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23: Picture

Chapter 23: PICTURE

"Why does this feel so strange." I muttered and glanced at the box. I stood up and went out of the room. Mom was still watching the same TV series and she was laughing.

"Mom, do we have Chinese ancestors?" I asked making her glanced back at me. Maybe my great grandmother or father was Chinese or I don't know.

Mom frowned. "No." She said and I nodded my head. I went to the kitchen and I had a glimpse of the time near the entrance of the kitchen. My eyes went huge and remembered about Hal.

"Oh, shit! I forgot about Hal!" I exclaimed and ran upstairs. I even forgot to eat my lunch.

I threw the door of my room open and I heard my phone ringing. I picked it up and answered Hal's call.

"Hey." I said, breathlessly.

"Hey. I'm outside your house." He said and I didn't know what to say. Should I say that I forgot about it and I haven't even taken a shower?

"I fell asleep. I'm just going to take a quick shower." I said, biting my bottom lip.

"Okay." He answered and I ended the call and ran to the bathroom.

**

"You look good." Mom said as I descended the stairs making me smile and I was surprised to see Hal inside the living room and was sitting on the couch. He stood up when he saw me.

"Always, mom." I said and she chuckled then she turned to Hal.

"Take care of my Will." She said and I saw her winked at him making me cringe.

Seriously? Does she have to do that?

"I will." Hal said making my face heat up. He didn't have to answer what mom has to ask.

"Good. Now, off you go gentlemen. Have a nice night." She said and shoo-ed us away.

"Thanks, mom." I said.

We went outside the house after saying goodbye to mom. I turned to Hal as we walked to his bike. "I'm sorry, I forgot about the time. I was busy." I said. "I hope you didn't wait that long."

"No, I didn't wait that long. I thought you fell asleep?" He asked and I remembered that I did give him that reason but I forgot.

"I didn't, sorry. It was just an excuse. I was looking something in the internet." I honestly said and Hal nodded and he picked the extra helmet and gave it to me.

"What were you researching about?" He asked.

"Nothing important." I slipped the helmet on my head and he also did.

"Are you hungry? We can take out some foods."

"I'm good." I said but Hal still stopped in a drive thru of a fast food restaurant and ordered me a burger. He even gave me his share because he guessed that I didn't eat lunch.

**

I didn't know how long we were on the road and we passed a lot of forest roads and then after am hour I could see the seashore from the road making me feel so excited.

"Wow!" I exclaimed as I stared amazingly to the sparkling water.

Hal slowed down and turned to the right where the ocean was and parked on the side of the road.

"You live here?" I asked and looked at the beautiful house that was overlooking the ocean. Hal nodded and I never felt so jealous in my whole life. I also wanted to live there. The place looked familiar at first glance. A plppptent and small table were planted on the sand near the shore.

I walked with him to the sand. "You prepared this?" I asked and leaned my hands on the table. There was also a grill.

"Yes." He said and I felt so excited sleeping outside near the ocean but what really excites me was the ocean.

"Can I take a dip?" I asked. Hal was opening the tent and he nodded.

"Of course."

I immediately removed my shirt and pants, leaving me on my boxers and ran directly to the water like a kid for the first time seeing a beach.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed as I laughed and hugged myself. "It's so cold!" I shouted and Hal smiled. "Best day of my life!" I shouted and chuckled.

"There's no sharks here, right?" I asked.

"None." Hal answered. I looked at him.

"Aren't you going to swim with me?" I asked and he smiled.

"No. I like watching you having fun."

I smiled. "Wouldn't it be nice to not just watch it but do it with me?"

Hal chuckled. "I'm still preparing our dinner. Go ahead and swim all you want." He said and I nodded. I just couldn't wait.

I swam a little farther and I did what I always wanted to do. I swim like crazy and when I got tired, I just floated on my back while looking at the sky that was slowly starting to darken.

I decided to go back to the shore and saw Hal setting up the grill. He was lighting the coal.

"What are you doing?" I asked and hugged myself because it was cold.

"Grill." He answered and turned to me. "Go and dry yourself before you'll catch a cold."

I went to the tent and immediately saw a towel and wrapped it around me making me groan. I scanned the bags inside there and saw a huge pack of marshmallows.

"You have marshmallows!" I exclaimed and Hal chuckled.

"I heard they're good with fire."

I smiled. "Good with fire, huh."

Hal started placing meat on the grill and I helped him with it. "Damn, that smells nice." I groaned after we were done and it was a lot. It was good for four to five persons.

"Do you have friends coming over?"

"No. Its just the two of us."

I nodded. "This is a lot."

"Will." I snapped my head and looked him. I never heard him say my name, not until now and it sounds different in a pleasant way.
"Look at the sunset." He said and I turned around to look at the horizon and I was never that amazed when I saw the beautiful colors of the sunset.

"Wow." Was all I could muster as I stared at it for a long time witnessing the colors grew darker, from orange to deep red and to violet. "I only see this thing in pictures. I couldn't believe I'm seeing this in person. It's beautiful."

"Yes." I heard Hal said.

"Wait." I exclaimed and grabbed my phone that was beside the clothes that I threw on the sand and Hal picked it up and neatly folded it on the table beside my phone.

"Can you take a picture of me?" I asked and he nodded and I gave him my phone.

I didn't know how to pose. "I changed my mind. How about let's take a selfie."

"A what?" Hal asked and I pulled my phone from him and I held it above and took a picture of us with the sunset as the background even though were against the light.

******