Chapter 27: Park

I timidly stepped through the metal arch onto the neat path, as if I was stepping into a storybook. I was amazed at how green some of the trees were since it was late October. The many trees that weren't green were either a captivating shade of red or orange that made the setting blend with color like a fairy tale. I walked slowly through the park, being careful not to walk too far and spoil the adventure before Levy got here. The mention of Levy in my mind made me jump. I hadn't told him that I was planning on meeting him here. I then quickly pulled out my phone and texted him the address and that I was already there. I knew that he didn't text, but I also knew that he still read the ones I sent him. 

After he was informed, I put my phone down and looked for a place to enjoy the scenery before he got here. There was a small hill ahead of me that Levy would be sure to spot me from, so I left the path to take a seat on the grass. I felt uneasy as I took off my coat and laid it out for me to sit on, but I knew that this was a safer part of town, even though it was right on the edge. I wore a T-shirt and jeans underneath my coat since the only dress I had was the expensive one Levy had bought me. This might have been a less crime-ridden park, but wearing that would have been suicide.

There were benches along the path, but nothing brought me back to my childhood more than sitting on the grass. I didn't remember any specific place in the park that I would play in more than others, only that when I was here, I was away from everything else. I closed my eyes as I felt the cool breeze on my face and heard the sounds of the creek that weaved its way throughout the park and into the pond near the end. I opened my eyes again to look around me, curious to see if anything in my memory stood out to me.

I saw a small stone bridge that arched over the thickest part of the river, and the image of myself as a child appeared standing over it. I threw things into the water as I could barely see over the edge. I had to pull myself up to lean my stomach against the stone rail to see the items splash. My gaze moved to look toward the center of the park where there was a wide open space of grass and occasional trees. I saw my younger self playing alone and having the time of her life as she rolled down the hills and got her worn clothes even dirtier.

I saw myself holding a stick and walking beside the fence with it held out in my hand so it would make the thin metal bars sing. I didn't know whether I was reminiscing or just getting lost. I didn't feel anything but a sense of emptiness as I watched my memories play out before me. I remember that I used to sneak out of our apartment to come here alone. I could have been kidnapped or killed from how close this place was to the shitty part of the city. I was surprised that there weren't more people here, cluttering the place with their litter and unshaven presence. The few that were here looked like average citizens, not one thing off about them. I assumed that the state realized the park's value and bought its upkeep. 

After a few more minutes, I noticed a dark figure enter the park out of the corner of my eye. My attention turned to the figure to see that it was Levy who was looking around, calmly. He wore a trench coat, but this one was different than the one he normally wore. It was newer and looked like faux leather. It was a dark shade of brown with a tint of sangria that fit in with our autumn surroundings. The coat was open in the front and revealed the black turtleneck he wore underneath. The buckle of his belt was silver and his shirt was tucked into a pair of loose, black, dress pants. His shoes were so black that I couldn't see any detail in them, other than they fit his feet perfectly and pulled together his chic look.

Every time I saw him he took my breath away. I felt embarrassed at how underdressed I was, and that I needed to go clothes shopping as soon as I could afford it. Despite the urge to hide in a bush, I waved to him from across the park and he made his way over to me. Instead of a hello, he greeted me with a question. "How did you get here?" I didn't expect him to ask that and my mind raced as to why he would want to know. "Um, I walked. Why?" He looked down at me and almost looked irritated. "I would have driven you," he said in a flat tone. 

I was surprised at how he took offense to my walking here and stood up from my coat. "Sorry, I should've let you know before I left." The air around him released its tension and he glanced away from me. "Growing up in this neighborhood has accustomed you to unnecessary bravery." I laughed at how I was just thinking about coming here alone as a kid, completely fearless from any hobo or murderer that I might've come across. "I've always been this brave," I said, confidently. I looked up at him and my cheeks flushed as our eyes met. He gave me half of a smile and raised a hand to my cheek. "My shy girl, brave? If only she was that way with me." 

My blush reddened, and I barely was able to ask, "Y-your shy girl?" He paused, then continued as if he hadn't heard me. "So. I'm here. What do you plan on doing with me in this park? I'd like to see how entertaining this 'poor girl date' is in comparison to the one I took you on." My blush vanished as my thoughts shifted to the plan I had created for today. "You think it's a competition, huh? If that's the case, then I have you beat." His eyebrow raised at my challenge. "Is that so?" I nodded, proudly. "Yep. You're not going to know what hit you. Judge the activities all you want, once this date is over, you're mind is going to be blown from not being able to comprehend how much of a good time you had."

After a moment's hesitation, I realized that I might've just been raising his expectations rather than teasing. "Don't quote me on that," I said in an attempt to clarify my tease. He only laughed in response and I picked up my coat so we could begin the date. I wrapped the sleeves around my waist since I knew how much he hated the coat and hoped that he wouldn't judge how terribly I was dressed. I wanted so badly to dress up for him, but right now this was all I had.