Well, What's The Story?

Part 6: Johnny, Alex, Andy and Matthew

"Dad, can I buy this vinyl?" I pointed my finger at The Clash's "Combat Rock" which was still on the counter.
I was stupid for hoping him to answer me a yes, but will dies the last.

"Yes," He said calmly, what a relief. "Huh, wait, what? Why would you buy it when you can listen to it? And heeey, I know that you have this one at your dorm!"

Damn it, he knows everything.

"Well, I think it's Jamie's birthday today," I slowly said.

"Who's Jamie?"

"The guy who said it's a movie with a pizza."

"I caught him well," he laughed again at the memory. "I'll leave the money in the cash register for it if you really need it, but I don't really support the idea."

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's wrong," he said slowly. "Look, you know the guy for a day, you don't know anything about his music taste-"

"I do! It was-"

"Let me finish," he cut my sentence off. "And you're not even sure if it's his birthday today. I don't think that eating  a pizza means a birthday, if it was like that, I celebrated my birthday way too many times this year."

"Look, I'll explain it to you," I took a deep breath before starting. "That lady who I sold a record to said she's buying it as a gift for her grandson's sixteenth birthday. He listens to rock, as you've probably heard. When she was exiting the store, she mumbled that Jamie is going to love it. And then bam, the guys come and invite me to watch a movie at JAMIE's house. Coincidence? I think not."

"How do you know that he is going to be sixteen? Maybe he already is. Or maybe he's older than you because he looks-"

"Dad, Alex and I are the same age," I think, "And they were classmates."

"It makes sense, but you still don't know if it's his birthday."

UUUUUUUUGH. Hormones, please keep me still.

"I don't," I sighed. "I'd look stupid if I bought him a present and it's not even his birthday."

"So if it isn't his birthday and you come with a vinyl packed in gift paper, you'll look absolutely stupid."

Wow.

"That's a great advice technique, repeating what I've just said." He rolled his eyes. "But I still can't go there empty-handed."

"Well, you've got to make it visible enough if it is his birthday, and less obvious that you're mistaken if it's not."

"Yeah, I've already figured that out."

"I still don't even see a reason for you to greet him if it is his birthday, you almost don't know that guy. If you care so much about all the birthdays, go and ask the homeless lady at the bus station when is hers, you could buy her a gift too." The last sentence sounded a bit harsh, said in an annoyed tune.

"Dad, it's not about that. I feel like I could make new friends. For real."

"What's about the candle?" I asked, playing with a tree leaf on the park bench.
"You'll see," She answered and started lighting it up.
"It's not dark, we don't need light yet," I looked at her confused.
"I know. It's just that this evening is different."
"Drop it off, Emma, it's creepy. Why can't we just look at the sunset instead?"
"You need to know something."
I looked at her eyes, there was a reflection of that calm little flame in them.
"Our friendship is over."
I started laughing.
"What the hell are you talking about? We're not ten years old, Emma, I thought that there won't be those childish dramas  around anymore."
"This is not childish at all. The whole point is that we're not ten years old anymore, Lilly. I want to rebel against my parents, party all night and try out as much new experiences as possible. And you're the good girl, the party pooper, you always obey to the rules. It's boring. You're thirteen!"
It didn't caught me by surprise though; I've been feeling the tension between us since the New Year party she went to half a year ago. We're thirteen, exactly. We're children.
"So what that I'm thirteen? We're not ten years old, but nor we are grown up. Wake up, Emma, act your age."
"I really hate you for wasting ten years of my life. You're nothing else but a stupid childish shit on the grass."
"Well, sorry for wasting your time then, may I just leave so I don't use any second of your precious time?"
I started laughing and watched to the left where it was all empty; just a calm sunset in a pure summer sky.
"This is ridiculous, Emma, I see no point in-"
The moment I turned around, she was holding the candle upside down above my leg.