Remembering Sunday

Chapter 1

Nathaniel

"Gio," I called out his name as I caressed the side of his face. He leaned into my touch as he smiled and closed his eyes, making my heart ache. I leaned closer to his face and planted my lips on his. They felt warm and soft. I felt Giovani smile into the kiss, again making my heart swoon. As we pulled out of the kiss, Gio looked at me with eyes that hold something I couldn't comprehend. Finally, he sighed and gave me a sad smile. I couldn't understand why; why did he have to make that face? I felt a lump in my throat, I wanted to ask, 'why, what's wrong' but I am unable to do so.

"Goodbye, Nate." he said as he stood up and started to walk away. I wanted to call out to him, to reach out and stop him from leaving me. However, I remained frozen; unable to move nor speak. What the hell is wrong with me? Why can't I move? I watched as Giovani's back grew farther away from me.

"Gio..."

I groaned as I slumped on the headboard of my bed. I've been having the same dream for almost a week now. Giovani and I are merely acquintances now. That kiss would most unlikely to happen. He now treats me as some stranger. I chuckled at the irony.  I walked towards my window. Giovani was already outside his house waving goodbye to his mother. Early as always but actually he's the laziest bum you'd ever meet. I reminisced the mornings where Gio would be jumping on me trying to get me out off bed. Lost in my little daydream, I didn't notice that started to walk away. I continued to stare at his back as he moved farther and farther away from me. Just like in my dream. It's been two years since we last spoke to each other. Even during the occasional sunday dinner with the Roccos, he wouldn't talk to me. He'd acknowledge my presence by putting on a tight smile or by nodding his head. I sighed. It's too damn painful.

"I'm going to get you back Gio..."

Giovani

I felt a chill run down my spine. I turned around an found Nathaniel staring at me from his window. Somehow, he looked like he's deep in thought. I waved my hand at him. No response. Yep, definitely deep in thought and spacing out. I chuckled. Whenever he's thinking about something seriously,  he spaces out and becomes statue like. Once, he completely spaced out in the middle of the ice cream shop while trying to decide which flavor to buy. He scared the nice vendor since she thought he's experiencing some post-trauma attack. Nathan also didn't notice that a kid dropped his ice cream on his sneakers. Stupid Gio. I said I mentally smacked my head. Thinking about the stupid past again. Hurting yourself again.

"Shit, I'm hopeless." I muttered as I continued on my way to school.

As soon as arrived at the school gates, I was greeted by the twins. Min and Yuni stood on both my sides happily linked their arms on mine.

"Good morning Gio-hyung." they said in unison making me chuckle.

"Good morning, my shorty babies." I laughed as both of them pouted.

"We're not that short!" Min and Yuni said in unison making me laugh.

"Are you being rascist, Gio? Just because we're Asian and a little bit smaller than you you can't just call us short. You'll see we'll grow." Min continued as she put her hands on her hips.

"You're not even full Asian." Clyde interrupted.

"Exactly, that means we still have our daddy's American genes. So we'd grow taller." Yuni said.

"Whatever, midgets." Clyde replied as he earned a smack from both girls. "Ouch, brutal much?"

I laughed. My friends never fail to make me feel better. As we continued to walk to our lockers with Clyde and the twins fooling around. A group of students walked by us, one accidentally bumping into me.