summer boy ~ tal fishman ✓

~16~

'Did you parents tell you about the first week of the summer vacation?' I ask him after I sat back down. I am now sitting cross-legged on the bench, facing Tal, while he is sitting on the bench as you are supposed to, with his legs facing some trees. His head is faced towards me, though. Looking at me with his awfully pretty eyes. He has to stop being cute.

'If you mean that our parents are going to the mountains together and forced me to put up a week with you, then yes I have.' I squint my eyes at him. 'Just kidding, it's way better than if I would have stayed home with Adi', he answers with a smile and I laugh.

'What are we planning to cook for dinner?' I ask him. I know it's completely random, but oh well. I need to ask something or there will be the dreaded awkward silence. 'Pizza? Like, ordered pizza? I mean, I can cook, but I am not a master-chef or anything. I didn't even think about that, though', he answers. 

'Well, I did. Also, we should stay in one night and literally order pizza and watch Netflix and invite Mer and Adi for a sort of sleepover', I say. 'Yeah, or we just see how it all happens and we don't try and make plans because we won't do them anyway', Tal says. I squint my eyes at him again and smile. He's too cute to get mad at.

'Let me dream if I want to,' I say. 'Weird dreams you have.' He smiles. 'You wouldn't want to know.' 'Now I'm curious', he replies and he raises his eyebrows for a split second. Wait, was this what they called flirting? I don't know. I decide to just tell him a stupid dream I had when I was younger.

'Well, promise not to laugh at me.' He nods. 'When I was little I used to dream about literally having a room filled with cats and they were all mine. And I don't know why, but they all had a little cloud with their own food and bed and they could climb up there using a rope ladder', I say. 

I realize how stupid it sounds the second I am finished with my story. I knew it was stupid, but it sounds so more stupid coming out of my mouth. He smiles again. He does that a lot today. 'You promised not to laugh', I reminded him. I'm probably blushing. This is kind of embarrassing. 

'I'm not laughing, I'm smiling because it is adorable. How old were you?' he replies. I think for a bit. 'I guess, about eight or nine', I say. 'That's pretty age-appropriate', he says and he nods, as if he agrees with himself. 

I squint my eyes at him again and stand up. 'Okay, see you tomorrow at school!' I say and want to leave. 'That's it?' Tal asks. 'That's what?' 'You literally made me get dressed and face the world for about a five-minute talk? About what food we are going to eat and your weird dreams?' He asks. 'Well yea, I guess? You asked me about that dream though. Don't blame that on me. Byee', I say and I wave at him before I turn around and start walking back home. 

After a few steps of mine he stands up from the park bench as well. I feel Tal grabbing my arm to stop me. I stop, waiting for him to say something. He does't say anything, he just gives me a kiss on my cheek. 'Bye', he sort of whispers and half-smiles at me before he walks away in the complete opposite direction of where I am going. And now I'm left all alone, confused and at the same time very happy. I look at him until he disappears around a corner. My face feels like a tomato once again.

Then I walk back home to get my book so I can read here, in the sun. I should also get my earphones, so certain people will know I'm not approachable. Like old acquaintances. Or friends which I am not friends with anymore. Or random creepy dudes. Or just anyone in general.

I grabbed my book and earphones and I am at the park again about 10 minutes later. Since 'our' bench was now occupied by a elderly couple, I walk to an nice spot and down on the grass. I am sitting under a tree, because the shadows of the tree help me read a bit better. I read a few pages, but my thoughts wander off, again and again. They float away from my book and I start thinking about Tal. Then I focus on my book again, I'll just read to the next chapter, I tell myself. Then I'll go home and ask Meredith for advice. 

I agree with my own agreement and I try to read for a while, before realizing I am reading the same parts over and over again because my head isn't cooperating. This way it is going to take pretty long to get home and ask Mer for advice. I just give up. I have been in the park for about half an hour now and I'm leaving already. I stand up and walk home to one of my favorite songs.I can't wait any longer for Mer's advice. She always knows what to say and do.

On the way back home, I am nodding my head on the beat that is playing. I am so caught up in this great song that I don't notice that they were cutting trees. That is, until I bumped into one. I walk and I bump my shin on the tree. It hurts a lot, so I am standing there in the middle of the sidewalk, trying not to turn into a tomato from embarrassment. This is so going to leave a bruise.