I was only six years old when I first met Michael. At first glance, he seems like a normal kid. He was playful, he was agile. His grades were remarkable for his age, and he wasn't too bad a sports either. But there is something... Strange about him. It's his eyes. They're a very deep shade of blue, like deep water. When you stare into them for a while it gives you a strange feeling. Almost like when you stare into a dogs eyes, no matter how you look at them, it always looks like they gaze straight passed you. Like they're in some sort of trance.
And that's not the only thing off about him. For example, sometimes he may answer a question before you finish asking it. Or dodge an airborne football even though he was facing the other way. What I'm trying to say is, he always seems to know what's going to happen and when it's going to happen.
We're both 16 now. Despite being pretty close when we were kids, we rarely talk now. Sometimes we may bump into each other in the halls at school and say "hi," or "hey." But besides that, nothing. I occasionally hear people talking about him saying how he, and I quote "creeps me the fuck out..." I can't say I disagree, but he is actually a pretty kind person.
Last weekend he added me on Facebook. We started to chat a little, starting out with only small talk like "How are you?" And "Nice to catch up!" After a few hours of talking, we decided to meet up in town. It seemed like a good idea at the time. I mean, he was one of my best friends throughout my childhood. I haven't hung out with him since we were 11. I don't really know why, we just kind of stopped talking when we went to high school.
We talked on Facebook through the whole week. We discussed our old journeys and adventures we used to have. It's weird how he still remembers all the tiny details of our childhood, it's as if it happened only yesterday to him. But then again, he always did have a good memory. Almost too good if I do say so. Anyway, back to the point. It's only 4 hours from now that we go into town, at the end of school. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little excited.
The bell rings, pounding everyone's eardrums like a drill, signaling the end of the school day. I head out to the school gates. Michael's sitting on this old bench I always see him on. It's molded and the metal framing has rusted, and one of the wooden planks on the top has broke and has started to tilt down. No one else sits on it since it'd break if they did. But when Michael sits on it, it's like it's brand new.
I walk over to him, doing the zip of my coat up. Me, being socially awkward, I say, shivering my ass off, "Uh, cold da-"
I was interrupted by Michael, who says in a friendly tone, "Yes, it is pretty chilly today, I should of taken my coat along."
Huh... so I see that he still does "his thing". I chuckle silently, "So, where do you want to go first?" I ask, trying not to be awkward.
"How about that old park we used to always go to, you know, the one with the-" I cut in, "The one with the oddly shaped tree." I say, mocking Michael.
"...Yes?" He says, giving me a confused look. This makes me think, does he not realize what he does?
We set course to the park while discussing our day. "Hey, it's great to catch up again after all this time." He says to me looking me in the eye. He still has that glare, like there's something behind me.
"Y-Yeah, we should of done it sooner." I reply, still a little creeped out.
A wave of nostalgia hits me after I see the crooked oak tree at my childhood park. I find myself grinning like an idiot and try to stop doing so. Turning my head, I look over to Michael. He's also smiling. But his smile was different. It was the smile of a five year old seeing Disney Land for the first time, one of innocence, not nostalgia. It's weird seeing a grown teenager such as himself with such a look on his face.
