Familiar Faces In Strange Places (Frikey)

Chapter Seven: Please Don't Go

I sat alone in the park for the longest time lost in thought. I didn't notice that the wind had picked up until I could feel my body trembling and the coldness cutting through my jacket. I kept my eyes down so the air wouldn't dry out my eyes and make me cry again. I just listened to the sounds around me and wrapped my arms around my body. I used friction to warm up my arms and thighs. The swing beside me was swaying in the wind as if a ghost was swinging it fiercely beside me. I imagined Mikey swinging beside me. My thoughts were interrupted when the park gate creaked open. It was high-pitched and I barely peaked up through my bangs. I could tell that he was guy that was much taller than me with blonde hair. He was wearing all black and his heavy coat was wrapped tightly around him. I noticed his long legs and the way he was standing was quite awkward. I sighed sadly and quickly diverted my attention to the ground. I didn't want some stranger to know that I was watching him like a creepy person. I held my breath in as the stranger made his way over to me and sat in the swing beside me. My heart was throbbing painfully in my chest from the memory of last time this had happened. I kept my thoughts busy as the stranger on the swing started swinging his heart out beside me. I envied him for his freedom. I kept my eyes trained and studied the dirt and litter on the ground. I made my eyes follow an ant on it's journey using it as a distraction until the swing beside me stopped. I could tell that he was watching me. His eyes were piercing my shoulder and face.

The wind blew again and my hair caught in the wind and came down at an odd angle covering most of my face and vision. The stranger beside me chuckled before stretching his legs out in front of him. I watched his legs from the corner of my eye, but I couldn't see much else. My hair was blocking most of my eyesight. I couldn't see the ground past the left side of my left thigh. I tried secretly blowing the hair out of my face, but it wasn't working. I could hear another small laugh escape the stranger's mouth. I really wanted to know what was so funny, but I couldn't speak. Something about the stranger's laugh brought goose bumps to my arms and sent shivers down my spine. I tensed up on the swing and half expected the stranger to be a serial killer or something.

We sat for a little while longer in silence before the stranger spoke up, "Try it. Be free and fly even if only for a moment." The stranger's voice shot through my heart and my vision blurred with tears. I recognized the words as if they were etched into my brain.

"What if I never want to come back down?" I recited the words that had been delivered to me three fateful years ago.

The stranger reached out and lifted my chin with his hand. I met his eyes and felt my insides turn into mush. They were the light brown eyes that had me going crazy for three years now, "You could always come back tomorrow."

I nodded my head with more tears streaming down my face. My hands were shaking as I gripped the rusty chains on the swings. I watched as the man with the beautiful brown eyes and dyed blonde hair kicked his legs out in front of him and encouraged me to swing with him. I noticed that he wasn't wearing his glasses anymore and he had gained a little muscle and meat around his bones. I kicked my feet out in front of me and let the swing lift me into the sky for the first time in a long time. I tilted my head back and he smiled at me before doing the same. He let go of one of the chains on the swing and held his hand out for me to grab onto. I hesitantly intertwined our hands together and I could feel his hand quavering in mine. I knew that my hand was trembling just as badly. We slowed down our pace on the swings and I knew that we were both crying now. We only let go to get off of the swings and then we joined our freezing hands back together again. I carefully laced our fingers together and I could see him smiling out of the corner of my eye.

We walked in absolute silence, but my mind was screaming at me. I hadn't seen him for three years and I couldn't think of one damned thing to say. I didn't know if any of my emotions were stable enough to even have a normal conversation. It wasn't until we stopped outside of my door that he bent down and kissed my hand. My eyes welled up again and we stared at one another. He stood up straight and his eyes filled with longing tears. I felt my heart palpitate in my chest and my breathing quickened. I was sure that he could feel my pulse through our linked hands. I blinked away my tears and his hand slowly rose. He used the pad of his thumb to wipe away my tears before he leaned in and kissed the top of my head. My heart stopped and my knees grew weak. He was actually here. He was actually holding my hand. My mind finally caught up with my body and I pulled our hands apart. I leaned in close and buried my head in his shoulder and wrapped my arms tightly around him when he looked hurt. I was now sobbing and he wrapped his arms around me carefully. I could tell by the rapid rising in his chest and the little whimpers that were escaping from his lips that he was crying just as hard as I was.