“I think I just met the happiest person in the world!” I yell across the park to my best friend Nikolai. In the distance I can tell he’s wearing his typical over sized grey hoodie and some random baggy jeans. While I was yelling I saw some parents look up at me with a face of disgust because of my loud voice, then trail to look at who I was yelling too. Nobody likes how load my voice gets, including moms and dads. They act so snobby as if they aren’t the ones yelling at their children for doing one thing wrong.

Nikolai does anything but catch my eye. He looks around and acts distracted by the ducks near the edge of the pond. Acting as if we never told each other’s what our deepest secrets are.

He shakes his head as he nears me. His hair swishing around. I would think it’s cute if I liked guys. With the trees and birds in the background, he could be a model.

“That can’t be a thing,” Nikolai says. He rolls his eyes until they catch a little boy running around with a little girl laughing as if their life depends on it and he shrugs. I sit down on the green grass, hooking my arm through the handle of my backpack so it wouldn’t be stolen. Only if someone dared to do it in broad daylight. Nikolai follows my example and takes out his lunch: peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I take out mine too while I talk.

“Of course it’s a thing, haven’t you seen your little sister?” I jab an accusatory finger to his chest and face forward. I watch a group of kids play on the structure and my eyes trail over all the fun things. I really want to play on that seesaw.

“She’s ten months old, how would we know that she’s happy. For all I know she could be a actress and is faking the whole thing. Ask me that agian in ten years. Maybe twenty,” Nikolai responds with a shy grin.

It’s my turn to roll my eyes but the smile playing on my lips gives me away. I bring my sandwich up and take a bite. The goey goodness of the jelly spread around the inside of my mouth but in a blink of a moment the peanut butter takes over.

“But I guess that’s possible…” his voice fades out at the end of his sentence and I can’t help but laugh at how he’s trying to keep the conversation going.

Nikolai gets axouis when it’s too quiet. If it’s one thing I learned from being his best friend is that he over thinks every little thing.

“Of course it’s possible!”

“Layla, people are staring,” Nikolai’s voice comes in a whisper.

“My bad.”

“You’re a dumbass.”

“But yet you still hang out with me,” I grin. Nikolai rolls his eyes again for what feel like the tenth time today but at least only half of them where to me.

“So…” he starts. I glance at him and see him moving onto his second sandwich, nibbling on the corners to look busy. His eyes focused on the ducks in front of us.

“Yeah?”

“What do you mean, you met the happiest person out there?’”

“Well, she looked pretty happy,” I say. “There was a girl laughing her ass off on a bench while talking on the phone. She looked like she was about to fall off the bench.

Nikolai nods to what I say, “That works.”

“Yup..”

We both lapse to a somewhat comfortable silence, finishing our lunch. Both of our eyes tracing the route of the ducks dunking their head under water to catch food.

Until I can’t stand it anymore. I pack my lunch. He watches me pack and does the same.

“C’mon,” I stand up and swing my backpack over my shoulder. “We’re going on the seesaw,” and I extend my hand out to pull Nikolai up.

“Is that what’s bringing you happiness at the moment?” His expression morphs into a sly grin as he talks, and I can’t help the smile that’s overtaking my face.

“Yes. Yes it is.”

“Let’s go,” he jumps up and bolts across the grass. “Last one there buys the other ice cream!” He yells.

The next words that come out of my mouth come out so fast that I think it was the competive side of me talking, “Bet!” The bubble of laughter that eruptes from inside me pushes me forward, even if I might lose.

I sprint off to catch up.