I don't have to communicate to him in words. He can see it in my eyes, he can feel it in the shakiness of my hands. I will never leave him.
I silently promise to both myself and him, that I will never let my eyes stray again.
"I love you, Sunny." He whispers to me, tears starting to form in his eyes, and pulls me into a hug.
My head fits perfectly onto his shoulder. The shadow of the trees keeps us out of the burning temperature of the sun. The faint breeze of the summer. The distant sound of laughter. I am content.
And then my phone rings. It's Ai, here to pick Basil and I up.
We go to the car, and Ai tells us something.
"Basil, sweetie, I'm gonna drop you off at home. I'm glad Sunny is reconnecting with his friends, but I want him to spend some alone time with his parents." She says.
I fucking hate how she talks to Basil like I'm not here.
As soon as Basil is out of the car, she starts talking.
"You don't like me and I just can't figure out why. I'm not even asking for you to think of me as your mom. I understand that's stupid. Your mom is still alive, and you love her a lot. I just want you to come to terms with the fact that your father and I are getting married and I know you're going to keep pushing me away, but..." She sighs. "I don't know you that well. But I'd like to."
Her entire speech is bullshit and I hope she knows it. I hope she knows that I will never regard her as anything other than the man my father is unfortunately married to.
There's no point in even pretending to bond.
I will always be the kid who killed Mari.
She was the perfect daughter. She played piano well. She had perfect hair, perfect skin, a perfect smile as she sat there, practicing for the recital that never was.
I ruined that for them.
Because deep down, my parents know. And deep down, I know they know.
We drive home, the car silent. When we get home, my father greets me with a simple nod of a head, and Ai with a hug and a kiss.
"So...? I was thinking about going out for food. Whatever Sunny wants." He says, giving me a smile.
Maybe he's making a genuine effort.
I type out on my phone, "Maybe just a burger place. Something that doesn't have any weird food."
"Not somewhere a bit... nicer?" Ai asked.
I shook my head.
"Ai, Sunny wants to go to a burger place. I'm sure we'll find something edible on the menu." He laughs.
Yeah. He actually is making a genuine effort. That's at least worth something.
We drive to a diner with a generic name, and I order chicken nuggets, and Ai hides her disgust behind a fake smile as she orders a salad. Dad orders a burger, and smiles at me. A real smile, I think. I think he's actually trying. I need to give him more credit for that.
We don't talk much during dinner, and that's okay. Dad seems to be content that at least his girlfriend and son aren't giving death glares to each other. Plus, I've never really been one for talking, seeing as I can't do it.
The car ride home is similarly silent. I enjoy it.
Maybe, just maybe, if Ai doesn't hate me, I won't hate her. I'll settle for mild annoyance, if she will.
After dinner, I text Basil.
"When are we going to meet up with Aubrey?" I text him.
"I'll message Kel. Actually, should I make a group chat?" He texts back.
"Yeah." I text.
Kel informs me that Aubrey can meet up with us in the park on Saturday.
When Saturday rolls around, my mom drives me there again, the car ride silent but not painful. I get there before both Basil and Kel, so I just awkwardly approach her.
She's wearing startling bright blue contacts, highlighted with dark black makeup. Her hair is a neon pink and both her skirt and shirt are short. She's leaning back heavily on the bench.
Why are my friends so beautiful?
I sit down beside her, and she glances over to me, but doesn't say anything.
It isn't long until Basil shows up, and then Kel, and then it's the four of us, old childhood friends, reconnecting once again.
(739 words)
(Title from Can I hide In Your Bedroom by Daddy And The Long Legs)
a/n- bleh
also also
i swear this is the last time
but i have a gf now his name is andrew i love her so much
YOU ARE READING
Trees (an omori fic)
FanfictionSunny moved with his mother to a far off town after Mari died, and got into some trouble with a boy named Nik. He has to live with his dad though, and reconnects with some old friends. The name Trees comes from the 3 songs by the band McCafferty. I...
