Elliot

Twelve

The moon.

The stars.

The night sky.

The universe.

They were all beautiful tonight. I kept staring at the night sky as if they were an expensive painting in a museum. Maybe I could paint them sometime. They would look good in my collection.

Since when was I such a poetic person?

I stared at the sky for an eternity while sitting down on the porch in front of my house. The air was chill. Just the right temperature. I quite liked it.

A car suddenly pulled up in front of the driveway. I was confused so I stood up and stared suspiciously at the car. One window rolled down and I saw Tobias, as usual, smiling.

"Tobias?" I said.

"No. Alvin."

"Dude, you have a fucking car?!"

He chuckled. "Get in, Elliot."

My feet immediately stepped inside his car. It indeed surprised me knowing that Tobias owns a car. In some ways, it didn't either. He's likely an adult now so having a car is just common to him. But that didn't erase the feeling I have at the moment.

I felt like a kid. Like someone is showing me my favorite toy. The only difference is that I don't own the toy. But I admired it anyway.

We drove away from my house. "This is so cool." I said. Tobias looked at my way, smiled, and looked at the road.

It's not like it's the first time I've ever ridden a car. My dad once owned a blue pick-up truck and every time he goes home early, he would invite me to come with him so we could have a stroll around.

Clara never liked riding the pick-up so she stayed with Mom most of that time.

Dad would always roll the windows down so we could breathe in fresh air while we go on safe speed. My arms would automatically extend outside.

I felt like touching the air-if that's even possible. And it's the best feeling I've ever had.

"Where are we going, by the way?" I pulled away from my thoughts.

"You'll see." the only thing Tobias said.

"Hmm. Taking me on a date, are you?"

He smiled. "If you want to."

"You wish." I want to.

I saw the world becoming unfamiliar. The view outside the window was not the same. Yet it was somehow beautiful. Seeing new things always excite me. I always felt like I was uncharting the treasures of the world.

The night sky was really beautiful tonight. I thought of my mother suddenly.

She always loved teaching me things. I never liked the universe. I was scared of the universe. But she made it interesting and beautiful. She spoke at the stars like a speaker finding its own voice. I always admired her view of the world. She described it like it's the most beautiful thing in life.

Once I tried viewing the universe like she does, I felt like a stranger. An alien in my own world. Mom taught me things. And I thanked her for that.

I was once scared of the universe, but then I figured that the universe is a beautiful place. So beautiful that I feel shame by living in it.

But my mother was there and she made it much more beautiful. And I miss her so much.

The whole drive was silent. I couldn't take my eyes off outside, completely ignoring the fact that there's soft music playing on Tobias' radio.