Chap. 06-Revelations

Dexter and I were sitting on the most comfortable bench in the back garden of restaurant.Bench was surrounded by several fountains,which were not jetting water. We were done with our pathetic jokes as our stomachs were paining for laughing so hard.I had no mood to return to the dinner and so did Dexter.

"So you just graduated from Lawrence Park High School?"Dexter questioned out of the blue but I guess it was a nice try to consummate the awkward silence building between us.

"Yeah,and you?" I asked crossing my legs over the bench.

His blue eyes were focused

forward into nothingness?

"I am going to start my business in San Francisco and came here to get some tips form your dad." He hesitated while he spoke. I noticed he wasn't comfortable while he spoke about his business. I guessed because it reminded him of his parents.

" It's really impressive to start your own business at your age." I tried to motivate him.

" What if you're not good enough?"

" Well...I think if you really really want to be something in life then there is no force in the world that can stop you. You just have to be honest with yourself and know what you're doing is for your betterment. Simple."

I shrugged.

" You sound like my Grandma." He smiled for the first time since we came here.

" Do I sound that old?" I giggled but he didn't. As quickly as his smile appeared, the more quicker it vanished.

" Umm...the weather is quite pleasant." I tried to kill the awkwardness with the only sentence I could come up at that time.

He stood up from the bench and shoved his hands in his pockets. His back was facing me.

" Maybe dad's decision to leave his business to me was a wrong one." He said it so quietly that if I wasn't standing close to him I wouldn't have heard him. It seemed like he wasn't talking to me but to himself. So I remained quiet.

All of a sudden all four fountains jetted water into the air and wetted us mercilessly. I couldn't help smile. I spreaded my hands and ran in the heart of the fountain. I raised my head to the sky and began to move in circles. Water was striking my eyes, nose, lips and all of my body and it felt so good. For the first time since the park incident, I felt alive.

I opened my eyes and stopped moving. I looked at Dexter and he was standing away from the fountain and observing me. I raised my eyebrows and asked him to join me but he shook his head. I smirked at him.

" Don't even think. I'll kill you Sylvia." Dexter warned as I took a step towards him.

I ran towards him but he began to ran further away. Finally, I reached him and quickly jumped on his back, soaking his clothes too. He lost balance and we both fell down, side by side.

" Ow!" He winced.

" I won!" I screamed as the fountain soaked both of us.

We both splashed water on each other.

" Stop!" I said as his splash hit me hard.

" You started this!" He said sending another splash.

" Fine! Now stop!" He stopped and we both sat under the fountain as water covered the entire area.

He looked at me and then at his clothes. I rolled in the fits of laughter. He stared at me for a few seconds then slowly he too began to laugh.

Dexter ran a hand through his hair and moved further towards the fountain.He didn't even bother helping me get up. Wow,what a gentleman! Note the sarcasm.

I got up and ran after him. His white shirt was soaking in water.He rolled his sleeves and unbuttoned the top of his dress shirt. If I say he was not looking handsome then I would be lieing. We danced in water,jumping and splashing water on each other. Two men proceeded towards us.They were wearing the restaurants uniform with their monolog.

"Sir, you should get inside,the weather is quite cold." He gestured towards the inside hall.Before we could obey,an enthusiastic Celeste came out.She stopped dead in her tracks after seeing us and a surprised expression was visible on her face.

" Is it raining?" She moved her face back and forth between me and Dexter.

" Ummm...no." Dexter and I said in usion.

"Don't tell me you guys soaked yourselves in these fountains?" She asked.

"What if I say yes?" I asked.

"Oh God." She huffed."Anyways I came here to inform you guys that Jacob and Olivia left early and we'll be heading back alone." She clapped her hands.

"Let's go then." Dexter declared,leading the way.

...

Sebastien was accelerating the car with each passing minute.The car screeched from every sharp turn,making us yelp in fear.The road wasn't busy which was fortunate enough. Dexter kept cursing under his breath and Celeste was busy, calming Sébastien down.

"Sebastien slow down,I don't want to die yet!" I exclaimed over the high volume of song,playing in car. Either he ignored it or he didn't hear me.I shook his arm hard,drawing his attention to me.He smirked and once again put his foot on the accelerater.

I screamed on top of my lungs.I could see a wall in front of us, some meters away.We were surely going to crash into it.Adrenaline was building inside me. I put my hand on my heart and closed my eyes.The car screeched and came to a hault.Did we crash? But I didn't hear any sort of commotion. I slowly and gradually opened my eyes.

"You actually thought I would crash my car into the wall?" Sebastian asked, while looking at Celeste in the rear view mirror?

"If the car belonged to me you would have let it crash?" She asked.

"Maybe..." He cocked a smile.

“ Dexter?” I whispered.

As I had glanced to my right, I saw Dexter’s head bowing down, eyes closed as his fingers slowly massaged his temples.

He didn’t answer.

I touched his shoulder but he quickly opened the door and climbed out.

“ Let me handle this.” Celeste stated as she followed Dexter out.

“ What’s the big deal,huh? I just drove the car, fast. How can that be a problem?” Sebastian complained to me as I was the only one left in car.

“ Some people are sensitive to some things . You need to learn to corporate.” I sighed.

“ Sensitive? Seriously? He’s a man and he gotta drive cars all the time. I don’t understand this . He’s not a ki...” I cut him off.

“ His parents died in a car accident.”

First he stared at me for a second then slowly he spoke.

“ Ho...wha...When?”

“ fifteen years ago.” I gazed out of the window and saw Celeste talking while Dexter nodded.

“ I can’t believe this. Celeste never told me.”

“ Maybe she’s not comfortable talking about it.” I shrugged.

“ Probably.” He nodded. “ I think I can relate to it. You know how my parents used to bully me?”

I nodded.

“ I’m sorry for that.”

“ Doesn’t matter. They weren’t my real parents. Anyways, so I think I know how they feel.” He glanced at them from the window.

“ But the difference is, I don’t have a sister to pull me through hard times.” He sadly smiled.

“ Oh yes, you have. Come here.” I opened my arms and we hugged weirdly as he was in the front seat and I in the back.

In that time the door opened and Celeste climbed in the front seat.

“ Where’s Dexter?”

“ Oh he left.” The look on Celeste’s face told us she didn’t want to talk further so we dropped the topic.

“ I’m sorry, Celeste.” Sebastian stated.

“ It’s okay. Let’s go.” She smiled at him.

In that moment, while sitting in the back seat, I realized a few things. First, people are not as bad as we think they are. Every person has its own story. We should never judge them before knowing it. Second, we don’t have much time. Every moment is changing. We should never delay in apologizing to someone, forgiving someone and making someone feel good. You never know, this very moment may not be tomorrow.

...