"Pops, I'm heading out. I'm supposed to meet up with Darell today."
It's been three years since we moved here and life's treating us well. I've been friends with Darell ever since the first day we met, and he's more like a brother to me than a friend. We've been through worse but we're still together, still standing against all odds. He was the brother I never had. He's a kindhearted, hardworking, and brutally honest person.
"Pops? Where are you Pops?"
Pops didn't respond to me calling him out. I searched the kitchen, the living room, the backyard, but there were no signs of Pops anywhere. I tried calling his phone but no one's answering. The next one I called is Darell, I need to tell him that I need to cancel our plans for the day and find Pops, there's an inkling inside of me that tells me something is not right.
"Darell, could we move our plans another day? I can't find Pops and I'm worried that something might have happened to him."
"Do you have any idea where he might be?"
"He always tells me if he's going out to meet someone or some business to attend to, but he doesn't always tell me where he's going."
"I'm sure your Pops will be alright, besides this convention is only open for one day and it is today, we might never have another opportunity like this."
"I really can't Darell, something's not right."
"Tell you what, I'll help you find Pops after we go to the convention. Ranvier, we've been waiting for this convention for a long time, I can't pass up on an opportunity like this. I promise I'll help you find Pops later. Besides Pops can handle himself, nothing's going to happen to him."
"Yeah you're right, Pops can handle himself. He'll find a way to contact me if something's wrong."
"I'll meet you here in front of the bakery."
"Okay, I'm on my way."
I went to the garage and got in my car. Pops got me this car last year, I'm very thankful for everything he'd done for me. I wonder if he had any other relatives left. If he hadn't adopted me, he might be all alone in life.
I opened the garage door and drove the car out, I can see Darell in front of their bakery waving at me. I stopped the car in front of Darell and waited for him to get in.
"Hey Ranvier, your Pops will be alright I promise you and if I'm wrong you can kill me if you want."
"Should I kill you right now?"
I looked at him seriously and he did the same and then before we even knew it we were laughing at each other's faces.
I started the car and we drove down the road to the convention. I parked my car in the parking lot and we went inside. The place is packed with people, some are taking pictures and some are just browsing through the different booths that lined up the whole floor. We walked around some of the exhibits and booths and stopped on the gigantic statue at the middle of the convention.
"I never knew that conventions like this can be so exciting! Hey Ranvier, let's take a picture."
Darell brought out his phone and opened the camera, we posed in front of the statue and took a picture. After taking a couple of pictures we decided to grab something to eat, Darell insisted on paying for our food so I let him.
"Hey Ranvier, let's go to the merchandise store. There's something I want to look at."
Inside the merchandise Darell quickly browsed through the items displayed and stopped in front of a bulletin board.
"This one looks really cool, what do you think Ranvier?"
He's pointing at a henna tattoo shop flyer.
"Are you serious?"
"Why not? It's not a permanent tattoo, it'll probably wash off after a week or so."
"I don't know, the thought of getting a tattoo, permanent or not, didn't even cross my mind."
"Let's try it Ranvier."
"Alright, but I'll have them put it on where nobody can see it."
"Wait, are you going to have it in your…"
"Shut up."
We went to the henna tattoo shop, the person behind the counter-like table and let us choose a design that we like. He handed us a folder with different designs of tattoos. Darell chose the most common of all the designs, a dragon. He decides to have it tattooed on his left chest.
I browsed over and over through the catalog but I didn't find any designs I wanted. I pulled out my phone and searched something on the net. The alchemical symbol for mercury. I asked the man behind the counter if it is possible to get that symbol tattooed on the small of my back and he told me that that is possible. After the transaction, he pointed me towards a room where Darell entered earlier. I saw him sitting on a reclining chair leaning back and someone tattooing the dragon in his chest. A man guided me to a bed-like platform and told me to take off of my shirt and lay face down on the platform. After a while the man that tattooed the design on me helped me get up and told me how long the tattoo will last and some other things.
Darell is already outside waiting for me. I walked up to him and he asked me what kind of design I chose, I told him it was the mercury symbol.
"Darell, can we look for Pops now, we've been here for hours. Pops hasn't even messaged me yet."
"Okay, calm down. Let's head home, but I need to use the restroom first, could you wait for me here? It'll be just a sec."
Minutes passed and Darell returned and said that he's ready to go home. We went to the parking lot and got into the car. We drove out of the parking lot into the open road, Darell seemed so jumpy on the ride back home, I didn't even bother asking him, maybe he forgot something to do before we went to the convention. Before I could stop in front of their bakery Darell held my arm.
"Go straight to your garage, I'll be sleeping over at your place tonight."
"O-okay…"
I drove to the garage and drove the car inside. As soon as I stopped the car, Darell bolted out and told me that he needed to use the restroom. I got out of the car and walked to the door connecting the garage and the kitchen. I opened the door and it was dark inside.
"Darell? Hey Darell."
I called out Darell but no one answered, I switched on the lights and a loud noise rang inside the house. Confettis fell to the floor, I turned back and saw Pops and Darell along with some of our friends near the dining table.
"Happy Birthday Ranvier!" They all shouted.
I totally forgot about my birthday. It's been a rough year for me as a graduating student that I even forgot my birthday. I got all teary eyed when Pops walked towards me and hugged me.
"Happy birthday son."
"Thanks Pops."
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's get this party started!" Darell shouted from across the room, I ran to him and hugged him.
"You didn't even tell me that today's my birthday."
"That would ruin the surprise, come on let's get this party started."
"Thank you Darell."
"Hey, don't cry on me. This is your day you should be happy."
The party ended just before midnight, Darell was asleep on the sofa in the living room and Pops was already in his room. I went inside my room and got a blanket and put it on Darell. I decided to clean up the mess tomorrow and went back to my room. A couple of minutes after I turned off the lights someone opened my bedroom door I got up to see who it was and I saw Darell closing the door and started walking towards the bed. He crawled into the bed and laid down beside me, and then threw his left arm around me and his legs on top of mine. He's too tired to know what he's doing, and since I'm too tired to care I went to sleep in that position.