I still remember now and then..
"What were you doing with Nao! " He spat in my face "Why was she crying when we saw her!"
"I don't know she didn't tell me?!"
I had my back against the fence that's when he grabbed my hair…
"Well where is she now!"
I'm telling you I don't know!
Suddenly out of nowhere that's when I heard well that's when I heard Nao she was running right up to us..
I still remember her as she pushed him to the side and she nearly yelled at the top of her lungs "She said she didn't do anything wrong why are you doing this to my friend?! She is my friend leave her alone! whatever your concerns with me it is none of your business.."Her words were cold and sharp like a knife…
It was something I had never seen for a moment for a glimpse. That one person protected me not because I was useful or popular Or small or cute but because I was her friend. to the next school year and in the years to come in my middle school class a lot of times it would be like that and I was often in fear…
But Nao there was only one thing she was afraid of the one thing that made her hesitate… It was going home But then I heard that every two weeks there would be a week where she would leave and see her father and the more and more she came back the more she almost looked sad but happy She told me everything that her and her father did like go get drinks at a cafe and drink tea and spend time together…
and I just thought isn't that normal things for you and your dad to do and then I asked her "do you know why your parents are apart?"
And then she smiled and almost with tears in her eyes she said
"It's a mystery don't you know!"
Then one day she told me you know I'm never getting married it's a waste of time. A waste of two people's time She said it so nonchalantly and confidently but the more you learned about her and her mother the more it made sense we had grown up together ever since well kindergarten.
well it hadn't gotten this bad since middle school. I thought about one day when we were small a few times we were small and how we'd come to My place Nao's hair tangled and knotted I'd wear those overalls with a messy shirt it looked like it hadn't been cleaned in at least two weeks of course we were kindergartener so We'd get dirty…
but she'd still smiled like It never got the best of her.
But when middle school turned around she would talk about it. she wouldn't say anything she would just cry then she spoke through garbled sobs " I remember had to come to your place just to get cleaned up…
" Why is my mother so indifferent about me is there anybody that will love me?" so I hugged her so tight.
" I love you, I love you now heck you can even be my older sister."
The last day in middle school came around It wasn't long after that she started to smile more like real genuine smiles..
You know at first I'd be concerned and it was like I knew Nao wasn't the same it hurt to know that's what she went through but I wondered what was changing was it good?
it had to be that's all I could think of when it came around… crap I can't even talk about it she talked about her dad these past couple of months she finally said at the ceremony
she was going to be moving in with her dad and that she won't see me she said she wanted to keep in touch with me she knew it would be hard.. She didn't have a contact number at the time.
so I still wonder sometimes…
April 7th present day
I sat next to Everett on a park bench as Bolee sat across the way…
We we're enjoying ice cream…
Everett started to whistle as he nearly finished all of his cone of mint ice cream…
"What are you two planning to do on our days off?" as he tapped his fingers on the table playfully…
Bolee looked at him momentarily then took out something form his Satchel… His eyes lit up along with a small smile.. These are my photos from a while back… I always keep them around with me as a momento… I think I want to try going around and taking photos of various things…
Like this Everret pointed to a rose bush on a garden wall… "Yeah! They were my Mother's roses, I actually like to take care of a few plants at home…"
I looked through the pictures as Everett teased...
I saw Bolee and an older boy with light yellow hair and hazel eyes he looked to be a few years older than him Bolee couldn't have been older than 8… He was small and shy His brother had a big grin on his face with dimples 'It almost made me laugh'
… I could only smiled with a deep sense of happiness it looked like they were at the beach… and the sun was setting the red sky near the waves far beyond them…
After a few moments had passed and we looked through Bolee's photos
Everret looked over at me..
"What about you?"
"Uhh, I don't know My sister's in grade school and My Dad's gonna be off work to seem me and Yuxin so, I guess I'll be home"
Bolee almost shot up from where he was sitting you could see a sparkle in his eyes…
"Ziyu, Is it alright if we come over to your place? For one day?"
His excitement was shown clear as day on his face…
Everret looked a bit shocked"
Wait a minute, Bo-"
"I'll ask my parents"
I spoke with determination