Basil's Hope

Everything

Basil found himself staring. His hand tingled as he held Sunny's hand. Sunny turned his head and caught his gaze.

"We should head back," Basil pointed out, regretting what he said as the words left his mouth. "Polly doesn't like me being out late".

The boys nodded to each other, then stood up. Basil was hyper-aware of the fact that Sunny's hand left his. He wanted to run away and hide, but he forced his legs to stay planted as Sunny stood up.

They both made an effort to keep their heads down, not looking at the lake. It brought back too many memories. Of Mari, of those three, terrible days...

Splash!

Basil jerked his head up and looked sharply at the water. But no one else was there, and Sunny was already ahead of him, about to leave the park. The water was calm. Yellow stripes of light bounced off of its surface. A fish must have swam up to the surface, because he saw the water ripple sharply.

Did he hold my hand to be friendly? he found himself wondering.

Basil must have been staring for a minute or two because when he snapped out of it, Sunny was looking back at him hesitantly from behind the rails. Basil avoided eye contact. He wondered if Sunny did the same.

No one else was in the park this late. The sun was nearly fully set below the horizon, and the street lights blinked on in unison. It hurt Basil's eyes. He rubbed them to clear his vision.

He heard a strange heaving noise and adjusted his vision to see Sunny, with the same usual empty look, standing beside him. His chest revealed that he was breathing rapidly.

Basil's eyes widened in shock. What's bothering him? he thought frantically, looking for a way to help.

"Let's sit down," Basil said, grabbing his friend's arm and pulling him to the picnic bench.

They sat side by side on the right side of the bench, with the plaza down the street behind them. Basil wanted to help his anxious friend, but seeing other people panic, made him panic too. He wasn't sure what to do to help.

"What's wrong?" He asked his friend quietly. Sunny sat with his hands calmly in his lap. He stared at the picnic table with a blank face. The only thing giving away his panicked state was his breath.

Sunny places his hands on the table with his fingers intertwined, and turned his body towards Basil. He didn't look into his eyes. "The lights," he started. "They remind me of something".

They sat together in momentary silence. Crickets erupted in their chorus.

"What does it remind you of?" Basil asked, leaning forward, trying to look at Sunny's face to give him a reassuring look.

Sunny didn't reply. Instead, he tensed up.

"Well, it's okay, you don't have to tell me." Basil reassured him, "and I promise you're alright. Whatever is bothering you, it isn't real, or it's in the past".

Sunny dipped his head, so all Basil only see his dark hair. It bobbed as Sunny nodded slowly. Basil began taking slow, deep breaths to help his friend calm down.

Oooo, ahhh.

He felt something touch his shoulder lightly and jumped, startled. However, it was just Sunny's hand, giving him a reassuring pat. Basil touched it kindly with his opposite arm.

Once the panicked boy calmed down enough, he turned to Basil. He leaned in close to his face. "Thank you," he whispered.

Basil blushed deeply. He didn't know how to stop himself. A bought of panic filled his chest as he noticed his face fill with warmth. "No problem," he replied.

Sunny grabbed Basil's hand and pulled him out of his seat. He lead him out of the park and down the street towards the boy's home. Basil tried his best to hide his smile, covering his face with his hand shyly.

Stars began to pop into existence overhead as clouds rolled past in the near-night sky. Basil tried to get a better look at the night sky as they walked home, hand-in-hand. The light of the lamp posts partially blinded him as they walked under them.

Basil saw Sunny look up as well in his peripherals. The world felt perfect under the night sky with Sunny. Like everything was okay again.

Everything is okay again.

When the boys turned onto his street, Basil hastily retreated his hand away from Sunny's. He refused to look at the other boy, and could feel his face growing hot again. There was no way he would let Polly see them holding hands. She'd make a whole thing of it, he thought, trying not to picture her reaction as to not upset himself.

Basil pushed forward and opened the door to see Polly finishing tidying up the room. She must have been waiting for the boys to come home. He thought that she looked worried.

Polly smiled at Sunny as he entered behind Basil. "Sunny? Look at you," she said, coming forward to put her hands on his face. "You're all grown up!" Basil stood with his arms crossed impatiently. His cheeks were red, but because of his embarrassment over Polly, not holding hands this time.

Then she turned to Basil and gave a small encouraging smile. "I set up the air mattress on your floor," she told him kindly. "You should let your friend get the bed," she added as Basil grabbed Sunny's arm and pulled him towards his bedroom.

"Thanks!" Basil called. Sunny nodded his head towards Polly respectfully.

As the door to his room creaked open, Basil felt a large bout of fear in his chest. What does he want out of us? he asked himself again and again. It felt as if time was in slow motion as all of his fears filled his head.

As Basil debated whether he should pretend nothing happened, like they never held hands, he heard the door to his room close. Sunny was suddenly very close to him. He was a bit taller, so he looked down at him. He looked down into Basil's eyes.

Sunny's face was like a masterful sculpture: beautiful, smooth. Every curve and imperfection was purposeful. His eyes were like rare gems that he cherished. Although they stood there for just a moment, to Basil it felt like forever. A moment he knew he would never forget.

It felt like fireworks were exploding in Basil's chest. As if from his dreams, Sunny leaned in closer, and closer, and closer, until his lips locked with Basil's.