I was walking across the bridge after school was over to sit on the bench and think about life and relax before going home to a house full of people. As I sat down on the bench I could hear birds calling for a mate. The sun beating on my cheeks as I took my jacket off I could feel the breeze of the soft winds. Looking at the pond I could hear the water from the fountain hitting the pond. Over the sound of the water hitting the pond I could hear same guys talking from behind me. As I turned around I could hear a voice that sounded way too familiar to my ears. There he was when I looked behind me. This college student I have known for over a year. His name is Manny. He is 18 and was walking with a group of his friends. He looked over at me and told his friends he would meet up with them later as he walked over toward me.

“Hey, what are you up too?” He asked with his somewhat deep voice. “Just enjoying the pond.” He looked at me has he played with a tennis ball in his hand. “What?” “Nothing.” He answered. Then he looked at the pond. With the sun shining down at us his eyes looked like a light brown even though he has dark brown eyes. I couldn’t help but feel happy that he was there with me. I was looking for alone time but I always feel so much better when he is around me. He gets my feelings and understands me way more than any other guy.

“So why did you want to come over to the pond?” “To think about some stuff and you know get some me time.” He laughed. “Do you want me to go so you can have your ‘me time’ or can I stay?” “You can stay.” We sat and talked for almost two or three hours. Not knowing I had no ride home and that my mom would be worried sick about me I asked Manny if he could drive me home so I don’t get into big trouble for not being home by now. He said okay to it. We still sat and talked. With the cool fall breeze and the birds singing and the ponds noise it was so peaceful. We talked about school and how our lives have been and the new things going on.

I never understood how I can be myself around him but not around others that I have known longer than him. He knows all my secrets and all about my life. Only thing I can compare him to is the pond. Nice and peaceful to be around and filling you with a warm tangy feeling deep within you. After five hours of sitting there on the bench talking his phone started ringing. It was his mom I could tell by the way his voice changed tones. Talking to his mom he acts like he is a good kid even though we both know he isn’t fully a good guy. He has his moments. She called to see when he would get home and that’s when we both relied it was almost eight o’clock.

We both got up to go walk to his car so he could get me home. I knew when I would get home my mom would yell at me for being gone so long and ask where I got a ride from. My mom and Manny have never liked each other. She threatens to call the cops on him being he is 18 years old. I don’t get why two people of the opposite gender can’t be friends without everyone thinking they are dating or more. He stopped when we were walking over the bridge and he through the tennis ball he was playing with. The next day when I went outside with my science class over to the pond to test the water I seen something green. It was the tennis ball Manny through the day before. When I went to pick it up my friend Nita asked what I was doing. I said. “Getting ‘that guys’ tennis ball out of near the pond.” She rolled her eyes. She has never liked Manny so when I talk about him I have to say ‘that guy’ around her even if she still knows it means him. That afternoon he and I sat talking for hours again after school. For the next four years we would sit after school talking even if it rained or snowed any type of weather we sat and talked. The last day for both of us at Blue Ridge he put the tennis ball from four years ago back in the same spot it was when he had through it that day. Eighteen years down the road his son and my daughter would meet at Blue Ridge to the tennis ball sitting there almost in the water but still on land. What happens next hopefully you should know they ended up just like we did best friends.