The last traces of sunlight slowly fading into the horizon.
At this time of day, people often head to the park to enjoy the fresh air...Jovan and Jason were no exception.
They had made plans to meet right after school, just like they did every other week. But this time, they were all set for a bike ride. Jason walked toward Jovan's house, He had knocked on this door countless times before, it felt like a second home to him. Standing at the entrance, he raised his hand and knocked on the door three times.
Knock...knock...knock...
"Who's there?"
a voice came from the inside, one he recognized well.
A smile crept on Jason's face as he recognized the voice. It was Rose, Jovan's mom. He had spent so much time in this house that he recognized everyone by they voice.
"It's Jason" he responded.
He heard footsteps approaching, and the door creaked open to reveal Rose, a lovely middle-aged woman with a beautiful futures.
Her face lit up as soon as she saw him. "Jason, how are you?" she asked.
"Come in, Jovan just finishing his lunch. He will be out in a minute"
Jason stepped inside, feeling a wave of familiarity wash over him.
"Jovan!... Jason is here!"
Rose called out to Jovan as she guided him to the living room.
Jason settled on the couch, trying to ignore the rumbling in his stomach. It had been a long day at school, but the excitement for the ride had made him forget taking his lunch. Moments later, Jovan appeared, looking just as eager as Jason.
"How many plates of food did you eat that took you so long to finish? Don't tell me you are now competing with fatty!" Jason teased.
Hahaha...
Jovan laughed.
The two exchanged a playful moments before heading outside.
The familiar sound of their bikes clicking into gear as they took off, the wind whipping through their hair and their laughter ringing out through the streets.
"Ready for a little competition?" Jovan asked with a smile.
"You think you would win this time..hun?..you are going down today... Jason declared confidently, giving his chest a playful thump.
Jovan was usually the faster one, but Jason was never one to back down easily. They zipped down the streets.
"Let's see who gets there first!" Jason shouted, pushing harder on the pedals to close the gap between them.
Jovan chuckled, glancing back over his shoulder. "You really never get tired of losing, do you?"
Jason smiled. "This time, it's going to be different"..he said.
Jonathan smirked. "Alright then, let's see what you have got".
With that, they both pushed forward as they raced toward the park, the familiar streets blurring past them as they navigated different streets, each trying to outpace the other.
======
Thirty minutes later, they finally reached the park. Jason collapsed one of the benches, breathless and gasping for air. The park was buzzing with people, families enjoying the evening, kids playing, and couples strolling along the paths. It was the kind of scene that made the exhaustion from the ride feel totally worth it.
"I am dead"..Jovan said as he slumped against the bench.
Jovan, though still catching his breath, wasn't far behind in exhaustion. "You almost beat me today"... he said with a grin, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Good job!"
Jason shook his head, a playful frown on his face. "What's the point? I still lost."
Hahaha..
Jovan laughed.
"Don't celebrate too soon. I am not letting you win next time."
The two friends burst into laughter, letting the stress from their race go away as they sat in the cool evening breeze.
After a brief moment of silence, Jason got up and stretched his arms. "I will go grab some snacks from the store"...he said and stood up from the bench.
Jovan waved him off. "Nah, I have got it this time. You bought last time, remember?"
Jason raised an eyebrow but couldn't help but smile. "Alright, it's your treat then"...he replied, settling back onto the bench.
Jovan made his way to the nearby store across the park. It was just a quick walk to the local convenience store, where they always picked up their favorite snacks and sodas after their ride. Jovan stepped inside the store.
After grabbing their usual sodas from the fridge, he was about to head to the checkout when he bumped into someone.
Thud!!!...
The sound of bags crashing to the floor echoed in the small space. Jovan looked up to see who he had collided with.
His gaze met another pair of stunning eyes. A young girl with fair skin and long, dark glestering hair. Honestly, she was beautiful.
They locked eyes for what felt like an eternity. Jovan swallowed the last liquid left in his mouth, trying to regain his composure. Normally, Jovan wasn't a fan of girls to begin with, he wasn't the type that is interested in appreciating beauties nor praise girls.... but today he couldn't deny the fact that the girl in front of him was gorgeous.
Jovan quickly snapped out of it....
"Ahh...I am 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 the things she has bought, 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. Jovan handed the bag back to her and apologized.
"It's okay," she replied with a smile.
Jovan nodded. He quickly turned away and walked off the place.
But just as she was about to head to the checkout counter, something on the floor caught her eye. She bent down to pick it up, and it turned out to be a well designed necklace with a letter "J" dangling from it. She gave the necklace a closer look.
Her eyes widened for a moment, and she whispered to herself, "It must be his…"
She quickly glanced in Jovan's direction, but he was already out of sight, making his way toward the exit. She chased after him, but by the time she stepped outside, he had vanished.
She took another look at the necklace before putting it into her pocket. "Maybe next time I see him, I will return it" she thought as she made her way back to the store.
Meanwhile, at the park, Jovan arrived, still feeling the strange sensation from that encounter in the store. Jason completely unaware of his friend's inner conflict, eagerly grabbed the snacks and soda. The two friends settled down together, enjoying the evening as they always did, but Jovan couldn't shake the image of the girl from his mind.
====
As the night goes on, Jonathan couldn't sleep. His mind was consumed with thoughts of the girl he mate earlier at the store. 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.