Chapter 3

3

Today would be a most excellent day.

From across the street, I admired the new building. It no longer had broken windows covered with boards. I missed the graffiti. The fence with missing sections had been removed. I’d miss the youths who hung out front breaking glass bottles for entertainment. In its place was a building best described as nice .

“Change is good,” I reminded myself. Earth Mom taught me life is always changing. I could either hang on to the past or embrace the future. At least the ruffians shouting colorful phrases hadn’t changed.

I paused at the intersection, waiting for the crosswalk sign to turn green. “All laws matter,” I hummed. Humans loved their laws. I hadn’t quite figured out their justice system. Sometimes, bad guys were good, and good guys were bad. I found it confusing, but I was determined to be an upstanding citizen.

“Green!”

I paused, checking the road, left, then right. I peaked left one more time for good measure. With the coast clear, I jogged across the street, holding my brown fedora against the top of my head. The sidewalk led down a path that wrapped around a water fountain. I’d be sure to spend my lunch breaks here listening to the water… unless the ducks found me.

Slabs of broken concrete had been replaced with benches and greenery in every direction. This little forest almost hid the building itself. It wasn’t as big as the forest around Earth Mom’s house, but it’d do for a quick chocolaty snack. It took a little convincing, but I could see how change improved the building. Even the Synergy Research he bordered on fearless.

“I talked to him again this morning. He’s very handsome.”

Impossible to believe, but Kiki’s smile grew wider. At this rate she was more stretched lip than face. “So you like like him.”

“I don’t understand.” I suppose I liked him two times more than normal.

“Remember how we talked about your friend circle? Some people are casual friends, and others are your close friends. And then there’s?—”

“Special friends. Like Arthur and Ricardo.”

Kiki nodded. “Do you think he could be a special friend?”

Whenever Arthur talked about Ricardo, the corner of his lip turned upward. Talking about his special friend made him so happy he couldn’t hide it from the room. Janet teased him about his beau, or as she called Ricardo, “Arthur’s man toy.” Together, they found any reason to touch, but it always warmed my heart when they held hands.

“Maybe?” Did I want Dustin to be a special friend? I had never had one before. Seeing him in his uniform, I wanted to touch him. He made my little friend stiffen in my pants.

“Why don’t you ask him out?”

“Out where?”

“Out.” Kiki’s head dropped. That happened when I missed an obvious answer. “Ask him if he’d like to go on a date with you.”

A date? I saw that on the television. They’d go to the movies or dinner while happy music played in the background. “What if he says no?”

Kiki shrugged. “That’s part of being human. Sometimes, the person you want to be your special friend only wants to be your regular friend. But you’ll never know if you don’t ask.”

“I’ll ask him if he wants a special friend.”

Kiki’s hands covered her face. “No. No. That takes time. Ask Dustin if he’d like to do something you find enjoyable.”

“I like candy.”

Now, her hands thrust toward me. Kiki rarely got this animated. “Yes. Ask him if he’d like to go to the candy store. Try different chocolates together. That sounds like fun.”

“I want to touch him.”

Kiki unfolded her legs and slipped her feet into her sandals. Her gown bellowed about her as she walked over. Offering her hand, she helped me to my feet.

“Don’t rush into it.” She guided me to the door. “I think you’ll know when it’s ready to touch him. And if you’re not sure, ask.”

“That doesn’t sound hard.”

She chuckled. “Wyatt, you’re about to experience mankind’s biggest struggle.”

“Eating chocolate?”

“Finding your special someone.”

Her last words were ominous, even scary, and yet, I couldn’t wait until I saw Dustin again. With coaching over, I needed to get back to work… or imagine holding hands with the handsome security guard on the first floor.