A promise sealed
Here you go , he hands me the bag of snacks which was right beside us . I guess he had it all the time and I failed to notice.
" I am just surprised you didn't notice it anytime soon " he said as he opened it for me and gestured me to eat . " It's your favourite honey glazed burger with chessy creamy french fries "
"Hey , thanks !! "I began to dig in .
"Eat up princess " he said , the nickname that once got on my nerves is now a bittersweet ache.
"Hey Mike, could you please....stick on to .. kido , I 'm not ready yet to hear that ." I spoke softly but it came out in a more serious tone than I intended .
"Take all the time you need , just know your stuck with me whether you like it or not" he said outloud attempting to make it sound a bit funny but I know he meant every word .
His mouth curved into a smile , revealing a dimple in his right cheek , as he watched me eat. Yeah those dimples have always popped whenever he teased me , I used to be infurated with the smirk , but today I felt solace. I'm glad I have him in my life ...
Well I know , you had been visiting almost everyday after .....his death . I also know you were the one who had been stocking the refrigerator with ice creams of all flavors " I said in between the mouthful of food. He always knew I overeat when it hurts the most.
"Mmmm , maybe ... Maybe not " he smirked his eyes betraying the mischief and care he always had . He paused his expression turning cold " We... we need to talk "
I felt a surge as I knew it was rare he was serious around me and when he is ,it meant something.
" I know , with you rushing here . I figured out. So my friends called and told you I dropped out or was it mom , huh.." I replied with tint of fear in how he is gonna react to my foolishness.
" Yeah , that I knew and wanted to beat some sense into you , but....I have kept that for another day , kiddo .. "Mark moved closer to me , his presence now filling the whole room. I could hear his heartbeats in the silence that followed . It felt like he was having a battle of his own as if he wanted to tell me something but hesitating ... A few seconds passed with us staring each other as if our eyes spoke in magnitude before he broke the silence.
"You know....your mom is devastated as well and it's not fair but I think I need you to be strong for her , he always claimed you were the mature one in your family not like both of them " Mike chuckled in between the words.
"Yeah, that's true those two acted like a kindergarten kids in love , uff " I joined him and laughed.
" I guess I need to stop mopping and save this sinking ship haa" I glanced to Mike's eyes as I declared .
" So... She just called me up to tell me she was planning to move back to her hometown, this place was all too consuming for her .... and right now maybe for you too" he spoke as a mature adult for the very first time in his life ofcourse .
"Mmmm .... " That's why he hesitated , we never imagined ever splitting up . We always assumed we will grow old together.
"I kinda saw the signs that we will be leaving Mark , with the endless interview calls coming I oveheard most of them .. I knew ...I was bound to leave." I replied as I turned away from his gaze .
" I was not sure I was ready to leave but I knew the memories here was suffocating me ...". I admitted in a montonus tone.
" I don't agree with her at all but I know you are hurting here inside, so I wouldn't force you to stay . But I will be coming to your place maybe not every weekend once in 2 weeks or a month" He paused with heaviness.
"I will miss you and make sure you don't fail your finals okay grandpa" I joked trying to hide how hard this is . But I knew staying here with all these memories night push me over the edge .
I unconsciously layed my head on his shoulder as his warm yet huge hands engulfed mine , my tiny hands.
"You know you will turn 18 next month and I could adopt you and bring you back" he giggled as his soft head layed over mine
"Yeah and stay where inside your boys dormatory ?? Maybe I might get to see some hot guys there ... I teased him as I continued And maybe score a date with them !!! Not bad ." I knew he gets irritated whenever I mention dating a guy .
"Yeah like I'm gonna let anyone of them near you "He said in a dangerously cold tone with his eyes ablaze.
"Damn !!! Chill I don't plan to date anyone anytime soon Mike . Well, I know your great idea to kidnap and adopt me will not work anyway ." It felt good to be just by his side, our breathing in sync, why didn't I just confined to him before . It took all the courage I had to just tell him
" I'm a mess Mark and .... maybe ...I might drown if I stay here ... I.... I did have thoughts you know...building up... thoughts that was not good ". Now he knows , yup the truth where I had given up, "Im sorry ....but it hurts bad Mark" my voice cracked as I spoke muffleling the tears that was fighting to come out. Damn , I just had a breakdown not again .
"I know....and I just couldn't do anything about it , Oli . I couldn't protect you this time.... I'm sorry " . The words that's came from his mouth shocked me . Was he blaming himself for the state in in . Damn !! I was hurting people all around , mom and friends would also be thinking of the same .
Shit !!! I screwed up bad , I can't hurt the people I love ... I need to get my act together.
In a sudden rush of rage that built up on myself for what I was doing to the people around i stood up .
" Hey , you did everything to help me feel better .... It's just I .....I was an idiot to think that I need to stop loving as if when dad drew his last breath , it felt as if my life stopped. I'm sorry I didn't notice my actions...were hurting all others around." I stared directly to his eyes hoping it reached his peanut size brain .
" I know and but it's infuriating . I can't follow you ... I'm helpless damn it ."He stood up taking a step closer to me .
"Hey !!! Mark I knownyour worried but I need you to trust me to get through this ...I will make sure to graduate high school with extraordinary results and join college near yours okay .... it's just one semester." I replied with a seriousness in my tone , there was one thing I never want to see ..him vulnerable and angry those two staes are terrifying to me .
" Could you please trust me this time ... And if it gets bad like now , I will definitely seek help , I will call you up . I promise , pinky swear " I held up for him to complete our promise . It was an old tradition that we both cherished . We took our promises seriously and never broke one all these years.
" I'm just a phone call away ." Mike smiled as he compled our pinky swear . I knew he was , I know he will come through for me if I ever needed him , even drop out his college , his whole life and that's why I m afraid off. So I need to show him I am strong enough .
"So , I will leave you with your mom I know you need time to talk with each other ." He pushed passed me to leave and suddenly stopped and turned
"Before I leave Oli, I want you to have this" he handed me a pendrive and he continued. He wanted you to have this if ever something happened to him
I couldn't believe it , he left something for me . My dad's death was so sudden that I don't even know what our last moments where like , nor had a talk on how he wished to see me grow up .It was like a blank page for me and I was struggling to just flip this chapter and write my own story knowing it begins without him in it . So I just didn't want to move on but this .....
" Thi ..s helps" my voice cracks. " I know" he says as he slowly takes a step forward. His strides were always long so in a blink of eye he was once again close to me as he laays a kiss on my forehead.
I was shocked " yeewwe , your being mushy, mushy guy . Give me back my best brother you alone . " I held tipped on my toes to get hold of his collor and shake him . " Where is he you creature ??"
" Hehehe , " He sweeper we up like a feather and swirled me around real fast . " Well , he ain't a kid anymore so your gonna deal with that okay "
"Okay okay ... Hehehe now put me down and stop treating me like a 5 year old " I said hitting on his wall of a chest to let me down .
Okay I will drop you then let me go,loosing my balance ,
Damn wait!!!! And suddenly in a breeze he held me by my waist as he spoke in a chivalrous tone " Whenever you fall , I will be there to catch you , okay "
" Yeah , right now you were the reason I was about to hit the ground " I pushed him away and finally got a holding onto my steps on ground .
Bye Mark leave....I pushed him out of my room
"Jeez .... Sure sure .... Hehee , In between we are going out today , so dress up at 7 pm , I have a surprise for you" he blurred out not even waiting for my response .Mark footsteps began to be fade as he walked further and further away .
" Idiot ,you are asking me or ordering "
" It's a date"he screams... "And your mom's okay with it So don't bother coming up with an excuse. " I could hear him giggle in between the words " Your stuck with me for life "
"What sin did I commit God !!!! "I shouted back loud enough for him to hear as he had already reached the front door .Yet all he did was smile and waved as he walked towards his ride.
"Damn that adrenaline junkie is stuck with me for life ... But... Sounds good ." I spoke in a voice only I could hear , the thought of having him around had unconsciously evoled a smile in my face