The spark // Art Donaldson

004. Truth

Cadell, 2005

For the next week, Cadell went to Art's house every day. She taught him how to serve with precision, how to hit with ferocity. She shared her love for tennis with him. And he didn't give her any palpable knowledge back. No, instead, he gave her something much more valuable.

Happiness.

Being around him was like being around something so happy it made you infectious. He made her happy in ways that even tennis could not. He made her laugh, made her excited, made her feel so many emotions she never even thought were possible until him. He ended up meaning so much to her in only a short week.

As the day of their next hangout approached, Cadell's excitement grew, and she found herself counting down the minutes until she could see Art again.

Every time she saw a facebook notification, her whole world lit up. Art. She would text him with a smile, go to sleep content. It was an entirely foreign lifestyle that she would gladly keep.

When the day finally arrived, she arrived at his house with her tennis racket in hand, a smile lighting up her face as she greeted him at the door.

"Hey!" Cadell exclaimed, her enthusiasm bubbling over. Art returned her smile, his eyes lighting up with excitement.

Another face popped up beside Art's. He was dark haired, with a longer face.

"Cadell, this is Patrick. He's my best friend– do you mind if he joins us?"

She shook her head, "no, of course."

Patrick grinned, "Art's told me so much about you."

"Good things, I hope," Cadell teased.

"Very good things." He emphasized. Art kneed him in the balls and Patrick doubled over in a yelp of pain. Cadell laughed, choosing to ignore the comment.

As they made their way to the backyard tennis court, Cadell couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation coursing through her veins. It was the familiar excitement of spending time with Art, coupled with the newfound curiosity of meeting his best friend, Patrick. As they stepped onto the court, Cadell felt a surge of energy pulsating through the air, fueled by the laughter and camaraderie shared between the three of them.

With each swing of her racket, Cadell poured her heart and soul into the game, her movements fluid and graceful as she danced across the court. Patrick proved to be a worthy addition to their tennis session, his competitive spirit matched only by his infectious laughter and easygoing nature.

As they rallied back and forth, Cadell found herself growing more and more at ease in his presence, her initial nerves melting away in the warmth of their friendship.

She sat down after an exhausting match of her vs the two boys, where she was unfortunately outnumbered and eventually crushed.

"Do you want a drink?" Art asked from inside his room. Cadell nodded and accepted the beer graciously.

As they sat down on the patio, the warm summer breeze gently caressed their skin, adding to the sense of ease and comfort that permeated the air. Cadell took a sip of her beer, relishing the cool, crisp taste as it washed over her tongue. Art sat beside her, a playful glint in his eyes as he leaned back in his chair.

"Want to play truth or dare?"

"Sure."

"Truth or Dare?" Cadell asked Art.

"Dare," came Art's reply.

"I dare you... I dare you to sing to the next person who walks by," Cadell challenged with a mischievous glint in her eye. Art's eyes widened in surprise at the audacious dare, but a grin quickly spread across his face.