Coincidences

Act XIV

Guess what? Zoey and I passed the exams with the same exact scores. Shocking? To me, it isn't.

A celebration was due over at my house. Dad cooked a whole banquet for us, since he invited the Hudson family over. Turkey, mashed potatoes, meatloaf; it's like thanksgiving all over again. If that wasn't enough, the grill was lit outside, along with frozen sausages and a pack of marshmallows readied on the table.

I watched the smoke ascend to the dark blue sky. The moon was mocked the absence of the other cosmos. It was absolutely empty, only the sound of crashing waves filled in the silence.

In the distance, the lights from town flickered. The discos were well and alive there, playing all the possible tracks everyone can dance to. Fishermen scattered themselves across the wooden strip. Tents were set on the shore, full of beach campers dreaming away. It may be a small town, but it was no different from the city when it came to nightlife.

I was sitting on the porch steps when Linda and Zoey came. Zoey was wearing a blouse and a short skirt, her hair neatly combed. It's as if she was attending a formal party. Yet, I was stunned by her look. I, on the other hand, was wearing a casual shirt, shorts, and crocs. Oh, the dreadful crocs.

"You look nice," I commented.

Shyly, she said, "Thanks. You like it?" She did a little spin to demonstrate her outfit. "Mom just bought it for me."

I nodded, "Yeah, I like it."

"Honestly?" Zoey said. "For me, you don't look like a good critic. You have crocs on. It ruins everything."

"I know, right?"

Dad came outside and invited us in. The perfume of the roasted turkey invaded our noses; it almost made us drool. We sat down and settled on the table. Plates, glasses, and silverware were set nicely in order.

I have never learned to deal with these types of dinners. You sit down, have proper etiquette, and converse about the most boring things your mind can think of. If you don't do at least one of these right, you have yourself an awkward moment, permanent forever in my mind.

We sliced through our meat, with jazz music playing from the radio. Dad must have turned that on before when started to eat. I tried to swallow instead of chewing; I must have choked on the turkey. I drank a bit of grape juice, because both of our families don't appeal to wine. I coughed a bit, grabbing everyone's attention.

"You ok?" Dad asked. I nodded and wiped my lips with a napkin.

Linda spoke, "Well, you better chew it thoroughly, to avoid choking, dear."

I took a deep breath. Dad broke the ice, saying, "So, their scores are the highest in class, right?"

"Yes, they both got an average of 93, the teachers said," Linda explained.

"Well, are we sure they didn't copy each other's papers? They sit together, you know."

"No, I didn't know. You're seatmates, Zoey?"

Zoey, still without muttering a single word, nodded. Her mouth was full of potatoes.

"Well, what do you know! I'm starting to doubt that you didn't copy at all," chuckled Linda, playing with the fork.

I told her, "Nah, we didn't. We even studied like crazy in your kitchen."

Dad stated, "True, true. Martin was barely home when I arrive."

After that, they chatted about work, work, and more work, and Zoey and I were left out. We immediately mowed down our meals and came outside. The night tinted the sky darker. The sodium lamps blinked.

We spent our time at the shore, spreading our bodies across the sand. Laying on the floor, we gazed at the starless void, whistling with the wind.

"Look, the Big Dipper," I sarcastically pointed.

She laughed, "There's nothing there."

Minutes passed on, as I engulfed myself with more thoughts. Zoey's eyes were shining bright, like the summer sun in winter. She is drastically different. If I had to describe her personality, I'd say that she was more innocent, purer, happier, cuter. My heart throbbed like a drum. No, a whole drum set, in a complex beat.

I have thought to myself all of this, until Dad called us for the barbeque. The charcoal was sprinkled with spices, giving a more welcome aroma. We gnawed on the skewered marshmallows while contemplating the view.