Twisted Fates

CHAPTER 3

I reached the central park exactly at half past four in the evening and today even I'm wearing a watch, gifted by my older brother Zyon on my 10th birthday.

I looked around, searching for Tom but I couldn't see him anywhere. I looked around again but he was not here.

Is he not here today??

"Bexi!!" I snapped my head in the direction of the source and there he was, sitting on the swing and swinging in it.

"Tom!" I called him as I made my way towards him near the swing.

"It's so much fun" he said as he swang faster.
"Wohoo" he screamed in joy.

He slowly stopped Swinging and gestured me to come near him and I did.
"Want to sit in the swing?" He asked as he got down from the swing.

"Yes I do" I said as I sat on the swing and Tom walked behind me to push the swing.

He started pushing the swing slowly but as the time passed by, he pushed the swing faster.
"Wohoo!!" I screamed in joy as I felt the tickling sensation in my tummy like thousands of butterflies were erupting from my stomach.

Tom slowly stopped the swing as he came and sat beside me in the swing. He slowly pushed the swing using his feet.

There was peaceful silence between us, until I saw an ice-cream truck entering the park.

"Ice-creams" I squealed as I saw a lot of kids standing in a queue waiting for their turn.

I want icecream but I don't have money..

"Do you want an ice-cream?" Tom asked.

"Yes I want one but I don't have any money with me" I sighed defeatedly as I saw other kids licking their ice-cream.

It looks delicious..

I licked my bottom lips as I saw many other kids eating their ice-cream.

"Come I'll buy you an ice-cream" Tom said as he got up from the swing.

"Do you have money with you?" I asked raising my one brow.

"Yes I have" he said as he opened his violin case and at the side of it was a zip, he opened the zipper and there was some money in it.
"Come" he caught my hand in his and pulled me out of the swing.

We made our towards the ice-cream truck and stood in the queue waiting for our turn. And finally our turn came as the ice-cream truck man asked us about the flavour which we wanna order.

"Which flavour do you want?" Tom asked me.

"I want..." I looked at the board where there were different kinds of flavours written on it.
"A strawberry flavour ice-cream" I said and soon the man prepared my icecream and handed it to me.

Wait, is there no ice-cream for Tom?

Tom started walking away from the truck and I followed him.
"Why didn't you order yourself an ice-cream?" I asked incredulously.

"I don't want" he said.

"Why you don't want an ice-cream?" I asked.

"Because..." He paused looking at my face and continued "... I don't like ice-creams" he said staring at my ice-cream.

"Everybody like ice-creams, wait didn't you have money to buy yourself an ice-cream?" I asked.

"No it's not like-" I cut him off.

"We can share this ice-cream" I suggested as I gestured towards my ice-cream.

"No that's not the reason" he said as I frowned.

"Then what is the reason?" I asked him.

"I can't eat ice-cream because I'm ill and my mother strictly warned me to not eat anything from outside" he said.

"So you can't eat ice-cream" I asked.

"Yeah" he smiled " but I can eat anything once I'm all well" a small smile touched his lips.

"I wish that day comes soon" I smiled.

"Eat your ice-cream soon or its gonna melt" he said gesturing to the ice-cream.

I ate my ice-cream quickly and I kinda felt bad for Tom because he can't eat ice-creams. I mean every kid loves ice-cream and every kid has the right to eat ice-creams whether their ill or not.

"By the way who gave that money to you?" I asked.

"My mom"

"Why did she give you money? I mean you can't eat anything from outside then why?" I asked.

"She gave me money for my emergency uses" he shrugged.

"Ohh" was all I could say.

"Bexi, come with me" he said as he ran towards the flower garden.

I followed him to the flower garden as he plucked some fresh flowers from the garden.
"They smell so good" I whispered to myself as I smelled the white flower, by the way I don't know its name.

"Bexi it's for you" Tom called me and handed me some flowers of different colours and I gladly took it from him.

"Thank you Tom" I said as we both sat in the garden side by side.
"Do you have any friends?" I asked as I was thinking about it.

He slightly shook his head in no before saying,
" No, I don't have any friends"

"You don't have any friends in school?" I asked incredulously with wide eyes.

"I don't go to school" he said making me even more stunned.

"You don't go to school?" He looked down, facing the grass

"No, I do homeschooling and this.." he gestured towards the violin "..is my only friend. " he said and there was sadness in his voice.

"Ohh" and again this was all I could say but then I thought of saying something else.
"Tom" I patted his shoulder as he looked at me.
"Except for that violin, you have another friend and that is me" I said with a huge grin.
I extended my hand to him before saying,
"Friends?" I asked.

"Friends " Tom took my hand for a handshake and shook it, and now even he had a huge grin on his face.

"Buzz, buzz!!" Tom's alarm watch started ringing as he stood up.
" Time's up,see you tomorrow Bexi" he waved his hand at me before leaving.

I also got up and made my way towards my house.

As soon as I reached my home, I was first greeted by dad,
"Hey princess, how was your day?" He asked as he carried me up in his arms.

I kissed his cheek before saying,
"My morning and afternoon was boring but my evening was good. Wait, not good it was excellent" I chirped.

"So my sweethearts evening was excellent" dad said and I nodded in return.

Spending time with Tom feels good..

_______________________