PROLOUGE
It was a Friday afternoon after school and everyone was just bolting out of the classroom. I didn't exactly know what to do, but just getting out of this place was good enough. I grabbed my backpack and started to head out of the high school building. My bike ( a present I got from dad when I entered freshman year) sat there on the bike stand with all its glory waiting for me to go home. It was like a sheer invitation of bliss to get out of this hell hole and actually spend some REAL quality time of my life.
I was about to reach for the lock when I suddenly felt someone yank me back.
"Hey!"
"Where do you think you're going?" a familiar voice rang in my ears.
I looked back and saw a boy from my class, he had an almost shaved head and a huge smirk on his face. You can probably call him as one of the guys who go to school just for the heck of it (Not that I was any different, but -sigh-). His uniform was a mess and you can see his green colored shirt sticking out of the collars of his white uniform. instead of black leather shoes required for school, he wore sneakers and god knows how many times was able to trick the school guard by wearing those in.
"What do you want, Jim?" I bluntly asked.
"Aww c'mon Dylan, let's stop over the arcade!" He piped up.
Ugh, I wasn't really in the mood for stop overs, and the arcade was little ways to the city. It was far and Jim was just probably looking for a free ride home with me on the bike. He was my buddy but he's a bit too clingy at times that I think I need some personal space after all.
"Whatever, I'm going home just after a couple of games."Was all I could say.
" I knew I could count on you man!" Jim happily remarked as he climbed on the bike." Let's go!"
It was getting dark when we got out of the arcade. I was worried that I'd get tired even before I could get home, knowing I still had to take Jim home. What an annoying guy, but I'm most annoyed with myself and why I even agreed in the first place.
"I finally beat you to TEKKKEN!" He boasted. "Bet you five bucks you can't beat me back"
"I'll bet you 10 I can the next time we play" I snapped back. Oh heck, there I was again falling for the trap. Now he had another reason to lug me back to the arcade. I blame it on the hormones. Crazy hormones.
"Hahaha! That's what I like about you buddy, you're a fighter!" Jim complimented.
"And a pretty stupid one," I said to myself.
Jim started complimenting himself by repeating each and every dreaded detail of how he beat me on that arcade game. I chose to look straight ahead and concentrate on the road. If only I had my earphones plugged in, it would make everything much easier.
The sunset was hovering at the end of the road. I was keeping the bike on the side of the lane to avoid any fast paced cars coming behind us. I was pretty close to the pedestrian lane and could make out faces of those who passed.
Then one particular person caught my attention. It was a student. running towards the opposite direction from where the bike was heading. She wore a high school uniform of probably one of the schools in the city. She had long hair which she tied into a ponytail. She was carrying a backpack which was seemed loaded and packed.
If she wasn't in uniform I would've mistaken her as coming home from camping. There was nothing unusual about her, but she looked familiar. Vaguely and strangely familiar...
As my bike approached nearer, my heart almost stopped as I finally got a clearer view of her face. I did recognize her. I knew her.
I held my breath as she ran by.
Passing us, as if not even noticing.
I, on the other hand, followed her with my gaze.
She did not look beside her nor stop her tracks. She ran on like she was in a hurry for something.
My hands were sweaty as a continued to pedal on. I knew better than to stop and call her name. It was pretty obvious she did not see me or recognize me. After feeling my heart stop for a second and throbbing uncontrollably, it felt as if it suddenly dropped.
I didn't know I was still holding my breath the entire time, so rather than relief I actually felt more pained.
"Dylan"
"Hey, Dylan"
"Uh, w-what?
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Jim said, noticing me for the first time other than himself.
"Ah, th-this is nothing, I'm just out of breath from pedaling that's all" I lied.
"Oh well, if I knew how to ride a bike I'd help you man, but nahh" Jim retorted and got back to telling his story.
I finally collected my thoughts and tried to think about what had happened a second ago.
That girl. I definitely knew her.
I wasn't surprised she didn't recognize me.
After all, it had been years.
I don't know but I immediately knew who she was from the moment she caught my eye. Deep inside I felt my heart begin to throb slowly.
So this was the feeling of meeting someone you thought you'd never meet again, huh?
It wasn't exactly what you'd call "meet", more like randomly passed each other on the street. But It seemed like this little stop over paved the way for me to see her again.
I would have never thought.
I would never have imagined.
That on this day, this particular hour and minute...
That I would see her...
That I would see the childhood friend I never saw again. (To be cont'd...)
