Allison
There I was, sitting on a bench in the center of the park, surrounded by the vibrant sounds of children laughing and playing. Bubbles floated through the air, and the smell of freshly cut grass wafted around me. But amidst all the joy, I felt a deep sorrow. My head was bowed, and tears streamed down my face as I sniffled uncontrollably.
The harsh words Jayden had spoken still lingered in my mind, piercing my heart like a dagger. I felt heartbroken and depressed, wondering if it was time to end things between us. Maybe Jayden was right; maybe I was forcing something that wasn’t meant to be.
Just as I was lost in my thoughts, I heard a gentle voice call out my name. “Allison?” I quickly wiped away my tears and looked up to see Colby standing before me, concern etched on his face.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, trying to compose myself.
He smiled softly. “I should be the one asking you that. I came to grab a bite to eat, but I lost my appetite and decided to take a walk instead.” He glanced at his bicycle, which was leaning against a nearby tree. “I was cycling by and saw you sitting here. What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”
I simply remained quiet, refusing to say anything. I knew he was my friend, but why would I tell him my worries, especially that it was because of Jayden.
Colby’s expression softened as he sat down beside me. He sighed softly, his hands moving with a quiet intimacy. “Hey, is everything alright? Do you want to share what’s wrong?”
I remained quiet, my eyes fixed on the ground. Colby’s hands moved again, seemingly nervous. “What’s going on? You’re really scaring me.”
I sighed, my voice barely above a whisper. “I don’t even know anymore. I’m just really heartbroken.”
“Why are you heartbroken?” he asked, his brows furrowed. “Is it probably family issues or something? Your boyfriend, maybe?”
I laughed, a bitter sound. “I don’t have a boyfriend, Colby. You know that.”
“I know, I know. But for you to be this heartbroken, it means maybe someone hurt you. A crush, maybe?”
I laughed again, trying to deflect the question. “It’s nothing, really.”
Colby’s eyes lingered on mine, but he didn’t push the issue. I stood up, brushing off my pants. “How about we leave now? I’m really tired.”
He nodded, his expression sympathetic. Then, stood up, and together we walked out of the park with his bicycle, leaving the laughter and chatter of the children behind.
As we strolled along, Colby walked beside me, his bike tucked under his arm. “How about we catch the bus?” he suggested, nodding toward the bus stop up ahead.
I shook my head. “I really feel like walking, but if you want to go, don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I can find my way.”
“No,” he smiled. “I’m cool. Let’s just walk.”
We continued on, enjoying the quiet evening air. Before long, Colby’s stomach growled loudly. I glanced at him, concerned. “Is everything alright?”
He chuckled. “Yeah, I promise.”
But his stomach growled again, even louder this time. I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re really hungry, aren’t you?”
“Guilty as charged,” he confessed, grinning sheepishly.
“Come on, let’s go get something to eat.” I smiled.
Colby’s face lit up. “Yay!” he giggled.
I could really help but laugh at his excitement as we walked into a nearby restaurant, sliding into a cozy booth to peruse the menu.
As we savored our meal, Colby and I chatted about the food, exchanging pleasant small talk. I took a sip of my drink, feeling content, when I felt a tap behind me. I turned to see Yvonne standing there.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, surprised.
Colby looked up from his food, curiosity etched on his face. “Yvonne, what brings you here?”
Yvonne’s eyes darted between us before focusing on me. “Did you see your brother?” she asked.
“Jayden?” Colby asked.
She ignored him, her gaze fixed on me. “Did you see him around here? You’re his sister, so you should know, right?”
I hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. “I didn’t see him today,” I lied, looking down at the table.
Yvonne’s eyes narrowed as she looked around.
“Why are you asking though?” I countered. “Did he tell you to meet him here?”
That was when it hit me – this was the same place Jayden and I had eaten before I stormed out in anger. Why did I have to come back here? Ugh, this is just great!
Maybe Jayden was trying to ease himself after I’d made him angry, as usual. Maybe he wanted to see Yvonne and call her after it felt like I dumped him, because let’s face it, Yvonne is the real deal and I’m just the backup plan.
She bit her lip, her brow furrowed. “I was supposed to meet him around here, but he’s not answering his calls. It seems like his phone is dead or something.”
“Hmm… But can I ask why you both plan to meet?” I asked, regretting my question immediately. I’d been too impulsive and once again, made my curiosity and… jealousy win.
Yvonne’s expression turned guarded as she replied to me, “You don’t need to know anything. Just let me know if you see him around.” With that, she turned and left.
Colby coughed, breaking the awkward silence. “Well, shall we finish eating?”
We continued our meal, the tension dissipating as we chatted. Once we were done, we decided to head out.
As we walked, we spotted Yvonne again, this time at the far end of the street. She was hugging Jayden tightly, and my eyes remained fixed on the scene like a moron. I felt my chest clench and I couldn’t help but bite my bottom lip.
Colby followed my gaze and nodded. “It seems like Yvonne finally found who she was looking for.”
“Yeah,” I whispered shakily. “Come on, let’s go.”
We quietly started walking away, and I could feel Colby’s staring deeply at me. He was literally boring holes on my face. Did he actually think I couldn’t see him because my eyes were at the front?
Suddenly, he reached out and held my hand. I turned to him, surprised. “What’s wrong? Why… Why are you holding me?”
Colby quickly released my hand, looking apologetic. “I’m sorry. I just…” He sighed deeply, shrugging his shoulders slightly.
I smiled, trying to lighten the mood but then noticed that his bike wasn’t with him anymore. “Wait, where’s your bicycle?!”
Colby’s eyes widened in realization. “Oh my goodness, I forgot it back at the restaurant!”
We both burst out laughing, and we took off running back to retrieve his bike.