⋆*: the park ; rewritten :*⋆

Chapter One ; A Cigarette In The Park

The bench was awfully cold. Though really, you weren't expecting any less. It was a breezy autumn evening, and you and your close friend Connor were seated on a bench in your favourite park. You both loved this park. Even though it was fairly busy during the day, it always had a sort of calm undertone to it. It took you back many years ago when you were just a child in this neighbourhood, or even when you were in high school goofing off with your friends. You two sat silently, watching the leaves glide through the chilly air.

An orange light slowly flooded the scene, and you realized that the sunset was rolling in. You stared, almost in awe, about how beautiful it was. You felt like no one else could appreciate the sight as much as you.

"Isn't it gorgeous," you mused, breaking the silence. Connor turned his head to the right, facing you. "It's like the sun is just.. painting the earth,"

"I don't really get it," Connor confessed. You turned to him, quizzically. "It's just sunlight, I don't get what the 'beauty' is.. but if you do, all the power to you." You frowned, a bit disappointed that your friend didn't share the sentiment.

You shuffled in your seat, reaching for your pocket. You pulled out your pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Cupping the flame, it took you a few tries before you actually lit the cigarette, due to the cold. You took a drag of the cigarette and sighed a bit sadly as you exhaled the smoke. You felt like there's something unsaid between you and Connor. Like that night was almost a waste, with some unspoken words, but you weren't sure.

"Well, I best be off," you interrupted your own thoughts, starting to stand from your seat. "Christian said dinner was on him tonight, of course how I could miss that," You explain to Connor, and you saw him crack a slight smile at the sarcastic comment about your roommate's cooking skills.

"Yeah, well, let's just hope he meant he was ordering out." Connor goes to stand too, when he pauses after sticking a hand in his right pocket. "Shit," He huffed.

You have another puff of your cigarette, and you look to see the sun was all the way down now.

"What is it?" You ask your friend. You take one last drag, then drop the cigarette and crush the butt under your heel.

"I must've forgot my pack at your place, it's not in my jacket." He states, obviously annoyed. He digs through his big flannel jacket, but to no avail.

"You sure you weren't just robbed?" You ask him, starting your trek home. "The waiter at that restaurant did get slightly handsy,"

"Fuck off, you," Connor mutters, though you knew he was joking with the slight grin that slipped from his mouth.

"If it's not at my place, I'll buy you a new pack in the morning," you offer. You're only a few blocks away from your home, which is very convenient for you given you're absolutely drained. Connor's eyes widen, and you can tell he's grateful for your offer.

"You don't have to do that, man," Connor says to you. You start walking more briskly.

"I'd still like to be nice," you share with him. Connor said a quick thank you.

You two arrive at the front door of your small, single-levelled house. You rummage through your pockets for your key. Once you found it, you unlock the door and push it open. You can see the look of discomfort on Connor's face as you both hear Christian once you open the door.

"Oh?" You hear Christian from the kitchen. Connor went to go look for his cigarettes, when Christian turns the corner and blocks him.

"Where have you been?" Christian pointedly asks you. You shuffle awkwardly, watching Connor trying to get by, and failing.

"The p-"

"THE PARK?" Christian seems enraged. You didn't really get why, but whenever you went out to the park Christian would act... strange. Jealous, almost. He looms over Connor, locking eyes with him in and angry gaze.

"And where have you been?" Connor rolled his eyes, and made the choice not to respond. He really despised Christian.

"Oh? What's that?" Christian booms sarcastically. "THE PARK?"

"Yes, we were at the park, what are you getting at?" You ask, also now starting to get pissed off. Connor was just there to find his cigarettes, not to be berated by your roommate. Christian sighs deeply, then steps aside to let Connor through. As soon as he was free, Connor marches off to find his cigarettes.

"I'm... sorry," Christian grits through his teeth. "Would you like some wine as an apology?"

You feel almost like you were being treated like a child, like you were being teased. But he wasn't teasing you; he was serious.

"I'll wait until Connor gets back," you answer. You lean against the hall walls and yawn. You notice Christian growl slightly at what you had said. You hear a quiet "yes!" from another room, and you conclude Connor found what he was looking for. He comes back out, pack in hand, and a smile on his face.

"It was on the coffee table," Connor says. You nod at his explanation.

"Oh, Connor, we were just talking about you," Christian says. You really weren't talking about him, but whatever. "Would you like some wine?"

Connor cocks a brow. He's not really a wine guy, he drinks more beer than anything, and you can see the hesitance on his face. He sighs slightly.

"Sure, why not," he decides. You have to admit, you're surprised. You were only going to drink if Connor was, so you had an excuse to decline, but this wasn't what you wanted. Christian smiles, somewhat condescending, you notice; he moves behind Connor to pull out a bottle of wine from a side table.

"I'll go get glasses," he says. Honestly, you fucking hate your roommate. He's ruined so many promising relationships just because he's jealous. He always drives them away. When Christian can't see you, you shoot Connor an upset and questioning look. He shrugs.

Christian pours the wine into two glasses, and you notice he's being very careful not to touch the liquid himself. He passes you and Connor each a glass. Then, so suddenly, it seemed that everything made sense. It was like a mental click, you finally understood. Christian was trying to poison you two.

Connor doesn't have the same realization, and he goes to drink the wine. You lunge towards him.

"Wait, don't drink that!" You shout. Christian looks panicked, and then he pulls something out of his pocket. A wet rag. He comes up behind you while you're running, and shoves the rag to your nose. You can feel yourself lose consciousness as the world starts to spin.