PINK LEMONADE • PERRCIADO

PRETTY IN PINK

☆☆☆

So there was this boy, a boy that Jaime always saw at the park. Always. He always had this really big dog with him and his head was always buried in a book. It was either something by Stephen King or his leatherback sketchbook. They were always on the slide or on the bridge of the jungle jim. The boy was small, oddly short. But he looked older. On the edge of seventeen.

He never wore shoes, but he-without fail-had a neon pair of non-matching socks. Usually Star Wars related. He wore these weird graphic T-shirts and the oddest printed pants. He never forgot to hum the same tune, which (with a lot of research) he found that it was Venus by Bananarama.

The boy, of course, wasn't the same without his purple, star-decorated, water bottle.

Not to mention his dog. It was huge compared to the boy. It always had a studded pastel pink collar (which always had flowers tucked under it) and a matching pastel blue leash to match.

Jaime was also at the park all of the time. But when he wasn't there he knows that the boy was there. With his dog. Graphite to mixed-media or eyes over words of horror.

But Jaime was at the park today. Watching the boy that was sitting on the green slide with his dog.

All the older boy wanted to do was meet this kid. He just needed a simple excuse to do so.

He thought about several like,
"I like your socks, how're ya'?"

But that was too broad.

Or something like,

"What ya' drawing?"

But that was too intrusive.

So he decided on,
"Hey, your dog is pretty, mind if I pet him?"

He walked over to the slide,
The boy there, not quite catching him until he stood right in front of him and the book he had his nose stuffed in.

He looked up at Jaime, a bit starteld at the sudden appearance.

The boy's glasses fell down in the midst of it all, resulting in him pushing them up the bridge of his nose. The dog also took part of the little jump. Head jerking up from where it lay on it's paws.

Jaime smiled a little, speaking first:
"Hey, can I pet your dog? It's real pretty."

Now Jaime may have sounded a little creepy. Maybe just friendly, but in all,  the boy just smiled and nodded.

"Go 'head."

Jaime went up to the dog which had daisies tucked into the collar. The dog instantly pounced up, wagging it's tail, waiting for Jaime to pet him.

Jaime went to pet the dog, softly on it's head before turning to the boy who had a big grin his face.

"His name's Saturn, a Great Dane."

Jaime nodded and stopped petting the dog, leaning against one of the red poles.
"So I see you a lot here, I thought I'd approach you."

The boy looked up, pushing his glasses up before pushing out his hand for Jaime to shake,
"Name's Tony."

Jaime smiled, taking his hand and shaking, "Jaime."

Tony smiled, "Nice to meet you, Jaime."

Jaime slipped his hands in his hoodie pockets and sighed. The air that scented of rain and growing flowers filled the two boy's lungs in a comfortable feel.

Tony looked up at Jaime who was staring at the rest of the neighborhood from the distance they were at.

When Jaime caught Tony's eyes, Tony reached for his water bottle.

He looked back over to the small field that started to sprout the tiniest of flowers while taking a sip.

When he was done, he screwed the lid halfway one and then stopped.

"Ya' want some?"

Jaime looked over to Tony again. Tearing his eyes away from the cotton candy sky.

He shrugged, grabbing the tin and unscrewing it again. Not like he really cared about germs, anyway.

He took a sip, totally expecting water. But no.

It was something else. Sugary, sweet, and delicious.

"What's this?"

Tony just giggled, pushing his glasses up, before packing his stuff and grabbing his Saturn's leash.
"Pink lemonade."