Why am I friends with you?

Friends, Is that a necessary title

I spend my afternoon lonely at home. Dad has not returned and mum is working a shift at the bakery and Alia is probably out with some friends or her boyfriend. Lucky girl, I wish I had a boyfriend but I have never dated anyone.

Rays of sun flow through the lounge room window illuminating sections of the page I am reading. Outside it is a clear sunny day with a temperature of 31 degrees (Celsius). But I stay indoors. It is not that I don't like a warm summer's day but there is something uncomfortable about a nice day when you are in a bad mood. So I stick to the couch that is old and rugged but never gets used in the lounge room.

At 6 o'clock when no one has returned home put down my book and start to make dinner. Although I don't like to eat cooking is an escape. I chop an array of vegetable and mix them into a salad with a homemade salad dressing. Then I cook four sausages on the frying pan and cook them until they are neatly brown on the outside. The sausages go onto a plate next to the salad and stay on the bench for someone else to eat. I grab several slices of cucumber that haven't been touched by the dressing and chew on them quietly before grabbing a bottle of water and climbing the stairs.

Only little slivers of daylight seep through my block out curtains that attempt to keep my room dark. My room is painted a very, very dark grey on all walls and has black furniture. I like the dark design because the dimness is softer on the eyes; well at least that is what I tell my mum when she complains. In reality, I just prefer darker colours. Most of my bed linen is black except for one grey pillow. The main other furniture in my room is a bookshelf covered in my second-hand books, a built-in wardrobe and a frustratingly large mirror that is stuck to the wall.

I have been resting my eyes for less than a minute when I get a text

hey sam it's drew, I am going to the park. Wanna meet me there?

My heart races. I haven't hung out with anyone at the park in a long time, I usually just go alone

Sure b there in 5

I reply before hurridly grabbing my headphones and slipping on some shoes.

I run mostly to the park, the day's hot temperature has rounded off to a humid 25 as the sun sets. I look around the park for Drew, he is standing alone in the middle of the grass area watching his dog play. Asher leaps through the air chasing after a bright pink rubber ball that has been thrown across the field. "Hey mate," calls Drew when he spots me. 'Mate', I don't think I have ever been called that before. It sounds odd being tossed at me so casually. I stroll over to Drew but before I reach him Asher jumps at me licking my chest excitedly. "Oi," yells Drew pulling the big dog back, "Manners," he reprimands. "It's ok," I say quieter than I mean to.

"Oh we are just trying to teach this giant monster some politeness," He responds. A random gust of wind blows my curly hair and we just stand there awkwardly. "You have nice hair," he compliments and we fall into an even more uncomfortable silence.

He starts a more normal conversation by asking if I am in school. "Yes, I go to the local high school," I respond. "Well, what is your favourite subject?" I shut Drew down by telling him that I don't like school and therefore do not wish to talk about it. He goes quiet than says. "Sam I really don't know what is driving me to say this but I want to become friends." I remained quiet when he finishes so he continues with, "We don't have to."

"I do want to be your friend," I say. I don't know what drives me to say that, but I o it anyway.

We spend another hour in the park. Asher chases the ball that we take turns throwing and Drew and I talk. I find out that he finished school last year and he went to a private school close by. Drew likes helping people, the colour red and cooking over a campfire. His dream is to travel around Australia. I don't have much information to give in return, only that my favourite colour changes between black and grey, I don't have any dreams or aspirations and I like reading, lots.

We part ways with a simple wave goodbye and I walk home.