Digons

Later that day I was on my way to my home, listening to the chirping sound on the trees while reading a book in my hand. Obviously, I tore my eyes out of it whenever I need to cross the road. I eventually shivered whenever the cold breeze grazed my skin that wasn't covered by clothes.

I should've worn long socks... well, it's the month of January after all. I don't have the rights to complain since it's my fault wearing my favorite socks over the thick ones, I thought as I was waiting for the crosswalk light to turn green.

While waiting, I decided to close my book for the meantime since it'd bothered the adults waiting alongside me. I don't want them to be concerned about me since I don't want to trouble other people.

I glanced at the painted white lines on the ground and my mind started to wander. If my memory serves correct, It was only a year ago since it was painted but it's already blurry.

I still remember the time I spent watching the painters painted the road that day, it inspired me to be a road painter that day, but after a lot of thinking, I couldn't feed myself just by painting roads. How dumb the last year me...

The lights turned green and each of us crossed the road without a problem, or so I thought but I heard someone yelled my name from my back. I looked over my shoulder and spotted a kid running towards me.

"Haa... Haa... Thank goodness you haven't crossed the road yet." He gasped as he arrived in front of me, it was the spiky-haired boy from my class.

I moved my feet to the side of the road and let the other people crossed, it seems like I was blocking the way. I grabbed the boy's wrist and pulled him to the wooden bench between the streetlights.

"Wait, what do you think you're doing?! get off me!" he resisted with his face flushed? (...but why?) and tried to pull his hands.

"Hey, you're bothering the other people," I whispered.

He looked around and seems understood what I'd said, he stopped resisting and let me led him. The other bench was already occupied fortunately, there was vacant one, two benches away from the crosswalk. I sat down, hugging my backpack on my lap. The boy seems reluctant hence I patted the bench twice and said, "Sit here, I won't bite you."

"Of course you won't because you're not a dog," he said shyly, his face was covered in red as though in any second it'd explode.

Of course, I'm not. What made him think that? that's why I want to skip grades and graduate from elementary as soon as possible.

I watched him sitting on my side, fluttering. I waited for him to tell me why'd he called me but he still sat there, twiddling his fingers together.

I glanced at my feet that looked as though they were hung on the edge of the bench and shifted my gaze to the ground. Swaying it, surely after few years, I would reach it and sit like the posture of a proper grown-up. I can't wait for me to grow taller.

I always saw my father sitting on his office chair with his sole laid straight to the floor. Personally, I was quite jealous since my legs were too short to reach the floor. Whenever I was in my chair, I discreetly stretched my feet and checked if they could touch the floor but I always failed. My big sister just laughed at me whenever she caught me doing that. She repeatedly told me I was cute but... cute is for a child and I don't want it.

I sighed and ultimately gave up waiting for him to state his motives. I looked at the boy and asked him, why'd he called me. But instead of answering my question, he pulled his bag from his back and took a piece of paper from it. He handed me the paper and stood up, looking at me with his face stiffened.

"What is it?" I looked at the paper and read its content but before I fully understand what's written on it, the boy finally opened his mouth.

"O-our teacher... he told me to give you that, i-it's for the class trip for next week, h-he also said that your parents need to sign it or else you can't attend."

I wondered why he kept stuttering in every pause but I decided to keep my mouth shut. Quietly folded the paper, I slid it into my backpack. It seems that's all he had to say thus I pushed my hands on the bench and landed standing on the ground. As I turned my back, I glanced back as I heard him talked again.

"You'll join the trip, right?"

"I dunno..." I like studying more than running around and sweat myself. It may be sounded like I was seeking a reason not to attend but. "I need to ask my parents first."

"It'll be fun if you are there..." he muttered.

I always thought the mood would always turn gloomy whenever I was present in that sort of event, never in my life had someone told me that it'd be fun if I was with them before. I suppose I'd try it.

"Guess, I'll try to convince them," I muttered to myself.

But it seems he heard me since his face lightened and the anxious face was no longer to be found. Before he ran in a different direction, I heard him said: "Well, that's great. See you there!".

I raised my hand in response. "Yeah, see you..."

Confused, I watched his back vanished as he turned on the corner of the street. I turned my back once again and worked my feet, thinking.

See you there? but there's school tomorrow, right? Is it weird to said 'see you there' for next week only to see each other's faces tomorrow?

Now should I come to school tomorrow?

"The answer is yes."