Miss, Do I Know You?

13 - Saturday, November 28

The sun had barely begun its descent into the dreary sky as I bolted upright on the couch and my eyes darted toward the clock on the wall where the digits glaring back at me mercilessly displayed a time far later than I had anticipated. My nap had turned out longer than intended. Frustration mingled with anxiety, fueling a hundred curses within me as I flung off the blankets, scrambled off the couch, and hastily dressed.

It was in moments like these where I was glad not to consider myself high maintenance.

The streets, as ever, were silent and oblivious to my feverish strides that propelled me toward the park. And it seemed that I had arrived with surprising punctuality; the people I sought were nowhere to be found. But a gasp was pushed out my lungs when something almost swept me off my feet.

Laughter followed behind me. "You said soon!" his voice exclaimed. "This isn't soon!"

Regret intertwined with relief as I mustered a grin and looked down at Benji. "I think I caught a cold last week. I didn't want to get you sick," I explained. A cold of the mind, maybe. I'd spent the week in a strange state, rotting away in bed and unable to bring myself to do anything besides school, as much as I wanted to. Until Alex had pulled me aside and made the plans herself. "Sorry, kiddo."

He took my hand, confidently grinning. "I don't get sick."

Before he could whisk me away, I halted his eager stride. And as soon as I focused on the uncannily similar faces of Alex and Gabi, I remembered something I had, in my absentminded rush, forgotten at home.

"Hey," Alex greeted with an amused smile. "Why are you so red?"

"I might have been running," I said with a lingering hint of breathlessness. "I was late."

She laughed, sweetly yet tinged with a sugar-coated edge of sarcasm. "That's a phrase I never thought to hear from you."

I put on a pout and redirected my gaze back to Benji. "Please save me from the mean lady, bird boy."

Benji flashed Alex a confused look before tugging me away at last. "Come. I brought my photos that I've taken since then."

With his firm grip on my hand, we were off toward the playground. It had been a long time since I let myself have that kind of fun, and I didn't realize how much I'd missed it. I'd never really spent much time around kids, with the exception of my many dolls, of course, but Benji's presence was addicting, like a lungful of invigorating, sun-kissed air. His genuine enthusiasm for the simplest of things was a reminder to appreciate the small wonders that often went unnoticed.

Time stealthily slipped away. We laughed and chased each other around, weaved through the jungle gym and the ice-cold monkey bars I had not touched in many years, and spun each other silly on the swing. The coldness in my fingertips was forgotten. The chill of the wind was even more insignificant. And the more time I spent with him, the more I didn't want to leave his little world.

However, as the evening sun began to wane, so did my energy. I didn't have that much of it whenever I chose the ability to sleep and focus over staying clean. And I had to step aside to catch my breath. With a beaming smile, I made my way to the sidelines where Alex and Gabi sat talking amongst themselves and watching our antics.

"Have you ever broken a bone?" Alex questioned, making me raise an eyebrow and shake my head in denial. "Surprising."

"We might have a bet," Gabi said. "On whether you will break a bone or the playground first."

I laughed. "So, which of you wishes me to get hurt? I think I already know."

Benji's voice captured our attention. "Mom?" he called out. "What's this one?"