The Reoccurring Dream || Suntan Ficlet

DREAM FARAWAY PARK

This definitely wasn't WHITESPACE.

Flowers adorned a patch of the vivid green grass. Birds chirped and swooned around, gliding through the brisk, blue midday sky. The sight was familiar, of course, the area identical to that of FARAWAY PARK. Everything was the same. The rustic swing set and monkey bars, the towering trees, the small bright yellow play structure, the lengthy basketball court, and even the chipper old lady who rewarded you for giving her trash. Who even knew her name, anyways?

Awaiting at the other side of the park, was seemingly the only person SUNNY recognized.

With his looming height and a stout little dog with a red collar by his side.

With his shoulder length, tousled dark hair, and that ditzy smile of his.

With his sports gear, and slightly deflated basketball under his arm.

It was KEL. He was beaming faintly.

'SUNNY! Hey! How are you? Are you doing okay?' the lofty adolescent made his way over, that toothy grin still plastered on his face. SUNNY's face had abruptly flushed red, though both were completely unaware of that.

'Yeah..' SUNNY mumbled, glaring away anxiously.

KEL simpered happily. 'I'm glad! Come on, SUNNY! I have something fun planned for us.' his available hand clasped over SUNNY's, before he hastily began dragging him along. The frail boy tried to keep up to the best of his abilities, yet he was easily slowed down after a few minutes full of effortful jogging. With a wheeze, his speed decreased impulsively. 

'Woah, SUNNY, are you okay? Did I go too fast? I'm sorry!' he immediately skidded to a stop, his orange sneakers now covered in grassy smears. KEL spun around quickly to tend to him, a look of concern glazed in his widened eyes. SUNNY squinted his eyes and sheltered his face from the throbbing sun, as he nodded briefly. 'It's okay..' The pain in his chest felt awfully real for a dream. That was normal, he supposed. Straightening his posture once more, he began walking with his friend (or should I say BOYFRIE-) again.

After a few minutes of continuous walking, they returned to their now abandoned HANGOUT SPOT. 'AUBREY and BASIL visited with me and HERO yesterday. It's too bad you weren't here!' KEL smiled anxiously. SUNNY had gotten distracted by a butterfly that had flapped by, before his gaze fell back onto KEL and the blue picnic mat in front of them. KEL had set it up as it was a tiny little.. date. There was a rustic old picnic basket sitting with a plate of cookies and two glasses. That same, golden little dog was seated on the checkered blanket.

What was least surprising is that in the metal bin that held ice, there was a big bottle of ORANGE JOE.

SUNNY couldn't help but stifle a chuckle. 'You really went all out, didn't you?'

KEL's face reddened hastily. 'Ah.. just wanted to repay you for lending me that money for HERO'S GIFT. You know, that CHEF BOOK?' he questioned, attempting to jog SUNNY's memory, which was honestly unnecessary. 

'I think about that all the time.' SUNNY admitted bashfully, taking a seat next to KEL on the dull blue sheet. The much taller teen rose a cookie up to his own mouth. 'I'm surprised you remember as well as I do, KEL.'

'I think about you all the time!' KEL beamed innocently at this.

 SUNNY's complexion immediately now represented that of a tomato.

'..OH-OH NO NOT LIKE THAT-' KEL's face had this derpy, awkward expression now plastered on it, as he soon followed suit with the red face. An awkward silence occurred.

'..Want some ORANGE JOE?'

'Please.'