A/N: Story starts off slow, but it'll get interesting soon. BTW I own the pic on the side (on top if you're using mobile.)
The sun intrudes from a crack in the window, forcing Joseph awake. He yawns and rubs the crust out of his eyes. Tasi has called it mu’gu and said that it’s from the duendes. He smiles at the thought of his best friend. He has to see her today. It’s their last day of freedom, before the mayhem of junior year. They haven’t seen each other much during the summer. Early in the break he had to leave Guam to visit his sick grandparents in Hawaii. He returned a month later and they were able to hang out for a week until she had to leave for a poetry workshop in Chicago. He wishes he’d been brave enough to apply for the workshop—brave enough to at least try to be with her. He believes that his poems are pathetic attempts at trying to be cool. Joseph wishes his feelings sounded good on paper like Tasi’s poetry. She has a power to make everything sound interesting; she knows how to make the insignificant sound significant. He has really missed her. She’d been gone for over a month and has just returned a few days ago. Today he shall see those small brown eyes and hear that bright sophisticated laugh.
Joseph showers and then gets dressed. He already told his parents last night that he’s going to see Tasi today, but reminds them before walking out.
It’s hot and bright in the village of Chalan Pago as he makes his way down her street. Her beige house is guarded by two friendly pit bulls that love Joseph. He bends down and pets the boys and let them lick his face. “I love you guys too,” he laughs as Tasi opens the door. She is more beautiful than his memories of her. No photo and no video can truly capture what Joseph see when he is with her.
He gets up and hugs her slender body, but lets go before he gets carried away. “Welcome back,” he says.
“Thank you,” she replies and leads him inside. They spend the morning in her kitchen exchanging events. Joseph tells her about passing time without her at church camp and he listens to her boasts about her time in the mainland. They talk and talk until his mom texts for him to come home to wash his school uniform. They hug again and agree to talk on the phone at night.
As he makes his way back home, Joseph promises himself that this year will be the year he and Tasi become more than friends. He promises to be confident enough to express himself. He promises to make Tasi see him the way he sees her. He promises that Tasi will feel the way he feels about her.
*
Tasi sighs as she lies on her couch. Those two hours with Joseph were great, but it wasn’t enough to really catch up. She closes her eyes and recalls how they met. It was over four years ago at Agueda Middle School. It was during the middle of 7th grade. She was the quiet girl and he was the new boy. She didn’t want any friends. She preferred reading and writing poems over socializing with her immature peers. However Sinora Castro didn’t like how Tasi was always alone. So on the first day of third quarter when Joseph arrived, Sinora assigned Tasi to welcome him.
She was planning on being frigid toward him, but the moment he complimented the Mountain Goats pin on her bag she knew she should give him a chance. He seemed to have a great knowledge on the Mountain Goats and even Neutral Milk Hotel. He even got her into Regina Spektor and Wilco. She knew she couldn’t just ignore him like she does with everyone else.
He is something special. He is something important.
YOU ARE READING
Hey, Jose!
Fiksi RemajaGeeky, Joseph is tired of his small island life on Guam. The only thing that keeps him going is his crush on his poetess best friend, Tasi. He promises that junior year will be the year he'll tell his feelings to her, but what happens when she frea...
