"Summer solstice
We do not rest for a soul
Because then we meet."
  

           "Mooom, I bet Lilena got a boyfriend." My brother tells our mom. He and I are seated by the counter, him watching tiktok videos and I was staring straight at the cupboards stationed a bit further back.

"She's always staring at random things and smiling!" He continues.

"Does it have to be a boy?" I roll my eyes.

"Lena, sweetheart, what you just said is more concerning than you having a boyfriend."

Ugh, homophobic family. I groan. "You always act like homosexual relationships kill people."

"Lilena!" My mother shoots a glare at me.

This wasn't the first time we argued over this. Or came to a disagreement. My mother is too soft to argue, it's my dad that would've disowned me had he heard what I just said. You know, I just can't understand what their issue is with the LGBTQIA community, my parents aren't even that religious and my brother is just... I don't even know what his problem is.

Now with my mood killed, I skip out on breakfast and head to school by myself. It isn't much of a big deal since me and my brother are old enough to commute by ourselves.

                   When I approach the narra tree after a normal day of class, and no salmon because I forgot to get my allowance from my mom, I am welcomed by the sound of muffled sobs. I quietly walk over to see haiku lady crying into a large beige sweater.

Ironically, the sweater had the words "happy days" written on it with a cursive red font.

"Salmon...?" She looks up at me, her cheeks soiled in tears.

She's crying like this under the scorching sun?

It was way warmer than usual today, and the sun is still out, beaming on us both. If I was sobbing out in this weather, I'd pause to complain that it's to hot or sunny. She's really something else.

"Are you ok?" I ask her. "Do you maybe, want to go to a nearby café? It'll be my treat."

Oh wait heck, all I have is my left over money from the past days' allowance. Guess I'll treat her with that then.

"Are you really alright with that?"

"Yeeah." I try to hide the unease in my voice. The most my money could get me is probably a medium sized drink for the both of us.

I give her a moment to wipe the tears off her face and brush through her messed up hair, and we walk to the nearest café which luckily took only a couple minutes to get to.

Once we're inside we take seats by the window, facing each other.

"Just pick whatever you want!" I say with a smile. Hoping she won't order too much or I don't know what I'd do. Ask the owner if I could just leave with a debt that I could pay next time I come here?

"I'll just have this." She points at a strawberry smoothie from the menu.

"Just that."

"Mhm!"

I wave at the closest waiter and order the strawberry smoothie for haiku, and a small java chip frappe for myself.

"Is it alright if I ask you why you were crying earlier?"

"It's just some problems at home." She replies. "I usually come to the narra tree to get away from my household since it's just full of negativity. My parents fighting all the time. This time it was really bad, so I got in between them."

"Ah. Have you gotten hurt physically because of their arguments?"

I feel my chest sink. When I see haiku by the narra tree, she's always appearing happy, smiling like the bright sun. Yet at home, this is what she faces.

"No. When I got in between them today, they started screaming at me, saying I am too young to understand these things. I'm not! I should have a say in things, they should let me speak as an individual, not as if I'm some brainless kid."

I've never seen her so upset.

To me, Haiku is one of those people who you can't imagine being angry, yet here we are.

"I'm so sorry..." I respond. I don't know what else to say, it isn't a situation I've been through. All I can do is listen to her.

"Oh well, enough this depressing talk. My parents can go chase each other with chainsaws for all I care! How do you feel being out on a date with me?" She asks.

"Date?"

"You, me, at a café, we can share drinks too if you'd like." She smiles. Yet her eyes are still puffy from crying.

I chuckle. "Fine then, lets call this a date." If I ever go on a date with you again, I'll be sure to not be this broke.

"Our first date, hehe. On a summer solstice too."

"Summer solstice?" I ask.

"Yep, the longest day of this year. Notice how it still looks like day even though it's starting to get late?" She motions to the window.