Come Fly With Me (ch. 3.5)

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by chloeverleaf

by chloeverleaf

(T.J's POV)

I practically sprinted to the park, my breath fighting to catch itself against the cool Shadyside air.

I played hoops for about 20 minutes, until the ball traveled across the asphalt and landed near the playground. I went to pick it up, and heard soft singing drifting from the swingset.

Is that the kid I helped to get a muffin? He's all alone over here, singing a song...I wonder if everything's okay. Maybe I should go over and talk to him.

Carefully, I walked over to where he was, swinging his legs and singing his song.

"Hey, chocolate chocolate chip muffin guy!"

"Uh...hey, scary basketball guy!"

Scary basketball guy? That's how he knows me? Immediately, I felt my face stiffen and arms tense up. I told myself to release the tension, and my face softened.

"Actually, it's T.J...do you come here a lot?"

"Only when I'm feeling awful about myself...so, yes, fairly often."

He's insecure about himself...? I can definitely relate to that. He seems so sweet, though. I don't think he deserves to have those self-deprecating thoughts.

"Mind if I sit?"

He nodded.

I sat on the swing next to him, soon swinging so high that I could nearly reach out and touch the leaves of the tree ahead of me.

"Hey, get up here!" I said, urging him to swing high with me.

"There's no way I'm going to swing that high!"

He must be afraid of heights. How do I ease him?

"We'll see about that!"

Jumping off of my swing, I walked over to Cyrus' swing, where he was slowly dragging his feet against the woodchips.

I put my hands on his back, noticing how soft his shirt felt. There seemed to be heat radiating from his body.

I pushed him with all of my strength, easing him higher and higher until he was screaming with what was hopefully delight.

"Underdog!" I yelled, as I ran under his swing. His swing came to a slow, and he began to drag his feet to stop himself. I grabbed hold of the chains on the swingset in order to make the halt easier.

"That was exhilarating!"

"Did you want more?"

"Uh...no, that's okay."

Was that a challenge? I smirked, catching myself staring at his red cheeks and frustrated, knit-together brows. Whoa, get it together T.J.

"Too bad..." I said as I ran back over to push him some more.

I pushed him for a long time. I began losing track of time, until I stared ahead at the setting sun on the horizon and realized I promised to be home by dark.

I said a rushed goodbye to Cyrus and ran off, only in the hopes that I made his day a tiny bit better like he did mine.