Summer went slow with floating white clouds passing through the blue sky and I knew they were there just to make me remember that the time was in fact, also passing by. Although, when one is floating in the pool's water, time really didn't matter, especially when you're a kid and time is all there is to waste.
Just when I started to wonder where Jason had gone, leaving me here alone in his pool, he jumped in making a big splash and the water that reflected the blue sky turned into a big blur, then it calmed, and reflected our bodies, our skin and our faces. "Jack, you still can't open your eyes under water, can't you? Don’t be such a baby. It's not hard to do" he said, in a defiant tone. "Yeah, I can. I just don't like it" I answered, irritated for being called a baby when we are the same age. Although, he had grown taller than me this year and I guess that made him feel older. Such a childish way to think. Then he made a smirk, one that I really know well, He always made it before getting us into trouble. He had made that smirk when the idea of reading his sister's diary had popped into his mind, when he wanted to steal a couple of dollars from his mother's purse to buy a Goku figurine, when he wanted to steal a history test to know all the questions and avoid studying unnecessary subjects, and so on. We got caught and punished in every opportunity, and because our Mothers are really good friends they would punish us the same way. No television, no video games and no playing outside. Now he had made that same smirk, suddenly grabs my shoulders and took a deep breath, and for some reason, like if I knew what he was going to do next, I took a deep breath too. Then he pulled me down and we submerged Into the water. I slowly opened my eyes to the underwater world where colors were dancing around with the light, and bubbles were made with every move. Jason was floating in front of me, his hair was waving in slow motion, and the light and colors started to dance around him. Everything was moving and sparkling except for his dark eyes, staring at me. His eyes were everything in that moment and it felt like they had the power to make everything disappear as well. In some point he got really close to me and started to shut his eyes. Our noses touched. I panicked. The air I was saving in my lungs went out of my mouth in big bubbles and I quickly went up to gasp fresh air. Jason also came up and while he was staring at me, he started to laugh. "Jack, you thought I was gonna kiss you, didn't you?" he said, while laughing and splashing water with his hands. I didn't know what to say. I was surprised by what just happened, but most of all, surprised about myself. I had wanted to stay there, underwater, and be touched and kissed by him, by Jason, a boy. But in that moment my confusion had turned into panic, and now, because of him laughing, turned into anger. "Shut up, stupid. I'm going home" I said, while getting out of the pool.
After changing into dry clothes I started to gather my things that I had left in the yard to put them in my backpack, when Jason's mother came out and said "Oh, Jack, you're going home? I was talking to your mom on the phone and she said she was going to be home late today, so why don't you stay for dinner? We're having mashed potatoes; I know it's your favorite". I couldn't say no to her smiling face, and I also knew she wouldn't take no for an answer. Then, Jason walked pass, still in his bathing suit, and almost in a whisper, he said "Jack, good to hear you're staying". I felt my cheeks turning hot, so to not draw attention with my red face that I was imagining having, I looked down and only saw his bare feet walking away into the house.
Why am I having these feelings all of the sudden? And for a boy? Or is it just because it's Jason? Sure, I've always cared for him, we've been friends since... that time he broke his right arm, when some kid ran over him with a bike. My mom told me I should help him in school because we were in the same class that year, but most of all, because he was her friend's son. Of course at first I didn't want to, Jason and I hardly spoke at that time and I fought with my mom about it, but when I saw that helpless gesture he was making when the other kids wouldn't help him tie his shoe laces, I thought I had to help. I had helped him take notes, cut his food, hold some of his books on the way home, things like those. It wasn't a burden like I thought it would be. It was fun. He was fun. After that we always went home together even after his arm was healed. I also remember one day, a spring day, when we were going home, he looked up to the sky and said "the clouds are moving, the world is moving, time is passing..." and I thought he looked beautiful. The spring sun on his skin, the still coldish wind tickling his long eyelashes and tousling his hair. He looked Ethereal.
Maybe I have always liked him.
Before dinner, Jason, Jason's sister Nelly and me spend the time playing video games that then turned into a fight between a brother and sister, so in result, dinner was quiet. Jason's mother and father were used to their fights so they just didn't mind if they weren't speaking to each other. They were the only ones chatting away not caring about their kids mad faces. In my home, it's only my mom and me so this sort of situation always amuses me. We were sitting in their round table that was in the kitchen, it was a smaller table then the one they had in the dining room but it felt more comfortable and warm. In the center of the table was a bowl of smashed potatoes, a plate with a pile of fried chicken and a little bit of lettuce salad. Right across all the plates was Jason with his irritated face picking up a chicken leg. I couldn't help but stare at him a little. Hoping not to get caught I would look down at my plate from time to time, or look at his father while he was commenting about a soccer game that I didn't really care much about, but my eyes would go back to Jason. He did notice. Our eyes met a couple of times and we stared at each other for a few seconds and in each time, I felt like I was underwater again, when I had him floating in front of me. "Jack, your face is so red. Are you fine?" said Jason's mother so suddenly that it rattled me, making me drop my fork under the table. I heard Jason giggle. "Oh, I'm fine. I guess I was too much time out in the sun, today" I said, trying to not sound nervous.
I said my thanks and good byes to everyone and went home. My house was about 5 blocks away and it helped me digest all the food I ate that I got hungry again. My mother had brought cheesecake from my favorite bakery and I happily ate two slices. "Did you have fun today?" asked my mother, "Yeah, I just wish summer vacation was longer..." I responded, sighing. My mother was quite curious about my day which I found strange, she normally didn't ask so many questions. She asked if something unusual happened, how was Jason doing, if I was sad about something and a lot more questions I couldn't understand why she was asking. Some she could just ask Jason's mom on the phone, and they're always talking on the phone.
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