To Express Happiness || Fayne ✔✔

Bridges 🌉

Earlier that day....

Mrs. Reeves walks to main door and exhales deeply. She examines the gardening toolbox, checking everything.  When everything's in place, she puts on her 1980's rubber boots and her traditional straw hat , and off she launches into the garden. However, she promptly stomps on a stick and a paper-like thing as she heads towards the shrubs. A crumpled paper and an antiquated pencil she finds. Curiosity tells Mrs. Reeves to bend down, her straw hat shifting back as she does. As she unfolds the crumples bit by bit, she could sense  that it's from Aaron's notebook, and the unfolding becomes faster, and faster, until it comes to an abrupt halt as she hears a deep voice. 

'Any Reeves home?'

She quickly stuffs the paper and the pencil in her handbag, makes it obvious that she bumped into nothing. ' Y-yes! Who is it?'

' Oh, hi, Mrs. Reeves!' a distant voice answers. ' This is Inspector Betton from the North post. Hope you remember!''

God could descend all hell on Mrs. Reeves if she does not. How could she forget? Mr. Betton has has been a part of this family before there was even a family; he has been the closest associate of her husband even before they got married. As winter dawned on Colorado last year, he was given a posting to Arizona , and never was in touch ever since. 

'Ahoy, Mr. Nobody! What brings you here, after such a long time?'

'Nothing much, haha! I was just patrolling Aaron's school recently and thought of meeting you!'  . A man with the hazel-nut uniform and maroon khaki suddenly emerges from the bush, flabbergasting Mrs. Reeves to an embarrassing degree. ' Happy to see you after what it seemed like forever', he says with a grin that is not at all police-like. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Now....

'Happy to see you after what it seemed like forever, Mr. Betton. May you live more than your lungs can carry. Howdy?' . Aaron feels like a cowboy, slinging his gun towards his enemy. Even if Shae had a shotgun, Aaron now has the whole cavalry behind him. 

''Nothing much. Just catching more Shaes around town, emptying my speeding-ticket book and snatching the cracks from the lousy teens. Life has never been this good. What do you have to say about life, Mr. Donnogan?''. Mr. Betton gives that sarcasm-filled grin again, like it was enough to corner any enemy. 

'' Mr. Donnogan has more to see in life, Mr. Betton. Leave him thus. I shall see to it''. What...in..the...world?!? When and from where did Aaron gain this kind of strength? Aaron wishes he could parallel the jollity of his smile with his legs, which were trembling violently but the sun above saved others from this pitiful vision. 

''Count it as your last warning, Shae. Next time, you will be arrested, directly''. As strong as the 'ly' was, Aaron already knew how serious the situation could've been if he hadn't shown his blank valiance. 

As Mr.Betton departed while tapping his cap, Shae grips the collar of Aaron, this time firmer; so firm that he could easily confuse the strength with guilt and scorn. 

Another push, and Shae turns back without a word. 

The silence confirmed it; a job well done. Smiling, Aaron unchains his cycle just as he hears another voice beside him, this time from a woman. ''Shae really needs to change''. 

Aaron turns back, his smile fading to stupefaction as he turns his head to his left. A girl, with long back hair, bold eyes and shiny tights is seen unlocking her Ducati 821, and then leaning against that monster, polishing her nails on her Harley-Davidson jacket with a black tank-top underneath. 'Name's Neha. No formal introductions. I'm Shae's best-friend's girlfriend. Of course Shae didn't tell you that''. 

Aaron looks away, tries not to catch her eye-sight. ''We just met so...not yet. I'm Aaron, Shae's nobody  and new to this school. I've just arrived here so like meeting new friends is a matter of great happi---''.

'' Neha, Wtf. Did you block my number or turn your cell off on purpose?''. As Neha mutters 'shit' under her breath, Aaron sees it coming. '' Sorry, babe. I left my phone in Ash's car before we dropped off. Was about to call you when--''.

''Not another word, lady. Besides, who the F is this?''. Malcolm's eyes point sternly at Aaron's. ''Oh, new dude from somewhere''.  As Aaron steps back , he notices the worry in Neha's eyes. She knows it before anyone ever will. ''Whoever you are man, you literally were flirting with my GF. You know what this calls for?''. 

Showdown. 

As Malcolm cracks his knuckles and closes his distance, Aaron tries to step back, and just then a hairy hand comes in between them. Shae to save the day, and Aaron thought of how superbly it rhymed. ''Leave it, Malcy. He kinda saved the 500 g weed package from the knucklehead Betton.'' 

''Whoa...what? How?''

''Do I really have to tell it now you dumbfck? Now step back and hold your temper before you explode''. Shae's attitude, for the first time, brought light in the eternal blackness.

''And you, out. of. my . sight. Now.''

As Aaron bikes down the road faster than before...he quickly climbs up the stairs and opens his shirt. As he lies on the bed, he rests his palm on his chest...listening to the beating of his heart;  how light that ever-pumping machine felt. He could literally feel the rush and gush of blood; in and out, out and in. As he smiles and rubs his chest, he suddenly stands up in shock as he notices his mothers shadow cast by the orange illumination of the afternoon. ''What are you doing?''

'Ah..N-nothing! Just relaxing.''

''You will never clean your room, will you? Besides, when did you start throwing stuff out of the window? I could get you grounded easily for that, you know?''.

As Mrs. Reeves takes out the paper from the bag, Aaron snatches it out of her hand and pulls his hand back, his cheeks reddening.

''Ah...private stuff!''

As his mother leaves while shaking her head discontented , Aaron opens the paper quickly. Under Mr. Nestor, the name he crossed, he wrote:

Neha

Malcolm

He folds the paper neatly and keeps it inside his locked drawer, god knows where the keys hide . As he watches the sunlight escaping, he wonders as to why he threw the paper away, in the first place.