Feelings

7: Pasts II

It's a bit cold when we step outside. A gentle, cool breeze blows through the empty street. I shiver a bit. Should've worn more than just a sweater. Wren on the other hand seems to be perfectly fine with a t-shirt on. Her arms are also crossed.

"Hey, sorry about those guys." I want to try to comfort Wren if she needs to be comforted.

Wren looks off into the distance. "Mmmh. Guess I should've known it'd happen." In the dim light, I can see Wren tracing her finger along that weird red line on her arm.

"What's that?" I ask.

She quickly puts her hand down. "Nothing. Where should we go?"

An idea pops into my mind. "I know where we can go instead."

By Southview there's a park. I think it's called Nonsuch Park. Weird name. It's really a big, sloped hill covered in grass. Alex says that if you lie down at the top, prop yourself up on your elbows and look out towards where the hill goes down again, you can see beyond the row of houses at the bottom of the hill. You can see the big river and the tiny cars crossing the Red Clay Bridge which isn't really made out of clay. I haven't been to the park in a while, and I think it'll be cool for me and Wren to see what the view is. Before we go, I text Dad to tell him where we'll be and that we'll be out longer.

I use Google Maps to find our way there, ending, unfortunately, with us at the bottom of the big hill.

Wren gets to the top before I'm halfway. "Hurry up!"

"No... I'm good." I'm not tired. Just that my legs are burning.

"Lemme help. You're way too slow." Wren takes my two arms and tugs me up the hill. When we reach the top, we both collapse on the ground next to each other.

We lay face-up for a few minutes in complete silence, listening to the gentle wind blowing.

Wren turns her head to face me. "So, why did you wanna come here?"

I turn to face her, grinning. "Prop yourself up on your elbows and look out."

When I do it, what I see is really cool. Stretched out in front of me are rows and rows of houses, light from the windows creating small dots scattered everywhere. Past that is the big river which looks more like a big black snake at night. On the Red Clay Bridge are strips of white from the cars here coming from the mainland and red from the ones going there. Even further beyond that is the city of Cloven on the mainland. Isn't even on Cloven Island. The skyscrapers are poking out like concrete pillars. Looking above me, it's pitch black. The stars only dots in the sky. Something about looking up and seeing all those stars makes me feel strange, like I'm just small Jae, in the small town of Quint, on small Cloven Island, on small planet Earth looking out into the massive universe. Quint's everything to me, and yet it feels like nothing compared to everything that exists. It's more beautiful than Alex could ever describe it.

"Wow, it's so pretty," Wren gasps. We both look at each other and Wren's smile makes me want to melt. With this epic view and only her here, I definitely should say something, but I'm thinking on my feet and all I can think of is to tell her what an amazing person she is. That I like her.

"Wren, I think-" I'm trying to say I think I have a crush on you, but doubts are holding me back. What if Wren takes it the wrong way? What if she's grossed out by me and thinks I'm just like all the other boys who try to hit on her? I don't want that. Besides, like Wren said, we've only known each other for a week. I think it's too early to tell yet if I actually like her.

"Hmm?"

Not now. "I... I think you're a really cool friend." That's so cheesy.

"Aw, that's nice of you to say." I'm barely holding it together in front of her. Wren continues, "You know, you aren't too bad either."