Scatter Hearts

53| Novalyn's Birthday Party

Journal Entry # 17 ??? am/pm (Future telling the story)

My parents and I finally met Orion's parents for the first time.

_________

Journal Entry # 18 Saturday 2019

The sun was out today in an ocean blue sky, littered with white cloud clumps swirling above us. We pulled up to the building a few minutes after 2pm. I bit my lip. "Are y'all gonna stay ..er..-? " I trailed off.

Dad scoffed with a smile. "No, we're gonna go in with you to meet his parents, then your Mom and I have some errands to do." He replied, handing me a twenty dollar bill. " For any snacks or something..- " He turned back forward and looked at me in the rear-view mirror. "Don't spend it all." I blinked. "I won't.." I said.

**

Dad opened the glass door for Mom and I as we stepped through the doorway. The beginning of the entrance instantly reminded me of Chuck E Cheese, or an imagined Freddy Fazbear's diner. I left the entirety of reality and surveyed the room.

The play-structures were big, towering over us to the high ceiling; shaking with children, tweens, and teens alike running around throughout them; having a fun time all around. There was a shoe rack by one of the entrances into the structure, socks, shoes and other belongings strewn about the cubbies; some neatly set, others carelessly tossed aside- some shoes laying on the ground abandoned.

Children ran about the place with socks, shoes, both, and neither; chasing friends, playing games, riding some of the small kiddie rides in the corner. Up a staircase off to the right was a second story, with a balcony. Barely visible from below, were some arcade machines, bright, -probably- loud, alive and full of entertainment for older kids. There was a kind of food court looking corner behind the stair case, on the path next to lines of tables, to party rooms. Next to me on the right was a prize corner looking booth; It looked closed, and no one else seemed to notice it.

"Hey Low-low."

A familiar voice snapped me back from the many, many distractions in this place. I blinked. Orion. He was standing next to a black guy, whom I assumed was his friend, talking.

My parents had introduced me to Orion's parents, and left soon after, saying good bye to me.

Now I was awkwardly standing next to Orion, listening to them talk. The guy was his friend, whom he had lived with previously last year when they moved here from Ohio. Timber Lakota, Orion had said.

Orion had two sisters, One was eight, the other was four, turning five. The five-year-old was Novalyn, the reason for the party today. The other sister was Galaxy. I frowned, scanning the family and extended family at a table.

"Which ones are your sisters again?" I asked, watching kid after kid run passed. Orion pointed to a kind of chubby, brunette in a pink fun shirt with yellow design splotches with blue dots in the centers of each, and black leggings. "That's Gal." He said.

He pointed to another brunette; slightly chubby, and who looked like a three to four-year-old child, in a bright blinding green shirt, and blue leggings, running around like she was on a sugar rush. "Annnd, that's Nova." Orion said with a drone in his voice. I blinked. Damn.. That's a train wreck.. I laughed under my breath.

*

My gaze followed a kid going into the play structure to my right. I gasped, turning to Orion. "Hey!" I smiled a bit too excitedly. "Let's go in there!"

Orion blinked. "What?" He laughed slightly. "No."

I hugged up to him and looked into his entrancing grey eyes, and made a pouting expression. "Pwease?" I asked. I felt his heart beat against my hands and pound a bit. He bit his lip. "Mmmm, "He smirked lovingly, locking my lost gaze.