Chapter 9: The Park

"How would you feel about going on a date with me?"

Jake noticed my shocked expression and immediately laughed, the sound filling the room like a breath of fresh air.

"I'm kidding, Aiden!" he said, his dimples deepening as he grinned. "Don't look so freaked out."

I exhaled in relief, feeling my heart return to a normal rhythm. "You really had me going there," I muttered, running a hand through my hair.

Jake shrugged, still smiling. "I couldn't resist. But, seriously, how about we hang out today? We could go to the mall or catch a movie or something. It's the weekend, after all."

I blinked, still processing his sudden shift in mood. "Uh, sure," I said, trying to shake off the awkwardness. "That sounds fine."

Jake's smile grew even wider. "Great! I'll let you get ready. We can leave whenever you're good to go."

He walked out of my room, leaving me standing there, still a bit thrown off by what just happened. A date? I couldn't help but think about it for a moment longer, but I quickly pushed the thought away. He was just joking.

Right?

I walked downstairs, and as I turned the corner into the living room, I found Jake sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked up when he heard my footsteps, his face lighting up with that familiar smile.

"Ready?" he asked, already standing up.

I nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

Jake led the way out of the house, and we walked side by side toward the street. The air was crisp, and the sun was just starting to break through the clouds, giving the day a nice, calm vibe.

"So," I began, trying to ease the lingering awkwardness, "what exactly did you have in mind? The mall, right?"

Jake grinned, his dimples appearing again. "Yeah, but we could just walk around first and see where the day takes us. It's the weekend. No rush."

We walked in comfortable silence for a while, the kind of silence that felt easy and not forced. After a few minutes, we reached the mall. There was a slight buzz of activity as people milled about, doing their weekend shopping or meeting up with friends.

Jake turned to me. "Want to grab some food first?"

I thought about it for a second. "Sure, I'm starving."

We made our way to the food court, where we decided on a simple place to eat. While we were waiting for our orders, we talked about random things... school, the stuff we used to do on weekends, and even some of Jake's past adventures before he moved here.

As we ate, I found myself feeling more at ease around him. It wasn't like the heavy, tense atmosphere I'd felt the past few days. It was lighter, more natural.

"So," I said, eyeing Jake, "You really like doing this, huh? Just... hanging out and being carefree?"

Jake leaned back in his chair and grinned. "I mean, yeah. Why not? Life's short. Gotta make the most of it, right?"

I nodded, feeling a little lighter myself. Maybe this was what I needed... just to relax and not worry too much. Just enjoy the moment.

After we finished eating, Jake suggested we catch a movie. "How about a horror movie? You up for it?"

I wasn't sure. I had never been a huge fan of horror movies, but I didn't want to seem like a coward, so I just shrugged. "Sure, I'm fine with it."

Jake grinned, clearly excited. "Awesome! Let's do it."

We got the tickets and made our way into the theater. The lights dimmed, and the previews started rolling. I shifted in my seat, trying to make myself comfortable, but the growing sense of unease settled in. It wasn't too late to bail, but I told myself to tough it out.

As the movie started, things felt relatively normal at first. The suspenseful music, the eerie silence... it wasn't that bad, right? But as soon as the first jump scare hit, I flinched hard, squeezing my eyes shut and clenching my fists. My heart raced, and I tried to keep my cool, hoping Jake didn't notice. But of course, he did.

I could hear him chuckling quietly beside me, the sound of his laughter mixed with the tense atmosphere of the movie. I looked at him, embarrassed. "Shut up, I'm fine," I whispered.

But as the movie went on, it kept getting worse. Every few minutes, I'd jump or squeeze my eyes shut, trying to shield myself from whatever horrific thing was about to happen. I was getting more and more uncomfortable, but I didn't want to admit it out loud.

Jake must've realized I wasn't handling it well, though, because after a particularly intense scene, I felt something warm brush against my hand. At first, I thought it was just the armrest, but when I looked down, I saw Jake's hand resting gently on mine, his fingers just slightly brushing against mine in a comforting gesture.

I looked up at him, surprised, and Jake gave me a soft, reassuring smile. "It's alright," he said quietly, "You're good. Just relax."

His presence was calming, and for the first time during the movie, I didn't feel quite so tense. Slowly, I allowed myself to relax a little, still flinching here and there, but now with Jake's hand there, I felt a little more at ease.

As the movie continued, I could focus a bit more, even though my heart was still pounding from the scares. I kept my hand resting in his, and it helped me get through the rest of the film without losing my mind completely.

By the time the credits rolled, I was exhausted from both the movie and trying to keep it together. But despite the initial embarrassment, I realized I'd actually enjoyed myself... especially with Jake there.

"See? Told you it wasn't that bad," Jake teased, his dimples deepening as he laughed.

I rolled my eyes, but there was no denying it... having him there made everything a little less terrifying.

After we left the theater, my heart was still racing a little from all the scares. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, shaking my head as we walked out into the bright afternoon sunlight.

Jake stretched his arms above his head, looking way too relaxed for someone who had just watched a horror movie. "That was fun," he said, grinning at me. "But you looked like you were about to pass out a few times."

I scoffed, pretending to be unbothered. "I was fine."

Jake chuckled. "Sure you were."

I was about to argue back when Jake suddenly suggested, "Let's go to the park. Just sit around and chill for a bit."

I blinked at him. "The park?"

"Yeah. It's nice outside, and we've been indoors all day. Let's just relax," he said casually.

I didn't have any reason to refuse, so I nodded. "Alright, fine."

The park wasn't far from the mall, just a short walk away. When we arrived, the place was peaceful... just a few people walking their dogs, some kids playing, and a few joggers passing by. The air was cool, the trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the whole atmosphere felt… calming.

Jake led the way to a bench under a tree, and we both sat down. For a while, neither of us spoke. We just sat there, watching the world go by in comfortable silence.

Then, as I looked around the park, a familiar feeling crept into my chest. My eyes scanned the area, and suddenly, memories started flooding back.

This place…

I had been here before. Many times.

A small child's laughter echoed in my mind, a memory long buried but never forgotten.

I stared at the empty swings, at the large tree near the center of the park. It was the same tree where I used to sit with him... my childhood friend. The one who had protected me, made me laugh, and gave me this necklace I still wore around my neck every day.

I reached up, my fingers brushing against the small moon pendant. My heart ached at the thought of him.

He used to be here. With me.

And then, one day, he was gone.

Jake must have noticed the change in my expression because he turned to me with a slight frown. "You okay?"

I hesitated, gripping the pendant tightly. "Yeah… just remembering something."

Jake didn't push for more details. Instead, he just nodded, his warm presence grounding me as I got lost in my thoughts.

Jake's eyes shifted to the necklace resting against my chest. His gaze lingered on the small moon pendant, and before I could react, he reached out and gently touched it with his fingers.

"This necklace…" he murmured, his voice softer than usual.

I stiffened at the sudden contact, feeling my heartbeat quicken for reasons I didn't quite understand. "What about it?" I asked, trying to sound casual, but there was a slight edge to my voice.

Jake didn't answer immediately. He just stared at the pendant, his expression unreadable. Then, after a moment, he looked up at me, something strange flickering in his eyes. "Where did you get this?"

I hesitated. It wasn't a secret or anything, but for some reason, telling Jake felt different. "A… childhood friend gave it to me," I admitted, my fingers instinctively wrapping around the pendant as if to shield it. "A long time ago."

Jake was quiet for a moment. Then he smiled, but there was something off about it... something almost nostalgic. "I see," he said simply, leaning back against the bench.

I watched him closely, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu. There was something about the way he looked at the pendant, the way he reacted to it, that made my chest tighten.

But before I could think too much about it, Jake stretched his arms and changed the subject. "Well, it's getting late. Want to grab something to drink before heading back?"

I nodded, pushing away the uneasy feeling lingering in my mind. "Yeah, sure."

As we stood up and left the park, I couldn't shake the thought that something about this moment felt too familiar... like I had lived it before, but I couldn't quite remember when.

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