Two Birds On A Wire

ch 07

"Shot!" The boys yelled as Julian made a clean shot at the basket. He high fived his team mates and looked at Ivan who had gone to sit by the stands after dribbling with the basketball for a while.

He had his gaze fixed on the floor, as he sat there with his elbows on his knees.

"Hey, I'm taking a rest" Julian told Ryan and jogged towards the stands.

"Hey" he gasped out, sitting down beside Ivan.

Ivan looked up to see Julian's beaming face and he passed a pursed smile.

"You don't look like you're okay. Something bothering you?" Julian asked, placing a hand on Ivan's back.

Ivan just shook his head. "It's just,... I'm tired"

"Poetry really must have tired you out, huh?"

Ivan let out a dry chuckle.

Julian heaved a sigh. He wished he could read minds.

"Wanna go to Joe's coffee shop after school?" He suggested, looking at Ivan expectantly. "Maybe a hot coffee would clear your head"

Ivan smiled. "Yeah, sure"

The both of them sat in silence, watching the other kids play.

"Hey, Ivan?"

"Yeah?"

"Had it ever occured to you that... Balloons are just sacs of one's breathe you offer to others?"

Ivan gave Julian a look. "Jules, did you hit your head somewhere?"

"Come on, bubba. Think about it!"

"I don't want to, thanks"

"You are no fun" Julian pushed out his lower lip . "Ivan, how about we leave school right now?"

The question came out of nowhere and Ivan looked at Julian with disbelief in his eyes. "Julian, its just been three hours since school started"

"So?" Julian shrugged.

"'So', you ask? The school gates would be closed and we would be doomed if we get spotted"

"Nah, dude. No one's gonna know, we could just jump over the walls"

"The walls?! Julian, you're insane" Ivan couldn't believe that Julian actually believed that he could jump over the ten feet high wall that fortified the school compound.

"Mr. Ivan- Bubba- Novis, walls are built, so we could jump over them. And right now seems like the perfect time to show your true potential" Julian said, raising a fist in the air.

"Sorry, I'll pass"

"Give me one reason why you're chickening out"

"One? I'll give you more!" Ivan turned his body to completely face Julian. "Firstly, that wall is like, ten feet high. What if you fall while you're at it? Secondly, have you ever noticed the amount of moss and dirt sticking to those walls? It would be way too slippery and dirty. And thirdly, Julian, if someone spots us and we get caught, the Principal is going to make us run around the school as much as he pleases"

Julian blinked with his mouth falling open. "Wow, you've got quite a number of reasons there"

"Exac--"

"REASONS THAT DON'T BOTHER ME AT ALL!" Julian stood up slapping his knees and pulled at Ivan's arm, bringing him up on his feet. "Stop being a chicken, start taking risks. That's my life's motto. Now, it's yours too" he dragged Ivan out of the basketball court, despite the other boy's repeated struggles.