Summer

Chapter 06 - Gummy Bears

Chapter Six
Daniel awaits beneath the apple tree. It's in the exact centre of town and the middle of the park. Kids often climb the tree in mid-autumn when the apples are ripe and juicy. I remember climbing it as a child, how Daniel always attempted to reach the highest Apple dangling from the highest branch.

He broke arms, ribs and a collarbone. If I didn't stop him I'm sure he'd still be climbing to the top of that tree every autumn. Today, he's safely on the ground, basking in the shade of its thick branches. The only thing older than this town is this tree.

I'm surprised to see him with a book in his hands. It's a book of poetry, we have to study it over the holidays. Some of it is interesting and philosophical but most of it is boring and talking about things most fifteen year olds don't care about, at least not around here. Things like money, greed, death and sex. At least I don't care about any of that at the moment.

Daniel looks up at me and drops the book in the dusty earth beneath him. I shake my head and crouch in front of him. I pick up the book, it's pages covered in a thin coating of dust and hand it back to him.

"I hate studying" he states miserably.

"You aren't even studying, your reading poems" I giggle.

"I know, I haven't even bothered with the science stuff" he buries his face in his hands and rubs his eyes.

"You're actually pretty good with science" I state. He looks up from his hands and I notice the bags under his eyes.

"Have you been sleeping much lately?" I ask worriedly.

"Yeah. Just not last night" he shrugs.

"What were you doing?" I ask quizzically.

"Writing" he states.

"Yeah, you're pretty good at English too" I state.

"I'm not good at anything" he protests placing his book in his backpack and drawing in the dust with his finger.

"Yes you are" I say with a gentle tone. "You're smart and fit and strong but you don't believe you are. You could do
anything you wanted" I state taking his hands in mine and squeezing them.

"Nah, I muck up everything I do" he says squeezing my hands.

"No, you don't. You just believe you do because all the teachers pile so much crap on you. All they ever do is yell at you for this and that and you feel like you are nothing because they're always upset with you and calling you a disappointment. But you're not a disappointment to me." I explain and squeeze his hands once more before letting them go.

"Why aren't you disappointed?" He asks looking into my eyes.

"Because I accept who you are. That's just the type of person you are, a dorky idiot who does stupid things just because he can" I say poking him in the ribs.

"Hey, I'm not dorky!" He says before tickling me. I burst into a fit of laughter until he stops tickling me and sits back against the tree.

"Guess what I brought" I say with a smirk. He looks at me interestedly as I rifle through my bag. There's a massive smile on his face when I reveal a large packet of colourful gummy bears.

"I seriously love you" he says excitedly before I give him the gummy bears. I giggle at his excitement.

"Calm down they're just gummy bears!" I exclaim. He looks at me like I've insulted his family. His face stuffed with gummy bears already.

"What did you just say?" He says through a mouthful of gummy bears.

"Umm... Nothing... I did not just question your gummy bear addiction..." I say sheepishly.

"Good" he takes both of my hands in his. "Because I don't want to have to tickle you to death for insulting them" he gestures to the gummy bears. "They don't like being insulted" he says seriously. I pull my hands away.

"I'm sure they don't like being eaten either" I state just as seriously.

"Are you criticising my methods?" He asks laughing.

"Methods for what?" I ask.

"Luring girls named Sky to me and persuading them to do my homework for me" he looks at me pleadingly.

"Well then yeah. I'm definitely criticising your methods" I say seriously.

"I feel so rejected" he says pretending to look hurt.

"You're such an idiot" I state.

"It's in the job description, honey" he smirks.

"You wish" I reply sticking my tongue out in his direction.

"So classy" he states. I roll my eyes.

"We are getting nothing done" I state.

"Yeah what a shame, too bad one very classy gummy bear supplier hasn't finished my homework yet" he states. I hit his shoulder.

"Hannah, Jasmine and I are planning on having a study group in a couple of days, you can come" I state.

"Cool, so exclusive" he states smugly. I ignore his idiocy.

"In the mean time we can do anything but the homework we should be doing" I say leaning against the tree next to him.

"Good because I am very, very sleepy" he says before yawning and stretching.

"So you're just going to fall asleep in the middle of town?" I ask.

"Yep" he states. His eyes already closed. "It's on my list of Places to Fall Asleep At Before I Die" he says drowsily.

"I'm sure that's totally safe" I say sarcastically.

"Yep, I've only been mugged three times" he says proudly.

"And you're proud of that?" I ask.

"Yeah. My uncle said something about being mugged three times is good luck or something" he states. I turn to him and take his hands in mine.

"Daniel, I think that was a dream" I say seriously. He opens his eyes and fake gasps in shock.

"I think it is too!" He says worried. I laugh.

"I think the gummy bears are getting to your head" I state.

"So do I" he states while shoving a handful in his mouth.

"Oh wow Daniel and you call me classy?!" I say sarcastically.

"I know, I am a very classy person" he states.

"I've noticed" I reply.

"Oh have you, how long have you been admiring my classiness?" He says raising his eyebrows.

"Oh, only two maybe three miserable years of high school" I state dramatically. We burst out laughing. The sad part is that it's not that funny, we're just being stupid.

"It's so hot today" he states completely changing the subject.

"Yeah, I swear one day the wheels on my skateboard will just melt off" I explain.

"Yeah I heard that happened to some guy" he replies.

"It would look so cool" I state.

"Yeah it would be epic" he agrees. I stand up and stretch.

"Let's go somewhere with air conditioning" I say, he jumps to his feet.

We walk down Main Street sharing gummy bears and shitty jokes.