First Date

Sam and I finally made it to the festival. But, it looks like we're an hour over late. Sam didn't mind. Neither did I. We walked down the very busy street. It was loud. It was lively. Just regular people buying and selling. I've no idea what any of these are. Sam grabbed my hand pulled me to a stand he found interesting.

It was a something long and round on a stick. They call these "corndogs". I've no idea why people would eat dogs.

"They're not actual dogs, V." Sam said, giggling

"So what are these?" I asked

"Sausages." He replied

"Then, why the dog? And why corn? Was it cooked with corn?" I asked, cluelessly

"I don't know the exact lore of corndogs. But I know they're good." He said as he took a bite

"I'll take your word for it." I trusted him

I took a bite of the corndog. And I chewed it thoroughly. It was good. I finished mine pretty quick. While Sam only got a single bite in.

"You really liked it, huh?" He said

"Yeah. What else do we do on this date?" I ask

"Don't be hasty. The night's young." He replied

"Was that an expression or do you mean literally?" I asked

"Expression." Sam replied

"Oh, okay." How is it young?

Then we walked through the crowd. It was hard to not get seperated in a crowd like this. So Sam and I held hands. Though he seemed to be gripping a bit too hard.

"Where are we going, Sam?" I ask

"You'll see!"

He's not telling me for some reason. I really want to know. Then he pulled me to a place with a lot of screens. Human-sized computers with small screens. No keyboards or mouses of any kind though. Just a few joysticks and buttons. I read a big sign before we entered "Arcade".

"What is this place?" I ask

"An arcade...? You don't know?" He seemed confused

I shook my head.

"Place to play games essentially. Not necessarily digital games. There're like games that takes skill. Like the basket game, shooting range, and others." He explained briefly

"Oh. That's an arcade."

Then Sam took me to play a bunch of games. The games he said earlier, and a few digital ones too. Sam looked really happy playing them. But when he was playing he was looking at me half the time. Making me lose my focus.

"Why aren't you focusing on the game?" I ask

"You looked so pretty, so you kept distracting me." He said grinning

"I'm sorry."

"Noo! It's not like I blame you or anything. I was just flirting!" He said, sweating nervously.

"Flirting...?" I wondered

"It's to tease people they like." He replied

"So, you like me?" I ask

He didn't say a word and just nodded aggressively. We continued playing the games and got a bunch of tickets. He then brought the tickets to a counter. He gave the clerk the tickets. Then the clerk gave him a white ring. It was silver I think. Looked like it. Sam looked disappointed or sad or something.

"What's wrong?" I asked

"Nothing, I just had something on my mind." He replied

"Can I see?" Referring to the ring he just took

"Sure."

He handed me the ring. I held it with my thumb and index. I admired it a bit. It looked old but still good.

"You can have it if you like." He offered

"I don't like rings though." I said

"You don't have to wear it as a ring." He stated

San then shuffled through his pocket and grabbed a string of some kind. He puts the string through the ring and tied it behind my neck.

"You can just wear it as a necklace."

"Yeah, I like that better. Thanks."

Then a sudden announcement. Something about singing. It says it's starting in ten minutes.

"Wanna go there, V?" He asks

"Sure."

Sam then grabbed my hand and drag me to the thing. He asked a guy for direction to the thing. And we arrived a minute before it started. The place was packed to the brim. A medium-sized stage in front of the crowd. Then four people came out from the right side. Two played guitars, one played a piano, and one drums. One of the guy that played the guitar was standing in the middle of the stage with a mic to his mouth.

Then they started playing music. Singing. A lot of people started dancing, so did Sam. I didn't quite get why people dance. It was just noise to me. At least not annoying noise.

Sam seemed to be really enjoying himself though. He was smiling all the time. That also made me smile.

The song went on for four minutes. Than another three minutes. And another three minutes. That was ten minutes of three songs.

Why does my chest feel heavy? And my heart is clenching. Every time I see his face. It's not worry. So, what is it? I guess I looked worried which prompted Sam to lean in close and ask "Are you okay?"

"I don't know."

"Wanna leave? I'm okay with that."

"Yeah, let's go somewhere quiet."

Without thinking about it, I just grabbed Sam's hand and dragged him to someplace. I stayed quiet the entire time we walked. I brought us all the way to the end of the festival. An empty quiet street. A small bridge over a canal. We stood on the sidewalk on that bridge.

I leaned to the railings and just stared down at the water. Thinking the time was right I just asked away.

"Sam, what was your trauma?"

"That's a question."

"It is."

"You really wanna know?"

"Yeah."

"I dislike speedsters."

"Why?" I was quite surprised with his statement

"But, I don't hate them." He added

"Seàn Merrickson. Ever heard of that name?"

I shook my head. I didn't know who that was.

"When I was eleven years old, Seàn was taking me for a walk. While we walk he said something about me being a better guy than he was, one day. I didn't think that was possible so we argued a bit. Seàn was my hero. I learned a lot from him. Then when we were walking, a bright flash of white shrouded my eyes. One second he was there, the next he was dead. On the road, scattered limbs and organs. Completely torn apart. I barely remember who the speedster was, but I know that it was a girl."

"Who was Seàn?"

"My older brother. No one knows I have a brother other than Dan. And you, now. I never told anyone this. I've been trying to get over it for years but it just doesn't work. No matter how hard I try. I couldn't stop thinking of killing that speedster."

"That must've been hard." I try to sympathize

He folded his lips. Then grips the railing firmly. And nodded. I can see it. He tries to hold back something. His face reddens and his eyes water. I don't think he's sad. I think he's angry.

"Is that why you're a sorcerer?"

"One of the reasons, yeah."

He then goes down and sits on the sidewalk. He folded his legs and faced the road. I joined him in sitting down. He had his head down, he was wiping his tears every time they poured out. I wanted to do something.

Without me realizing it, my hand moved and went over his shoulders. Then I pulled him close to me. He resisted at first, but then he embraced it.

"Sorry for ruining the mood." He apologized

"No, I think it's okay."

"How're you feeling?" He asked a sudden

That was a weird question. Even for me. I thought that maybe I should've asked that to him. Since he was the one sharing his feelings. But it'd be rude to not answer.

"You ever feel an aching sensation in your heart? It's like weird. I can't really explain it."

"Yeah, I know."

He then stands up and lent me a hand. I grabbed his hand and got up too. I was then standing really close to him. Only an inch away.

"I feel like that every time I'm around you, V."

"W-what is it then?"

"It's called love."

He then grabbed the left side of my head. He was very gentle, I felt the warmth of his hand on my cheek. Then he pulls me slightly close to him as he moves his face closer to mine. Then our lips touched. He closes his eyes as he does it.

It felt weird but enjoyable. Is this what they call a kiss? We stayed like this for a full ten seconds but it felt like forever. It didn't bother me at all.

Then I felt a stabbing pain in my left stomach. It really hurt. And it was cold too. Freezing in fact. I think my organ got hit. I glanced down to see an ice spike had gone through my stomach. I push Sam back a few steps and he realizes quickly. The ice spike then disappeared and I dropped to the ground. I spilled blood from my mouth a little. I held pressure on the front of my wound.

Then a man appeared on the other side of the bridge. Standing atop the railing. White trench coat, and a teal-colored turtle neck under it. Long sweatpants with tight ends, martial arts pants of some kind. He stood there holstering his hands in his pockets.

"Maaaan, I'm jealous. You're like fifteen, sixteen? You're still soo young. That was romantic by the way, my guy."

"Who are you?" Sam asks

"High-rank grade 2 cold sorcerer, Cryo." He bowed to us.