✦Happy Little Pill✧

3.

I've skipped school twice this week. My parents decided to take a spontaneous trip to Italy with my dad's side of the family since my grandfather died. They don't know I've skipped, and they won't. I've been at the park a lot, it wasn't home, so it was already better. I'd sit there almost all day, then I'd leave and sleep. It was foggy today, so I kind of got to hide from people, they tend to stare when I sit here, no visible emotion being shown. I decided though that I should walk around a little, maybe vandalize a tree. I looked at the people strolling through here, it was foggy and therefor no one wanted to be here. I was walking and saw a red balloon in the distance. Does this have to do with the frickin "It" movie? I swear I'll drop kick someone who wants to be cool by planting these everywhere. Fricking stupid people. I walked further and saw the balloon boy leaning on his cart, clown makeup on and everything, even a tiny black top hat. I rolled my eyes. "You're gonna scare people with those red balloons!" I yelled. He looked up and grinned.

"I put them as advertising. Balloon?" He asked straightening up. I shook my head. "No ones here today. Business is slow." I nodded my head slowly.

"That's what happens when people aren't here, you don't make money. Very mundane observation." I groaned as I wiped my eyes. My grandfather used to buy me balloons when I was little. He looked over at me and giggled. How does he giggle at that? I looked over and raised an eyebrow. He put a hand over his mouth trying to silence his laughter. I rolled my eyes and looked around.

"I've noticed you here for the past few days." He said. I quirked an eyebrow and looked at him confused, he copied me but started to smile. Honestly, his visual happiness was starting to annoy me. I wish I was always happy go lucky, but my life was full of dumbasses.

"Can you stop smiling so much? Calm down." I said, slight irritation in my voice. His smile was bumped down to a grin as he shook his head.

"Nope." He simply replied. I didn't know what to say to this guy. He was just--happy for no reason. I guess he didn't even really need a reason either. "Why are you here so much?" He asked looking at me. I wasn't meeting his gaze, but I could see him out of the corner of my eye.

"Because I want to. Because I don't want to be at home." I admitted. I felt his hand pat my back and I quickly stepped away. I looked at him, a sudden anger bubbling up. "What the hell?! Do you just touch who you want?! Are you a creepy pedo or something?!" I asked angered. The balloon boy looked at me a little hurt, and retracted his hand. He looked away, but didn't cry. He looked like the kind of person who cried at everything. Suddenly a little boy came over to the boys cart.

"Hello! Would you like a balloon?" He asked, a smile again on his face. He looked as happy and excited as the little boy was. I scoffed and walked away.

"Unreal." I mumbled. I walked a ways to a little river over a hill. I sat there throwing rocks into the moving stream. What's that guys issue? I asked myself. "Touch me. Pfft, yeah, try me." I muttered to myself. I thought about my grandfather, and how much time we used to spend with each other. He taught me Italian when I was little and it was the highlight of my day. He took me to the park, out for ice cream, and did what my father didn't care to do. I felt a rain drop fall on my hand and I decided it was time to go home. I stood up and pick up a skipping stone. I shifted and kissed the rock. "Mi manca tuo nonno. Ti amo." I said quietly before skipping the rock across the river. I turned on my heel and walked up the hill, and back to the main park. I saw that the balloon boys cart was gone. Probably a good idea since it was starting to rain steadily. As I walked near the bench, I saw a black balloon tied to the bench with a message written in silver sharpie one it. "Smile a little." It said with a smiley face. "I wonder who this was from?" I wondered aloud sarcastically. I took it though, and walked home with it. I got stared at, but that didn't matter.
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I went home and stripped myself of my wet clothes and changed into my sweats. I relaxed on the couch as I heard a clap of thunder. I looked through my phone, also seeing I had a text from Bert.

'Hey man. Just wanted to say sorry for punching you. Hang at the mall tomorrow?'

I smiled and shook my head, texting him back saying that it sounded good. I turned the television on and watched the news for a little while before I grew bored. I looked at the balloon that I tied to my bag strap. Interesting guy. I looked at the messy handwriting and grinned. He looked like he wrote all fancy, but it was scrawled on there with no effort. I shrugged and turned back to the show I was watching. I looked outside at the rain and thought of Jamia. She loved the rain. She liked photography too. Perfect mix I guess. I grinned at the thought of her and decided to text her. I sent her a simple "hello" and waited for a reply. I was going to the kitchen and I was again stopped again by the balloon. The balloon boy was so weird and unique, and that was captivating. I shook my head and grabbed a plum, heading back to my seat. My phone dinged and I saw that Jamia texted me back.

'Hey, Frank! What's up?'

I smiled  lazily at my phone. The rain was beating down outside, but the balloon boy wasn't on my mind anymore. Jamia was, someone significant to me.