PART SEVENTEEN | A NIGHT STROLL

I was five when a boy pushed me to the ground. I cried, then Oscar came from nowhere shouting to the boy, "Come here, little prick. Fight me."

We bolt from The Records. A breeze greets my bare arms and thighs, making me shudder. I should've brought my jacket but I leave it in my room.

"Wanna go for a walk, Tara-Jane?"

I nod and reach the collar of his shirt, fixing the folded material. "That sounds good." He smiles sweetly and mouths wait a minute. Jeremy jogs to his car then pulls out a letterman jacket with his name written boldly on the back. I giggle as he places the jacket on my shoulder, covering my bare arms. "Are you being romantic now?"

He shrugs, "You're freezin'."

The sky is completely dark by now and pretty clouded. We barely see a star but the moon is hanging freely above us, claiming the sky as its own home tonight. Moonlight illuminates the street along with a dim street light on the pavement. A few cars passing by at a slow speed, allowing the pedestrians to cross the street safely.

As we stroll on the pavement, Jeremy guides my hands to his arm. This is not something that I used to do, clinging my hands on another person's arm. My eyes flicker to my surrounding, but no one seems bothered. My fingers are digging onto his biceps firmly when a bike almost bumps me.

"Careful!" Jeremy shouts to the biker but the boy who rides the bike already turns right on the T-junction. "Bastard," he mutters under his breath. I rub his arm slowly to calm his nerve.

"People are rude. You can't just let it go, Tara-Jane," he says as we keep moving forward. Jeremy kicks a stone on the pavement to the side.

"He didn't mean it, Jer," I say.

"At least, say sorry. That's an easy word."

"I agree... You haven't asked me what's my breakfast today," I say happily, trying to change the subject. He glances at me with a raised eyebrow then giggles.

"What's your breakfast, Tara-Jane?"

"A toast with avocado and honey. Thank you for asking."

"Mmh... that sounds temptin'." He brings my knuckles to his lips and pecks it softly. "I didn't eat properly this morning. Overslept and rushed to the hill with an empty stomach was a nightmare. That's all your fault."

I frown, "Excuse me?"

"I can't sleep after you kiss me like that." My cheeks flush at his words. "I don't know if I can sleep again tonight," he continues. I could feel my face is flaming red now.

"You're exaggerating." I nudge his side rib, making him yelp.

"I'm not exaggerating," he says. "Hey, Tara-Jane, this is my favorite florist." He halts in front of a small florist. The sight is eye-pleasing. Flowers are stuffed on a small bucket based on its types and colors: peonies, lilies, roses, calla daisies, gardenias, and sunflowers. Jeremy talks to the shopkeeper, ordering a small bouquet of sunflowers. Then he shoves it on my chest, "Your sunflowers today."

"Thank you, but there is not enough space in my bedroom for these."

"Put it in the kitchen, in the living room, even in your bathroom. Your house will be the biggest sunflower farm." He giggles and makes me giggle too. We continue to walk again, passing the houses. Jeremy kicks another stone to the side from the pavement.

I place my hand on his upper arm. I love how he walks slowly on purpose so he could keep up with my pace. Jeremy slips a cigarette from his breast pocket and lits the stick. He sucks it and puffs the pink smoke out from his mouth and nose. The pink smoke is lingering for a while around us before vanishes into the dark of the night. Vanilla and cherry mix with burned tobacco are filling the air. The smell that I get used to and without my knowing becomes my favorite.

"Smoking is bad for your health you know," I say.

He exhales a chuckle in a cynical tone, "I know. That's the least of my problems." He takes a drag from the cigarette. "But if you want me to quit, I'll quit." The words are coming with a cloud of smoke from his mouth.

I glance at his direction, "Do you really mean it?"

Jeremy cocks his eyebrow, "Hm?"

"Do you really mean it when you said you like me?"

He sighs and gives me a lazy smile. "Do you think it's a joke?"

I shrug, "Probably."

Jeremy ticks the cigarette with his finger, the ash falls to the pavement below. "I really like you, Tara-Jane."

We are walking in silence. My mind is clouded like the sky above. I don't know how to respond his confession.

"There," he says. Pointing a big house in our right. "It's Clayton's. I used to hang there with the boys. He has the latest Xbox console."

I giggle at his sudden outburst. "What about that house?" I point to the house next to Clayton's.

A crease forms on his forehead. "Clayton's neighbor," he answers after a while. I laugh and gently shove his shoulder, muttering you silly in the process.

He lets out a deep chuckle. "I don't know. I don't live here," he says. "You live here."

"I never really know these people. Their name, their job. I don't know."

His eyes flicker at me. "S'okay," he says. Jeremy grabs my hand, motioning me to cross the street. "It's late. Let's go back." I nod and tighten my grip as we walk on the zebra cross.

"You know Gwen?" I ask him once we arrive at the other end.

He nods. "Gwen as in Gwendoline? Your captain?"

"There's no other. I met her this morning... She said that she moved out to a boarding school. And she said that she recommended me to become the next captain. What do you think, Jer?"

"That's good," he says with a cigarette dangling on his lips, making his voice sounds muffled. It sounds like a goof rather than good. He kicks another stone to the side with his foot. "You become the captain, I mean. No one practice harder than you."

I sigh, "That's because I ain't good enough."

"It's a good trait, you feel like you are not good enough so you keep on trying... But, you're going nowhere if you always look down to yourself. You're capable of doing whatever you want. Remember that, Tara-Jane." He halts, taking out the cigarette from his lips. "I'm so proud of you, Honeysuckle," he says then leaning in to kiss the side of my temple.

I inhale his citrusy scent radiating from his shirt. It is surprisingly comforting to me. "Thank you," I whisper to his ear.

Jeremy smiles. He grabs my hand and walks again. His palm is rough against my skin. It is huge, engulfing my tiny hand. "Can we meet every day, Jer?" I ask.

He turns his head to me. "Sure," he says with a wide grin. "I'll wait by your locker at lunch from Monday to Friday. On the weekend, we can hang at my place... or yours, if you don't mind."

I nod. My eyes find a stone, laying on the pavement. As I guess, Jeremy kicks it to the side. "What are you doing?"

Jeremy tilts his head to see me. "Sorry?"

I point the stone that lays on the side of the pavement with my chin. "The stone. You keep kicking those stones."

"Oh," he says then giggles nervously. "People will stumble if they don't see it."

I smile. "You're so... kind."

He shrugs, avoiding my gaze. "That's nothin'."

We do not realize that we are already in front of Sucré. My eyes widen as I see Oscar is leaning on the wall beside the front door. He is waiting for me.

Shit.

"Tara," he calls. I shut my eyes, not ready to face my brother. When it flutters open, Oscar is walking idly toward me. His eyes dart to Jeremy and down to our intertwine hands. I let go of Jeremy's hand immediately. "Let's go home," Oscar says when he is close enough.

"But, Jeremy will-"

"No buts. Get in the car," Oscar demands. I glance at Jeremy, he is standing there with his hands shoved in his pocket. He nods and gives me a reassuring smile. I mouth sorry to him as I walk to my brother's car.

"What was that for?" I whine as I sit on the passenger seat. Oscar is starting the engine beside me and stays quiet. I stare outside the window, Jeremy is still standing on the pavement. My heart aches at the sight. So, I decide to roll the window down and say, "See you at school, Jer."

He grins from ear to ear, waving his hand. The car is moving, leaving Jeremy behind. I turn my head to Oscar. "You're not Dad."

"I'm not. I am your brother. And I know what type of jock he is."

"Where do you know he is a jock? You know nothing." 

"The jacket on your shoulder, sweet tooth," he says.

I sigh in defeat and lean back to my seat, wishing I could flee from my brother's car and sit on Jeremy's passenger seat instead.

***
hey, how are you really?
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