do was drown in the words I never dared say out aloud. We swing. Slowly. ¡°You did not go to school today,¡± I said, stating the obvious. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, ¡°I wanted some time alone in the morning. I just wanted to think about everything that happened yesterday.¡± ¡°This seems reasonable,¡± I said gently. He shook his head with a smile on his face. But that smile did not reach his eyes. And it was not kind. Or beautiful. I wanted to take my words back. ¡°I think it would be reasonable if in the end I didn''t use this time to go to Behati''s house,¡± he said like it was a bad joke. ¡°What?¡± I whispered. ¡°I went to her house, so I could talk to her when she got home from school. I went to her house like a big idiot,¡± he said as his fingers turned white from squeezing the swing chain. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. I looked at him without understanding anything. ¡°We fought. We fought like two children,¡± he said as if he could not understand something simple, as if he could not understand something as simple as gravity. ¡°I couldn''t control myself. I couldn''t control myself,¡± his voice sounded like dust in a hurricane. Insignificant and tiny in the vastness of the unknown. ¡°The words came out of me, but I couldn''t control them. And I just stood there watching those horrible words hurt her, and I couldn''t do anything.¡± I was paralyzed. And my mind was hammering with the pain I heard in his voice. ¡°I saw her eyes when those words hit her,¡± he said, ¡°I saw her eyes and I saw how much I hurt her. And for a moment I was happy with her pain, because for a second I felt like it was some kind of revenge,¡± he said, sounding like he was choking on those words. ¡°I was so happy about it. I was so happy because I wanted to take that pain out of my chest and I wanted her to feel some of that pain too. I wanted her to feel the betrayal I felt yesterday.¡± I wanted to get up and run away. I wanted to go and lie under a million blankets, and I wanted to stay there forever. I wanted to escape Jason''s suffering. I wanted to escape his sick thoughts. I did not want to hear his pain and witness his sadness. And I did not want to hear his words about revenge. And I did not want to feel my heart falling apart. I wanted to run away to find a world where people did not grieve for the people they loved. I took a deep breath and looked into those eyes that for so long have meant the world to me. He looked at me. But he did not see me. ¡°And the only thing I wanted to do after I realized what I had done, what I was feeling, was taking those words back and throwing them into the ocean to keep them from hurting her. But I couldn''t do it. It was too late,¡± he said. ¡°All that was left inside me was regret and the feeling of being out of control.¡± He brought both hands to his hair and ran it through the strands, ¡°all that was left inside me was shame because I can''t control myself with the sweetest person I''ve ever met.¡± I stopped breathing, and my lungs filled with stones and my chest hurt. The familiar feeling of inferiority resurfaced from the depths of my heart like poison. I closed my eyes and controlled my breathing. I opened it and looked at him. And I saw pain and confusion and shame, and I saw the unmistakable feeling of being lost. I had no words to offer him. I had nothing because I was as lost as he was. And at that moment I felt empty. I wanted to get out of there. I took his hand and held it like a buoy in the middle of the storm. I held my breath and said, ¡°I am sorry, Jason.¡± I did not hear the sound of breaking glass, but I felt it in my bones, and I felt time stop for mere seconds before the world went back to spinning like it used to before everything came crashing down. The first indication that something precious had been lost was the tears that sprang to his eyes. The second was the way he held my hand tightly. And the third was the way he could not control his breathing anymore. He was falling apart in front of me. I started to cry too. And for a moment it felt like we were children again and the world had started to lose the glow of innocence and the only thing we could do was cry in the dark of Jason''s room. I saw the tears fall down Jason''s cheek and I heard him take a deep breath ¡°We break up,¡± he said in a broken voice, ¡°she left.¡± He got up and started walking in front of the swings. ¡°And the only thing I could do was stand in the middle of that road while she drove away.¡± he stopped walking and looked at me with red eyes, ¡°I felt useless, like a toy that is no longer fun¡± he whispered. I got up quickly and hugged him with all my strength. And I felt him wrap his arms around me, and I felt in heaven for a moment. I felt his scent surround me as he rested his chin on my head, and I felt my heart expand as he kissed my forehead, just like when we were small kids. ¡°It scared me,¡± he said carefully, ¡°this feeling of not having power over my own emotions,¡± he said against my hair. My heart turned to sand, and it was carried away by the sea. ¡°You will be fine, Jason,¡± I whispered to him. ¡°I know that everything seems to be falling apart, but you need to remember that you are in control. You. Not your emotions. Not your fear, or anger, or the terrifying feeling of being lost. You are in control of your life,¡± I said as I hugged him. I closed my eyes, and I broke away from his embrace, and took a step back. And after a moment of hesitation I finally took his face in my hands, and said what was in my heart for a long time, ¡°if at any time you feel like you are sinking inside your own mind, you just need to take a deep breath and remember that I am here with you. I am here for you. And we can always be lost together, Jason.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± he said in a soft and low voice. ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I said. Chapter 09 Jason stayed in his room for two entire weeks. I walked away and let him feel his pain, I let him understand what was going on with his emotions, and I let him feel the loneliness that always comes after a broken heart. I wanted to be close to him, but I knew I could not force my presence when he barely got out of his bed. Thus, I walked away, and waited for him. Because I was his friend. But despite that, I still remember the feeling of my room¡¯s window glass pressed against my hand every morning as I stared compulsively at his window, hoping for a glimpse of life. But for two weeks the only thing I saw was darkness, and even though I knew that this time was important to him, that silence slowly tore my heart apart. But I waited. And after a terrible storm, the sun finally emerged to bring a ray of hope to the lost. And that day I finally felt that the world still had colors. *** The day that Jason finally returned from his exile, I was lying on my bed looking at the ceiling of my room full of stars¡ªstars that Jason and I glued together when we were kids¡ªwhile I was listening to indie songs at low volume. That morning I could feel the wind coming in through my open window and I could see the sun illuminating the pictures on my wall. Pictures of my friends. Pictures of Jason, Aaron, Audrey, and my parents. That day I almost felt at peace. That day, I almost felt like I had the answers to the world''s questions. And I was with that feeling in my head when I heard whispers. Whispers inside my room. My heart raced inside my body and I jumped to my feet. My head spun. But I did not care as I stared wide-eyed at the string phone that connected my house to Jason''s. ¡°Summie,¡± his voice was so low I almost did not hear it, ¡°are you there?¡± I sat on my bedroom¡¯s floor and I saw my hands trembling slightly as I took the string phone in my hands. ¡°Hey,¡± I whispered back. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. I closed my eyes tightly as I resisted the miserable urge to say, ¡°I miss you so much that it almost physically hurt.¡± ¡°I ¡ª,¡± he suddenly stopped and as the silence stretched on I could feel tears forming in my eyes. ¡°Can I¡ªCan I come over?¡± His voice was weird and the way he said it sounded like he was afraid of the words themselves like it could break a thousand hearts. I closed my eyes. ¡°Yeah, of course, Jason,¡± I said with my strong voice. I took a deep breath and I controlled the tears that had formed in my eyes. I stood up. And I waited for him. *** He entered my room through the window¡ªjust as he had for years. And his hair was the first thing I saw after two weeks of silence. It was such a beautiful black, and I could see the curls from afar. And when he looked into my eyes, my foolish heart missed a beat. But after all, he just stood there¡ªnext to a small plant that Aaron had given me for my birthday the year before. And the only thing I could do was stand there too. Like a big idiot. I looked into his eyes, and he looked into mine. And for a moment it all felt like a mistake. A massive mistake. Because I did not know what to do or what to say to him. And that morning in that room just felt like a nightmare. I wanted this to end. He suddenly looked at the floor, and then he straightened his posture. ¡°I want to apologize to you, Summer,¡± he said carefully. ¡°I wasn''t the friend you deserved. I didn''t want to do this. I didn''t want to act this way. And honestly, the only thing I feel for my actions is shame. You deserve so much more. And I just want to say I''m sorry. I''m so sorry. You''re my best friend, and you deserve the world. Please don''t hate me for this because I couldn''t live in a world where you hate me. I couldn''t live in a world where you''re not my best friend,¡± he took a shaky breath and looked at the ceiling full of stars, and after some time I could swear I saw a tiny smile in the corner of his mouth. He looked again into my eyes, ¡°I love you, Summie, and I hope you forgive me.¡± The world froze around us and I felt tears wet my cheeks. And for a moment his voice sounded like the soft voice of a little boy I once knew. A beautiful boy with sad eyes who told me when I was nine years old that he loved me after the worst day I had ever had at school. That beautiful boy that wiped my tears when my world was falling apart and that made me believe that the world was still a magnificent place. I loved that little boy so much. I looked at Jason¡¯s eyes and for a moment I saw that little boy in his eyes again. And without thinking, I took a step toward him. And another step. And another. My body collided with his in a tight hug. And after a moment of hesitation, I felt him return my bear hug. And when he rested his chin on my head, I felt so incredibly happy. And as simple as magic, the feeling of strangeness dissipated into the air like dust. And It was like we were kids again like we had never changed, and all that innocent happiness was palpable again. And, like priceless dust, I foolishly held it between my fingers. ¡°I love you too, Jas. With all my heart,¡± I whispered against his white t-shirt. ¡°And I forgive you.¡± Chapter 10 Jason and I were lying in my bed three days after the end of his exile. We were watching a movie. Like every day since he came back. And it felt so right because somehow our friendship was not broken like a piece of glass. It was perfect. And it felt like a dream. My dream. "You look happy," he said while he looked at me with his bright eyes. I could not stop my smile. Because somehow he could make me so cheerful. "Because I am happy," I said, "I think Summer has this power over everyone." He laughs. A light beautiful laugh. "Yeah, I think it has," he said. His eyes moved to the screen with a hint of a smile on his lips. But I noticed that at some point between the middle and the end of the movie he stopped being present. He was there. His body was there. But I could see that he was not there with me. I remained silent waiting for him to return to me. And some moment he held my hand and kept it until the movie credits. I felt it in my heart. And my stupid brain kept it as a core memory. He squeezed my hand. One. Two. Three times. His eyes met mine under the fairy lights. "I talked to Aaron yesterday,¡± he said carefully, ¡°he was worried about me. Because mom called him and told him that my life was a mess, that I was a mess." A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. "She was worried about you," I said, trying to be the peacemaker because I knew he would regret saying something mean to his mother. He loved his mother so much. It was a precious relationship. ¡°I know it. I''m not mad at her. She was just trying to help me. In her way. But the thing is that I didn''t want her help. I just wanted to feel the pain. Embrace it. know it. Feel it in my bones. But she would not let me do it because she is such a sensitive soul. So she called Aaron. My older brother,¡± he laughed as if it were a joke. A bad joke. I cringed at the sound. He noticed the gesture and grimaced. and as if to erase that horrible sound from my ears he held my hand again and intertwined my little finger with his own, like he used to do when we were kids. And with his other hand, he ran his thumb over my eyebrow. Over and over again. Like a sad song about the past. A song that''s so beautiful and unpriced that it almost hurts to listen to it. ¡°He called me,¡± he whispered, ¡°and invited me to stay a few days in his apartment. To breathe fresh air and live the ephemeral youth.¡± I laughed. A brief and short laugh. Because his skin was still touching my skin. And it felt like a nightmare, but at the same time, it was a paradise. ¡°It''s Aaron¡¯s words, not mine,¡± he said with a tiny smile on his beautiful lips. ¡°He also invited you.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said painfully slowly. ¡°He hates human beings,¡± I said it as an irrefutable fact, ¡°and he hates visitors even more.¡± ¡°He does. But he likes you.¡± ¡°He''s known me for years. It would be weird if he did not like me. At least a little bit,¡± I said. ¡°Yeah, it would be. But to invite you to his safe place it''s a big deal, like a huge board saying ¡°I wouldn''t run over you with my car if I could¡±,¡± he said it''s a secret truth. "This is good to know. Thank you, Jason. I am gonna sleep like a baby because of it," I said with a sweet voice. "You welcome, Summie," he said with a full smile playing on his face. "But seriously now, did you think your mother was gonna let you come with me?" "I do not know. Maybe. If you explain exactly what we are gonna do, where we are gonna stay, and when we are gonna come back. And obviously, she is gonna want to facetime both of us every single time. And if we do it perfectly right, maybe she will let me discover the world with you," I said, laying in my bed and looking at the sky above us. "I love facetime," he said with a sweet voice just like I did a few minutes ago. "I know. But until the end of this youth ephemeral trip, you are gonna hate it. Trust me," I said. "I don''t think so, little one," he said, rising from my bed. "We have the same height, genius," I said just a little too fast. He stopped in the middle of my bedroom and he turned slowly to face me. "Maybe. But I got it first," he said and went back to walk out of my room. I rolled my eyes. "Where are you going?" I said getting out of my bed. "Talk to your mother. And have dinner. Because I''m starving to death." Chapter 11 Jason talked to my mother the entire dinner, trying to convince her that a road trip to Aaron''s was the best idea that a human being could think of. My mother said no at the beginning of dinner. But Jason was persistent and a little charmer besides having a few consistent arguments¡ªit''s the last chance we have to travel before college starts, it would be an amazing gift to celebrate the end of high school, it would be the last chance we would have to enjoy our childhood friendship, and Jason was a little depressed thus it is would be fantastic if he could have the company of his older friend in this adventure. During the entire dinner, I did everything I could to not start laughing in the middle of the argument. Because they make it seem that they are discussing world peace, and it was hilarious. My father was having the same problem because sometimes he would wink an eye at me while my mother was not looking at us. It reminded me of my childhood when Jason and I messed up with something and my father had to try really hard not to laugh at the mess we made, because my partner and I were very creative in that department. At the end of dessert¡ªa lemon pie, Jason¡¯s courtesy¡ªwhen Jason did not have an argument anymore my mother said yes. A grumpy yes, but a yes. And as I expected, she put all the conditions that I had previously informed Jason that would have in our little road trip. But it was a yes, and yes was all that mattered. *** On Saturday¡ªour trip¡¯s day¡ªJason came in through my window at seven in the morning. His hair was wet and clean. I could smell his citrus scent from afar. And he had an easy smile that made my heart race inside my chest. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked, throwing himself on top of my bed. ¡°Almost. But I still need to have breakfast,¡± I said, pushing him off my stuff. He looked at me with these beautiful, innocent eyes and said, ¡°let''s have breakfast on the road.¡± ¡°What? Why? No, I am hungry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s celebrate our first travel¡¯s with all the pomp,¡± he said, giving me a bigger smile. I laughed. ¡°With all the pomp? Really? I did not think we were talking about the same trip, mister.¡± ¡°I think we were, Little One.¡± ¡°Enlighten me,¡± I said, closing my suitcase on the floor. ¡°Well, burger and French fries, chocolate milkshake, and of course, an apple pie. All very fancy, obviously, just for you, Little One,¡± he said slowly and carefully. ¡°Obviously," I said with sarcasm dripping from my mouth like poise. "Did you plan all this a long time ago, or did it all come spontaneously?" If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Spontaneously. Just now, actually," he said with a lazy smile. "No way. Amazing. How did you do it?" I said with wide eyes. "It''s a gift, Little One." "Incredibly," I whispered. I saw his body shaking before I heard him chuckle. ¡°Okay, I''m serious now,¡± he said with laughter in his voice, ¡°I can make us a smoothie, and we can eat the cookies from yesterday." ¡°And the muffins too?¡± I asked hopefully. ¡°The muffins too,¡± he said, getting up from my bed and walking to the window." *** We got on the road thirty-five minutes after Jason sneaked through my window. The sun was already bright in the sky, but it was a perfect day because of the wind. Jason was driving. The radio was low in the background. My belly was full. And I was busy feeling the sun in my skin, the wind in my hair and with my feet on the top of Jason car''s box glove. I was happy for the new adventure. But despite that I was still anxious. It was eating me alive. My palms were sweating and my chest was aching at the prospect of the unknown future. I was happy to be there. To be with Jason. But I was scared of the proximity that I would have with him. I was scared of the inevitable hope that would arise in my head. That it would ruin everything I had worked so hard to build. That this hope would grow and turn to poison and run wild inside me. Because I was so scared of what would happen if my feelings for him became so clear that I would not be able to hide it anymore. I was scared that the friendship I had held for so many years in my heart would be destroyed. That I would lose him. That we would be torn apart forever. And in some way I felt that those days were the beginning of the event I had dreaded for so many years. That I had tried to avoid at all costs. But despite this storm inside my head, I could not stay away from him. I felt like a moth desperate for light, so reckless I would threaten my own safety at the prospect of even a few seconds near the light. My light. But sadly I knew I was doomed to a lightless end. "I liked your t-shirt," He said, quickly looking at me. "It''s new?" His voice was soft. Calm. It scared me because the car was so silent that for a minute I thought the world had been suspended as I dried my emotions in my head. I looked at my brand new baby pink t-shirt with little sunflowers on it. I looked at him. I looked at my t-shirt again. I was proud of the new design and the total composition of that piece. "Yes, it is new. But I am still working on it.¡± ¡°That color looks good on you,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Both,¡± he said along with a wink. ¡°I think Aaron will want one. He loves your designs. Actually I think he would easily trade me for one of your t-shirts.¡± I laughed. An easy and happy and spontaneous laugh. ¡°You think so?¡± I knew the answer to that question. But I just wanted him to confirm this common knowledge. Because it brought so much joy to my heart. He rolled his eyes but granted me this little childish act. ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± We were silent for a while as I gloated over the idea that someone cared about my t-shirts. ¡°Shall we stop to surf?¡± he asked with anticipation shining in his eyes. I put on my sunglasses, raised my arms up and yelled with as much joy as I could muster, ¡°YES!¡±. He accelerated the car while screaming along with me like two crazy people.