Secrets

03 » FIRST FIGHT

88 days before

There's this very old and rusted swing set at the park in town. It hasn't been fixed since I was a kid.

Even so, I still come here to think, and there's something bothering me.

The park now is always deserted, except maybe a few boys playing football on the oval. I guess what parents say is true; phones and the internet is literally taking over the kids of our generation.

I texted Miles, because I wanted to talk to him. I know it's not just me when I say he's been acting strange lately. I called his house, and I asked his mum if it's just me, but she told me it wasn't just me, that his father and his mum have also been noticing his strange behavior. But, his parents had no clue why.

I swing back and forth on one of the rusted swings, the chains squeaking as I go back and forth, then back and forth again in a pattern. I stare at my feet, my hands curled around the rusted chains. It's only July, and it's winter here. I wish it was summer, I hated the cold.

Miles was late, though he'd said he would be here within ten minutes. Okay, so he's five minutes late and I shouldn't be so impatient but I really need to speak to him.

☁︎

Another five minutes later, and I see him walking across the oval with his hands in his pockets. His eyes, they're trained on the grass and not ahead. The cold air, shows the little clouds he forms with his breath as he breathes.

Once he's closer, he makes eye contact with me. And when he's within one centimetre from me he finals speaks to me.

"Hey," he says, taking a seat on the swing beside me. It squeaks as he sits down, curling his fingers around the chains, also.

"Hey," I reply, turning my head to look at him.

"Why'd you want to talk to me?" he asks and I sigh.

"I wanted to know what's wrong with you lately? You've been acting strange and-"

"Tay," Miles starts but I shake my head.

"No, Miles." I argue. "If this is about your parents still, I don't know what to say. I mean, I told you that parents fight."

"And I've already told you, I don't know what they're fighting about even if it's about me."

"Well, I think you do and you just don't want to tell me. Miles, I'm your best friend. Please, can't you just open up to me and tell me you're not okay because of whatever they're fighting about and-"

"I'm fine, honestly Tay." He tries to reassure me but I shake my head once more.

"No, you're not!" I argue again, and Miles doesn't have an answer to me this time.

I swing back and forth again, but ever so slightly. Why can't he just tell me he's not okay? Maybe his parents are going to divorce and it's tearing him apart. Maybe it's best for them to divorce, maybe that's what he needs to hear.

"I think it's best they divorce," I say. Miles jerks his head up at my reponse.

"Tay, I've already told you that-"

"Miles you said it yourself that they argue like cat and dog and never divorce. You once said they should, but they never did. Why're you-"

"Taylor!" He cries "They don't want to divorce. That's said and done. My parents told me they just want to make sure I'm okay and they keep disagreeing over what they think is wrong with me and then it ends up in this massive argument. That's what."

"What they think is wrong with you?" I shout "What does that mean?"

Miles rises from the swing and turns to face me.

"You know what, we shouldn't be discussing this. I've told you so many times Tay, they don't want to divorce. Why can't you just accept that?"

He turns on his heels and storms away from me, while I'm left speechless at how we've just had this massive argument over his parents fighting.

This is our first ever argument in the years we've been friends. Our first ever argument in sixteen years.