Footsteps could be heard in the distance, slowly becoming louder and louder. I looked up.
"I can't believe you would zhend me zhose no brain, fourth grade bâtards! I was almost killed you asshole!"
"Chris, I thought you were killed?"
"Dog bites don't kill people, dumbass!"
"They can if they are severe eno-"
"TAIS-TOI! Where the hell were you? You were supposed to signal me when the dogs came!"
"That was their job."
"I MEAN IF THEY COULDN'T! Stop making excusez, Gregory. I do not care for them, nor do I believe them." He walked away, kicking rocks until he was out of my line of sight.
The next day, he ignored me. I tried getting his attention all sorts of ways:
Calling his name, tapping his shoulder when he passed me, throwing things at him (as long as they wouldn't hurt), but nothing. Later that afternoon I headed to his home.
"Oh, good evening Gregory! What a pleasant surprise! Christophe is upstairs playing in his room." Her bright smile was just enough to convince me that Chris was not related to her at all. I thanked her and headed upstairs. The house smelled heavily of cinnamon, and it was making me hungry; but I didn't want to trouble Miss DeLorne by asking for whatever it was that she had been baking. I assumed he thought I was his mother, because when I knocked on the door, he replied: "I'm not hungry!". I slowly opened the door, but then something hit me square in the face.
"Go away, Gregory. I'm not in the mood. Also, I hate you."
"Chris, please. You don't have to forgive-" Something hit me again.
"Of course I don't! If you think you can just waltz in here like you did, you should expect what's coming to you." Once he was finished, I shuffled over and sat down. Before he could say anything, I began speaking.
"Christophe, listen: I know I wasn't there to help when I needed to have been, and I am deeply sorry. But I was busy keeping the other kids from getting hurt. I knew you would be able to handle yourself, because you are the strongest, most talented person I know. We both had a hard job, but we both were capable of completing them; even if it wasn't the way we planned. I know I wasn't there for you then, but please, let me be here for you now." I looked over at him and then hugged him. He was sniffling quietly, so I began rubbing his back. He tried to push me away, but I wouldn't let go. We stayed like that for a few more moments until he looked at me and said this: "I forgive you, asshole." He leaned in and we kissed for a few seconds, and I headed home.
I'll never forget that night,
because that's when I finally got to see Christophe's sweet side.
