章 51: Heart Lockets
"Come again?" Tristan stared at Whifler in surprise. He was blinking several times, thinking he heard Whifler's words wrong.
Whifler sighed. "I said. You're going overseas"
"Overseas?"
"Yes, Tristan. How many times do I have to repeat it?" Whifler remarked, quite annoyed.
"Oh." Tristan processed what he just said a little more before gazing back at him. "When?"
"Apparently, next week."
Tristan lifted his eyes, thinking. "Today is Friday... So, next week... Uh. So that would be three days from now?"
"Probably. I guess, either on Tuesday or Wednesday. I'm still waiting for their fixed schedule... So, better prepare beforehand."
"Okay." Tristan responded then glanced at his phone as it tinged. Summer's message popped up on his screen which he immediately read.
[Message: Are you free today?]
Tristan's lips curled upward while replying to her message. Whifler brows knitted at his expression.
"Who is it?" he asked, but Tristan just looked at him then got his bag and was about to leave. "Oi. I'm asking! Where are you going?"
Tristan halted and looked over his shoulder. "Uh... I'll be home at 10 pm! I promise!"
"10?! Hey! That's too late you still have things to—Oh, damn." Whifler eyes narrowed when Tristan was completely out of sight.
'He's really hard to deal with and understand sometimes.' he sighed.
.
.
.
"Over here!" Summer waved her hand excitedly when she spotted Tristan from a distance.
She was standing beside a souvenir shop. She was wearing a cute, chocolate brown, over-the-knee hoodie paired with mocha-colour knee-high boots. Her square, black shoulder bag, matches the color of her mask and butterfly sunglasses.
Tristan instantly approached her as he noticed her. He was currently on jeans paired with a baby yellow, knitted sweater and mustard yellow ankle boots which match the color of her rectangular handbag.
"Come! Come! I saw something interesting here!" Summer excitedly pulled Tristan towards the souvenir shop as soon as he came closer to her.
Summer brought him to the shelves where lots of key chains, charms, bracelets and other cute stuff were displayed.
"Look. There's a tiny squishy keychain." Summer smiled as she took the puppy with a big round eyes keychain and put it near Tristan's face—Although he was wearing a mask, Summer can still clearly imagine his face. "Hehe. It looks like you."
Tristan just averted his eyes and blushed a little. "My eyes were not that huge."
"I was talking about the cuteness, silly." Summer put the keychain back and walked to the other shelves.
Tristan stared at the squishy puppy keychain. He was contemplating whether to pick it up or not. But, a moment after, he slightly smiled while wrapping it in his palm, then he followed Summer.
Well, Summer thinks it looks like him so why not buy it? Haha.
Meanwhile, Summer stopped in front of the hanging displays. Her eyes locked on two mini heart locket necklaces. She jolted her head in Tristan's direction with a grin plastered on her lips.
Tristan looked at her confusedly as she pointed to the necklaces.
"Let's get those!" she told then she gently took the necklaces. "One for me... And one for you."
"Lockets?"
"Yep! You can put any pictures there... You can also put mine if you want." Summer teehee which made Tristan's cheeks all the way to his ears, redden. Summer noticed it, so she grinned even more. "Just kidding. Let's go."
"Stop teasing me." Tristan mumbled and followed her to the counter.
"Oh, the lockets. It's perfect that you got them in pair, ma'am. We're offering a free engraving when you do." Summer's eyes sparkled at what the cashier told her.
"Really? Uhm. Then... Can you engrave our initials?" Summer enthusiastically said.
"Sure, ma'am. Write your initials here." The cashier gave a piece of paper and a ballpen to Summer which she took immediately and wrote the letter 'S' and 'T' in it, then she handed it back to the cashier.
"Thank you, ma'am... Wait for a moment, please." The cashier smiled.
Tristan poked Summer's shoulder with his brows knitted in confusion. "Was it a couple necklace?"
"Perhaps." Summer responded. "Maybe, a friendship necklace. But, it's heart tho... So, yeah... I think it is a couple necklace."
They both looked at the cashier as she went back to the counter, holding the two necklaces. Summer excitedly got them as soon as the cashier handed them to her.
"Wow. They're so cool! Trish, wear this one!" Summer walked behind Tristan and put the locket—which has an initial of 'T'—around his neck. She also wore hers as well.
"Uh. I'll get this, too" Tristan put the squishy keychain on the counter table which made Summer smile teasingly.
"Why did you get that?" Summer asked with a playful look on her face.
"Because... You said it looks like me"
"Didn't you say its eyes were bigger?"
"You also said it was the cuteness you were talking about, wasn't it? So, I'm gonna take it nonetheless."
"Mhmm.. Okay." Summer smiled teasingly.
"It is true!" Tristan insisted, noticing Summer's playful expression in her eyes. He lowered his gaze as he took the wrapped keychain. He felt a sudden race of his heart in embarrassment.
"I didn't say you lied." Summer chuckled. Tristan was just silent, slowly exploding from within.
Summer was quite amused when Tristan became redder. She suppressed her delightful smile and tried to look calm. "Alright. Alright. Come on."
They both went out of the shop. Summer's eyes were half-closed, looking above.
"Ghad. The sun is scorching hot."
"Do you have an umbrella?" Tristan asked. Summer shook her head as she wore her sunglasses.
"It's not my thing. Too lazy to bring one. Hehe. Besides, I'm always wearing sunscreen."
Tristan just nodded. "I do, too."
"Anyway. I auditioned yesterday, and I guess the result will be announced after 3-4 days."
"Really? Good luck."
"Yeah. Thanks. Uhm... When the result is out... I would like to celebrate with you whether I pass or fail." Tristan flinched at Summer's statement.
He glanced at her with a slight frown. "I'm sorry... I'm going overseas during that time."
"Ohh... I see" Summer replied with a glimpse of disappointment heard in her tone.
Tristan felt uncomfortable looking at her upset expression. He really doesn't like seeing her like that. It weirdly crushed his heart.
He took a deep sigh and formed a smile on his lips. "Should we celebrate in advance then?"
Summer snapped her head. "Celebrate in advance? Uh. When?"
"Right now."
Summer smiled from ear to ear. "Sure! Uh. What do we do? Movie? Or... Arcade? What?"
Tristan found her cute when she was slightly bouncing in excitement. "Arcade sounds fun."
"Cool! Let's go!!" Summer enthusiastically pulled Tristan and ran towards their parked car. "We will use your car. I'll drive"
Summer told then got in. Tristan also followed.
'What is an arcade again?' Tristan thought, trying to imagine what it was.
'I hope it's not like that deadly octopus ride.', he sighed, a bit nervous while gripping his seatbelt.
.
.
.
"Damn! Why you're so good at this? Are you sure it's your first time? You're lying, aren't you?" Summer complained as she lose the game for the nth time. Tristan just chuckled at her reaction.
"It's indeed my first time... I'm just a fast learner, I think" Tristan ridiculed.
Summer was about to argue back but she paused when her eyes landed on a bumper car. She glanced at Tristan.
"Let's try those! Come on!" Summer ran to the ticket booth and pay for the game.
They both entered and chose the cars that they like. Summer picked the yellow car and sat there while Tristan chose the red one.
"Ha-Ha! I'll defeat you this time, you queen of games!" Summer smirked then started to bump Tristan's bumper car.
Of course, Tristan was also competitive, so he also bumped Summer's car more forcefully than hers which gaped Summer in surprise.
"Mhm. You really challenged me, huh. Let's the battle begiiin!" Summer shouted, then their so-called-battle-of-the-fools begin.
Tristan and Summer having fun bumping their cars. Tristan would swing his car sideways, causing Summer's to be stuck. Then Summer will get back at him and pushed his car to the end corner.
They were having fun, playing while laughing their lungs out. They were just like little kids having and creating their own world.
After an hour of bumping, they also try the other games. Actually, they tried all of it, including the extra and special games such as boxing, archery and darts.
They spent their whole day in the arcade, competing and challenging each other. They didn't even notice the sun is setting down and the moon was now showing its magnificent shape in the sky.
"Hey! I won 2 more scores than you!" Summer laughed at Tristan.
"You didn't count my winning scores at the boxing! I won 3 scores more!"
"Heh? You're bad at calculating!"
"No, I'm not. You're just cheating!" Tristan joshed.
"Hahahaha. Okay. Okay. You won." Summer rested on the bench outside the arcade. Tristan also sat beside her.
"I had so fun." Summer told then looked at Tristan. "What about you?"
Tristan stared at Summer's alluring eyes. Again his heart became a rampage... That question wasn't so hard to answer since he extremely enjoyed every bit of what they did.
Summer really made him experience the things he never experienced before and made him feel everything he thought he would never feel... The great happiness and comfort... The feeling of being alive and free from sadness and grief.
"I am melting. Stop staring." Summer chuckled. Tristan also chuckled.
"Sorry." He told, then gazed at the people around them. "Yes. I had fun."
Summer stared at Tristan. Her chest was lightened. Even though Tristan was still unaware she knew everything, she was still relieved of how Tristan was being himself around her without noticing he was.
She was happy about the fact that she was filling his heart with happiness... That her love was getting through to him, even though she's doing it behind the scenes.
Summer also looked in the direction Tristan was looking. "I'm glad you did."
'When the right time comes, I will make you happier... Much much happier than now.' Summer thought, with a wide and soft smile formed on her lips.
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