They say love is the most natural thing in the world, but for me, it's always been confusing. I'm Aiden Montiero, a first-year college student trying to balance lectures, deadlines, and awkward small talk. But when it comes to relationships? That's a whole different story. I've never been in one and don't even know where to start. It's not that people don't interest me.... it's just that love feels like a puzzle I can't solve. When others talk about sparks and butterflies, I just nod along, pretending I understand. The truth is, I don't.
To me, love feels like a foreign language I've never learned. I watch my friends dive into it.... some come out happy, others hurt.... while I'm stuck wondering how to even begin. Maybe I've been too focused on school, or maybe I'm not ready. Or maybe… I'm just scared of what I'll find.
My parents are always busy. Mom is a corporate lawyer who's in court more than at home, and Dad is a consultant who's always on the go. They decided that giving me independence was the best gift, which is how I ended up living alone in a house they gave me.
"You'll learn responsibility this way," Mom said during dinner one night, barely looking up from her emails and phone calls.
"And discipline," Dad added, already halfway out the door. "Just call if you need anything."
But calling them isn't easy.... they're always busy.
So here I am, living alone in a house I didn't ask for. They've covered all the essentials.... food, bills, and an allowance.... but sitting around doing nothing isn't for me. That's why I got a part-time job at a nearby cafe.
"Why are you even working? Your parents are loaded," my coworker Alex asked while we cleaned tables.
I shrugged, wiping the counter. "I just need something to do. It feels good to earn my own money."
Alex laughed, tossing a rag into the sink. "You're weird, man. Most people would kill for what you've got."
Maybe he's right. Maybe I am weird. But the cafe makes the house feel less empty. The chatter, the clinking of mugs, and the chaos of rush hour.... it's comforting.
"Hey," Alex said as we locked up the night. "Don't forget to live a little, okay? Life's not just about work."
I smiled slightly, shoving my hands into my jacket pockets. "I'll think about it."
Honestly, I'm still figuring out what "living" really means. I don't know if I'll find it in my quiet house or the café's busy routine, but maybe.... just maybe.... I'll discover it someday.
The wind stung my face as I tightened my jacket, my breath forming small clouds in the cold night air. The streets were silent, the distant hum of the city fading as I took my usual shortcut home. My footsteps echoed against the road as I walked past the old park.
I paused, my eyes drawn to the swings, gently swaying in the breeze. Memories flooded back, vivid as if they had happened yesterday.
There was a boy I used to play with here, back when my parents still had time to take me to the park every weekend. I never learned his name.... we didn't think it mattered. We were just two kids, running, laughing, and inventing games only we understood.
"Tag, you're it!" he'd shout, running past me with full of energy.
I'd chase him, both of us laughing until we were breathless. He had a way of making every moment feel like an adventure, as though the world was ours.
But one weekend, he wasn't there. I sat on the swings, waiting, kicking at the dirt with my shoes. I came back the next weekend, and the one after that, but he never returned.
"Hey, what happened to your friend?" my mom asked once, noticing my silence.
"I don't know," I muttered, staring out the car window. "He just stopped coming."
Now, as I stood at the park's rusting gate, I couldn't help but wonder what happened to him. Did he move away? Did he lose interest in the park? Did he ever think of me, the way I still thought of him?
I sighed, shoving my hands into my pockets, and turned to leave. Behind me, the swings creaked softly, their sound carried away by the wind.
"Maybe some things are just meant to stay in the past," I said quietly, though I wasn't sure I believed it.
I lingered at the gate for a moment, my breath hanging in the air. My fingers found the necklace around my neck, the moon-shaped pendant cool against my skin. I'd worn it every day since the last time I saw him.... since he gave it to me.
He was more than just a friend. He was my protector. When other kids teased me or tried to push me around, he'd step in without hesitation. "Leave him alone," he'd say firmly, standing in front of me like a shield. And when I cried, he'd always find a way to make me laugh, pulling faces or telling silly stories he made up on the spot.
"Don't cry," he'd say, crouching to my level. "You look funnier when you cry, you know that?"
I'd laugh through my tears, punching him lightly on the arm. "Shut up."
But he'd just grin, his mischievous smile lighting up everything around us.
The last time we were together, he seemed different.... quieter. We sat on the swings as the sun set, the sky glowing orange and pink. He fiddled with something in his hands before turning to me.
"Here," he said, holding out a necklace with small moon pendant. "For you."
I blinked in surprise. "Why?"
He shrugged with a soft smile. "Just because. You can wear it, and it'll remind you of me."
I held it carefully, confused. "Thanks. But… why do I need a reminder? We'll see each other next weekend, right?"
He didn't answer immediately. He just smiled and slipped something out from under his shime.... a necklace of his own, with a sun pendant.
"See you next time," he said casually, and then ran off, waving as he went.
I waited for him the next weekend and the one after that, but he never came back. He'd said, "See you next time," but that time never came.
Now, standing here years later, I clutched the moon pendant tightly, my heart heavy with unspoken questions.
"Where did you go?" I whispered to the night. The wind gave no answers, just the soft creak of the swings behind me.