Waiting For Summers

CHAPTER 2

Well, who was Laura, you might ask. Laura has been my bud for years now. You can call it a best friend but we prefer to call each other 'bud'. Their family bought the house next door, the one where Marco used to live. The day they moved in, it has been a lonely summer for me. I had nobody to play with so when I heard the sound of a moving truck, I was excited. However, I had to compose myself not to look like I am a pathetic young boy who longs for a playmate. It has been a year since Marco moved away. I decided to get some toys from the treehouse and played on the porch, besides, that was how Marco and I became friends. As usual, my parents went outside to welcome the new neighbours. We lived in a dainty town just outside the city and everyone knew everyone so I was not new to everyone being accommodating. I pretended to not hear them talking. "Yes, my child loves to read books too or play basketball," I listened to Mrs. Summers talking. Oh, I bet they'll be friends," Mom laughed back. That's when I heard a kid's feet jump from the truck into the pavement and the next thing I knew my Mom was calling me. I gladly ran towards them. I had to put brakes on myself as my excitement turned to dismay when I realized my "new best friend" was going to be a girl.

******

I had been staring at myself for a good thirty minutes. I have been changing my clothes as if I was invited to walk the red carpet of Nobel Peace Prize Awards Night. It is a party, Jared. You didn't have to actually wear something fancy. I took off my long sleeve shirt and decided to look further in my dresser. How I wished Laura did not drag me into this mess. I didn't know but ever since we were kids, she has been adventurous. She would tell me to jump in the river or climb a tree. She would even race against me riding a bicycle downhill. I would always scream at her but I did it anyway. As troublesome as it sounds sometimes, those were the moments that I felt free.I pulled a blue polo from my dresser and started to button it. 

"Hey! Are you done?!" my door swung open. It is Laura. She was wearing her favourite red Converse shoes. She dyed her blonde hair with pink streaks that made her cool like a rockstar with her The Beatles sleeveless shirt and denim short shorts.

 "I didn't realize we are going to a concert," I said I tried to mock her but her confidence always stood out.

"We are not going to a conference either, Red, so I am not wearing a dress," she answered raising her eyebrow, "I like your look though."

I bow as to say thank you. I decided to wear brown shorts with my blue polo and a pair of white Nike. We headed down.

"Finally, you're going out," Mom cheered. She was in the kitchen, trying out the new recipe she learned from this famous cooking show. "All he does all day is to play his video games or stare at the ceiling. Good thing for dragging him with you, Laura," she said as she stood at the end of our staircase. 

"Well, Mrs. Connor that's what are friends for," Laura grinned. Yeah, so you can have someone to bug you to go to parties you're not even invited to, I thought. "So who's going to drive?" I broke their conversation.

I was the driver. Apparently, Laura decided to go to our house using her bicycle. I turned on the radio as we drive towards Paco's place. "So how do you feel going to a party?" Laura nudged her elbow at me. She always knew that I never wanted to hang out with people who I barely knew. She would drag me anyway. I remembered that one time during middle school, our class decided to have a team building. I told my teacher that I wasn't feeling well but she listed me, anyway. "If you won't come, I won't come to our study group," she pouted, "you know I don't really enjoy without you." Trapped with her blackmail, I decided to join. We played dodgeball and amazingly, our team won. That is one of the best days of my life. I felt great. I felt happy and invincible.

"I don't know. This is different Laura," I looked straight ahead, "there will be a lot of people there and you know me around people." My grip on the steering wheel grew firmer. I knew I was growing anxious as I kept on driving, knowing Paco's house was almost near.

"I know you are anxious but have to get out of your shell, Jared. We are in our junior year when our class starts and you haven't done anything fun yet," Laura reminds as she tries to fix her hair with my rearview mirror. She fixes the mirror immediately as soon as I look at her with my what-are-you-doing-you-wanna-die look.

"Chill! Just trying to look good," she raised her hands like surrendering, "we're already here, y'know? Park there."

Paco's house was as big as one of those celebrity houses featured in MTV. It had a big front yard with bushes well-trimmed and benches that made it look like a mini-park. On each side, there were tables and chairs Greek in style where you can enjoy your breakfast in the morning. At the center, you could see a fountain with a statue of an angel sitting down, looking up in heaven. "This is huge, Laur," I said in awe, "never thought they are this rich." She pulls me inside, "Pretend you're not overwhelmed, okay?"

We went straight for the living room or living rooms — I'm actually confused about which is which. since they looked all the same to me especially we only had one. "Wait here, I'm gonna grab us a drink," Laura stopped, "do not leave." I nodded as she walk towards the counter where the drinks are. I looked for a familiar face. None. My friends in Literature Club were probably not invited here. They looked like nerds. Well, we did. Here, everyone looks like a bunch of jocks, cheerleaders and elites. I looked at the time. 6:30 PM. This will be a long night, I thought.

A few minutes later, Laura came back with Paco. They're already holding red solo cups enjoying whatever drink was inside. "Paco, you do remember Jared, don't you?" Laura introduced me as she gave me the cup she was holding, nodding her head for me to drink it. "Oh yeah, Physical Education, Grade 8, right?" he reached out his hand to shake mine. I tried to shake the memory out of my head. I shook his hand, "Yep, that's me!" I awkwardly smiled."I'm gonna leave you two, okay?" Laura tapped me at the back, "I'll just get more drinks." She made her way to another living room."I like your friend, Jared," Paco smiles. he immediately turned at me, hands raised, "oh not in the romantic kind-of-way. She's just daring and wild-spirited, like—""Like she's got no troubles? Like she's carefree," I continued, "she's the one who actually encouraged me that I can do it.""Do what? Climb that long rope at the center of the field?!"I nodded, my head was low. We both laughed."I wouldn't have done it without her. Told me to look at the goal and never look down. And that's what I did." I drank the beer that I'm holding. I regretted its taste but I chugged it down."Yes, ever since we became friends, she taught me how to have fun," Paco agreed."She taught you to live life and love it?""Uh-huh, she taught me, if I love someone, I tell them.""Brave. Sounds like her.""Yep, that's her advice. Now, I'm with Monica 'cause she told me not to waste my time anymore. If you love someone, you tell them. Life is too short not to take risks," he shrugged his shoulder. "How about you? Anyone you like yet?"I struggle to answer. "I —," I don't know who to say."Hehe. I'm surprised you haven't felt anything for Laura yet. Probably you like her, you just don't know?" He softly punched my shoulder. I was still struggling with what to say when we heard glass shattering on the floor from the next room. "I have to go Jar. I have to see what that is or my Mom's gonna be so pissed," he tapped my shoulder. Phew! Saved by the bell. "Had fun talking with you though," as he ran to one of their living rooms.

I was left alone speechless. He left me wondering. I just didn't know?! Nothing like that ever occurred in my mind until then.