The evening sky stretched in shades of violet and deep blue, the last traces of sunlight slowly fading into the horizon. The cool evening breeze carried a refreshing calm over the town.
At this hour people usually go to the park for fresh air and to relax.... Joshua and Jonathan were no different.
The two had planned to meet up right after school, just like they did every other week.
But this Time around, they were going for bike riding. Joshua walked toward Jonathan's house, his sneakers tapping against the pavement, He had knocked on this door countless times in his life; it felt like a second home. He stood at the entrance, his hand raised to knock, and rapped three times on the door.
Knock...knock...knock...
From inside came a soft, melodic voice, one he had heard for several times.
"Who's there?"
Joshua smiled to himself, recognizing the voice. It was Rose, Jonathan's mother. He had spent so much time in this house growing up that he didn't need to think twice before responding.
"It's Joshua," he called out.
The sound of footsteps approached, and the door creaked open, revealing Rose. A beautiful middle-aged woman with warm eyes and a friendly smile.
Her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw him. "Joshua, how are you?" she asked with a smile, "Come in, Jonathan's just finishing his lunch. He'll be out in a minute."
Joshua stepped inside the house, feeling a sense of familiarity wash over him. Rose called out to Jonathan as she led him to the living room.
"Jonathan! Joshua's here!.
Joshua settled into the couch, trying to ignore the fact that his stomach was growling. It had been a long day at school, but he was too excited for the ride to be bothered by hunger. Moments later, Jonathan appeared and looking just as eager as Joshua.
"How many plate's of food did you eat that took you so long to finish?, don't tell me you now competing with fatty ".. Joshua said
Hahaha.....
Jonathan laughed..
The two exchanged playful banter before heading outside. The familiar sound of their bikes clicking into gear filled the air as they rode off, the wind whipping through their hair, their laughter echoing through the streets.
There ride their bike in the town and through different streets with a smile on their faces
As they pedaled along, each trying to outpace the other.
"Ready for some competition?" Jonathan said with a wink.
"You're going down today, my friend," Joshua declared confidently, thumping his chest.
Jonathan was always the faster one, but Joshua wasn't one to give up easily. They sped down the streets, dodging pedestrians, racing past nearby stores. their only goal being the park ahead.
"Let's see who gets there first!" Joshua shouted, pushing harder against the pedals, trying to close the gap between them.
Jonathan laughed, looking over his shoulder. "You're just not tired of losing, huh?"
Joshua grinned. "This time, it's going to be different," he said with determination.
Jonathan smirked. "Alright then, let's see what you've got."
The two pushed forward, their competitive spirits igniting as they raced toward the park. And The familiar streets passed by in a blur.
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the park, panting from the ride. Joshua collapsed onto one of the benches, his breath coming in short gasps. The park was alive with people—families enjoying the evening, children playing, and couples strolling along the walking paths. It was the kind of peaceful scene that made the exhaustion from the ride worthwhile.
"I'm dead," Joshua gasped, slumping against the bench.
Jonathan, though less winded, wasn't far behind in terms of exhaustion. He too flopped onto the bench beside his friend. "You almost beat me today," he said, grinning as he wiped his brow. "Good for you."
Joshua shook his head, a playful frown on his face. "What's the point? I still lost."
Jonathan laughed.
"Don't celebrate too early. I'm not letting you win next time."
The two friends shared a laugh, letting the tension from their race fade away as they relaxed in the cool evening air.
After a few moments of silence, Joshua stood up, stretching his arms. "I'll go grab some snacks from the store," he said, already anticipating the taste of their usual treats.
Jonathan waved him off. "Don't worry, I'll do it this time. You bought last time, remember?"
Joshua raised an eyebrow but smiled. "Alright, it's your treat then," he agreed, sinking back down onto the bench.
Jonathan headed toward the nearby store across the park. It was a short walk to the local convenience store, where they always picked up their favorite snacks and sodas after the Ride.
Jonathan stepped into the store.
After grabbing their usual soda from the refrigerator, Jonathan was about to head towards the pay point when he collided with someone.
Thud!!!...
The crash of bags hitting the floor echoed in the small space.
Jonathan raised his head to see the figure in front of him
His eyes mate with another pair of beautiful eyes. A young girl with a fair skin and a dark crimson long hair. Honestly, she is insanely beautiful.
Their stare at each other for a while but it felt like hours, Jonathan swallowed whatever liquid that was Left in his mouth... Jonathan wasn't a fan of girls to begin with, he wasn't the type that is interested in appreciating beauties no praise girls.... but today he couldn't deny the fact that the girl in front of him was gorgeous.
Jonathan quickly snapped out of it....
"Oh...i'm sorry he said and quickly bent down to help her pick up the bags that had spilled onto the floor.
To his surprise, as he gathered her bags, he realized that their contents were identical—two sodas of the same brand and two red packets of snacks, just like the ones in his hands. It was as if they had both come to the store with the same idea in mind, to buy the same things. Jonathan handed the back back to her and apologized.
"it's ok" she said with a soft smile.
Jonathan nodded, his words sticking in his throat. He quickly turned away, eager to get back to Joshua...
but as she was about to make her way to the checkout counter, something on the floor caught the girl's attention. She bent down to pick it up—an intricately designed necklace with a letter "J" dangling from it. She gave the necklace a looked.
Her eyes widened for a brief moment, and she murmured to herself, "It must be his…"
She glanced quickly in Jonathan's direction, but he was already out of sight, heading toward the exit. She ran after him, but by the time she got outside, he was gone.
She gave the neckless another look before putting it in her pocket... "maybe next time I see him I will return it to him" she said before heading back to the store.
Back at the park, Jonathan arrived, still feeling the odd sensation of that encounter in the store. Joshua, oblivious to his friend's inner turmoil, eagerly grabbed the snacks and soda. The two friends sat together, enjoying the evening as they had always done, but in Jonathan's mind, the image of the girl lingered.
....
.......
As the night stretched on, Jonathan found himself unable to shake the memory. Who was she? Why did she make him feel so… unsettled?.
The night dragged on, and as he lay in bed, Jonathan couldn't sleep. His mind was consumed with thoughts of the girl—her eyes, her smile. He couldn't just get her image out of his mind.
damn...it!!
"Am I really going crazy just like that"..he shouted at himself lightly...as he sits up on the bed....
the night grew darker, and finally the cold hands of sleep overpowered him.