Chapter 12

It's a nice day suprisingly, clear sky, sun shining brightly, okay, the sun shining is somewhat exagerated. It only happens once a year, and it's before in the middle of the year.

At least, we're gonna enjoy this day, first day of the town's festival. I hope it will last for a week.

Ollie's very first. I smile. I talked to him a while back, him and his dad are going to join us for later, they're just gonna have to run some errand.

Mom and Alex are about to finish making the curry, the mayor requested. Earlier, me and the team have completed hanging the colorful lanterns in the streets and some in the arena .

"Put your shoes Con." I say, as I jog to the car. "We're going to see Jensen." I say.

"Does he not drive?" she says, catching up.

The car rattles like before, "Yeah."

"But why we need to go and fetch him?" she asks begrudgingly.

"Can we just go and see Ollie?" eyes almost dewey.

"Ollie and his father'll join us in few." I say, pressing the gas. The smoke have at least become less blacker.

I grab her seatbelt and put it on. I had to babysit Connie for the day, since mom and Alex are going to finish the curry and deliver it to the mayor's place. Talk about responsibilities.

I honk the car when we arrived. It sound like a dying alpaca or whatever it was and I grimaced. I need to fix it somehow.

Jensen comes running through their lawn. His family had the best spot in town. Clean yards, nice neighbors, and lots of food court. "You're going to sit in the back Con." I say, removing the seatbelt. She tried gripping it and gave me her hardest angry face but I ignored. "Off you go."

"Hey man. Hi little bunny." Jensen says then clambered inside.

He look at me quizzically and I shrug.

We pull to the road and head to the town. "Where's Ollie?" he asks.

"They are running some errand." I say.

"Who's they?"

"His dad."

"Ah."

"How's the tutoring going so far?" he asks out of the blue.

I give him a quick gaze and went back to the road. "It's been great." I deadpan.

"No more I reckon?"

"Maybe."

"I see." he says, tapping the window shield. As if there are thoughts running through his mind. Perhaps there was.

Arriving at the town hall, there were at least hundreds of people now littered. I've never seen such crowds before. I park at the most convinient space I could see. There were barely enough space now. The thing about this town is they appear to be poor but when you look at the cars parked at this huge lot, you would think they owned by some business tycoons.

"Put this on Connie." I say, clutching a steel bracelet on her wrist.

"What's that?" she asks, eyeing the ugly thing.

"Just some precautionary measure." I say. She didn't object and obediently wear the bracelet.

Good thing that Jensen's family had some connections with the local authority here or unless he wouldn't be joining the festival competition.

"C'mon, let's go there." Jensen says.

He lift my sister and gave her a piggyback ride. "Hold on tight Con." I say and she smiles.

We pass by some familiar faces but didn't bother to greet. They wouldn't so it's just fair. "I want to eat some cotton candy." Connie says poiting out a colorful cart.

"Sure." Jensen says, trotting to the cart.

I follow them and notice that're more stores than last year. I think the mayor did great this year's festival. One store I noticed and one thing comes to my mind. I smile and thinking Ollie'll like it there.

● ● ●

It's been an hour since we left the house. Connie and Jensen has been walking to and from each stores. Buying things that aren't going to be found in the next few days. I technically became their chaperone. They even left me out with their conversations. I sigh but feel happy regardless.

I texted Ollie prior the last text I made which was five minutes ago, telling me that he didn't expect their errand to run longer than he anticipated. He was sorry and I said it's fine and that me and Connie are having fun in the town hall. Well Connie in more particulary with Jensen. They're basically become a legitimate sibling by now.

"I wish I could join you guys." he says.

"Don't worry we'll see you later." I say. Albeit, the day is getting older. I hope he can stay until dawn.

"Are you guys don't know how to slow down?" I say to them while catching up.

"Catch up granpa." Jensen says, laughing. Connie snickers behind his back. I squinted my eyes then I run towards the duo. They started running from me when they saw me catching up. By the time I catched up to them, we're exhausted. Connie is laughing endlessly on the floor. I tousle her hair and she pouts. It has become untidy from the run. "Don't worry we'll fix it later." I say. Then I lift her to my back.

"My turn." Jensen nods.

During our lunch, mom and Alex have joined. We meet at one of the food courts in the street. Connie requested to eat in a buffet so I and Jensen obliged. It's been a long time since we ate in a place like this.

"Where's Ollie?" Mom asks.

"He's running late." I say.

"Should we wait for him?" Alex says while on her phone.

"Let me give him a call." I say and go to a secluded place.

The line connects in few tries. I guess he's still running an errand with his father.

"Hey I am sorry, this went too long."

"Are you guys wraped up?"

"Yeah."

"Great. We're at a food court. It's on the town hall." I say.

"See you there."

A smile is plastered on my face when I walk back to our table. Alex notices the way I act but didn't comment on it.

"What happened?" Mom asks.

"He said they're on their way."

"That's great. We can eat together."

"Yeah." We order foods for seven people. They can just add some if they want to when they arrive.

We talk in a bit to kill time. Topic was mostly our town's fest and the team standing on the game. We don't fret much about it since we know that the game will be a piece of cake.

"Are you ready for the Junior League?" Jensen asks, whose smile can light up the whole town.

"I think I am. If it weren't for Ollie, the coach would have benched me." I say, chuckling.

"You've worked so hard. You deserve it." Mom says proudly.

I smile at them. We were at our topic when Ollie and his dad arrived.

I give Ollie a sit beside me and his dad to Jensen. Mom and dad shakes hand and greet each other. This is their first meeting so awkardness still lingers, they settled nonetheless for formality.

"How did it go?" I ask.

Ollie seems so tired so I didn't force it. I give him a plate and push some foods onto him.

"To garnish our meals. We should toast." Jensen proposes.

The adults couldn't disagree more so we toasts. It wasn't a wine since we are in a public place, the group settled with a tea which the diner gave. Little Con Con joins.

I toast for the best next years for me and for Ollie.

● ● ●

We visited all the stores the town has to offers. Mom and Alex seems to enjoy Mr. Oswold company. While I and the others have choosen to play at a dart game. We compete for the best dart master and suprisingly Ollie wins.

He said it's all accuracy and computations. Basically Math. What a nerd. I nudge him then laugh. We were laughing all day until we give up.

"Maybe, I can ask your dad if you could stay in our house tonight?" I say shamelessly.

He look at me wide eyes. "I guess so. But why?" he asks.

"Nothing. I just wanted to spend more time with you, if that's okay?" I beg.

He smile blushfully. "I would love to. We can watch some movies with your sisters."

"Sure, why not."

We end the day with full and satisfied hearts. Maybe this night would be different.

Maybe I'd dream differently tonight.