Chapter 1: Growing Up
Spinelli slowly made her way into Third Street Park.
It was the biggest park of the entire neighbourhood and usually there would be flocks of people crowding the park, frolicking about in the green grass and basking in the warmth of the sun. But it was autumn, and it was getting a bit chilly for anyone's liking, so there wasn't anyone around. Anyone would have been crazy to have gone out in such a weather. Spinelli curled her fingers inside her jeans pocket and she raised her shoulders so her ears would be able to obtain some of the heat from the leather jacket. She wanted to return home to the cosy fireplace and drink some hot chocolate that her Mama made. But no, she couldn't go back now: she was a girl on a mission.
Her steps considerably slowed down when she heard the sound of someone swinging on a rusty pair of swing set. She looked to the direction of the old playground. And there was a guy there, sitting on the swing set despite the red and white tape with a bold "KEEP OUT" on it isolating the old playground from the rest of the park; the old playground was about to be demolished, a fountain to be built in its place. Spinelli could've spat. Fountain? Where were the kids going to play now? But she wasn't one to lead rebellions fighting for kids' right. Nope, that was a long time ago. Spinelli finally stopped and sighed.
A really long time ago.
She kept trudging forward towards the playground and the crusty old creak from the swing set grew louder. The silhouette sitting there grew too as she continued to move forward and his identity soon became clear.
"Thought I'd find you here," Spinelli said, announcing her presence. She took a seat next to the swing of TJ Detweiler, one of her five best friends ever since kindergarten (sans Gus, who was only her best friend since Elementary School).
They both sat there in comfortable silence, with Spinelli wondering pensively what on earth was her best friend doing swinging in a park on a late autumn day while TJ tried to swing higher and higher, a few childish chuckles escaping his lips and a reminiscent glint in his eyes.
"This used to be our favourite place to hang out… well, second to Kelso's anyway," TJ remarked after awhile, slowly swinging to a halt. "Vince and you would be playing some ball there," he pointed at a long stretch of wide green field "Gretchen and Mikey would be reading books…" both of them looked pointedly at the large tree, which currently has yellow and orange trees slowly floating down from its branches. "Gus would be trying to talk to the birds," he gestured to the bench, and both of them imagined a 10 year old Gus feeding bread crumbs to the birds. "And I'll be here, watching it all."
He suddenly sighed, a wistful, almost longing sigh. "I wish I could do it all again."
Spinelli kept quiet. They both sat in silence as they watched the sunset.
"TJ, what's with all the nostalgia?" Spinelli finally said, half-teasing, half serious. "…Is it because it's …you know…our senior year or something?"
TJ kept his eyes on the setting sun. "…I'm not sure. I guess so," he replied simply. He toed the ground a bit, drawing circles and other shapes on it. "…It's just. Everything's happening so fast. I don't remember the last time we all hung out."
"Teej, we just saw them during lunch today," Spinelli pointed out, unusually patient at TJ's ramblings.
"Yeah well. I mean like really hang out, you know?" TJ continued to say, the hushed tone of his voice earlier on disappeared, and there seemed to be a hint of sadness, of desperation in his voice: as if he needed her to understand. "I mean sure we saw each other for lunch. Sure, we talked, we joked, we laughed. But when was the last time we just hang out without worrying about homework or the time or sports or co-curricular activities?"
"When was the last time we hung out like this?" he said, gesticulating wildly around the park, reminding her about the times they would lie on the grass and look at the clouds. When hanging out was really hanging out.
Spinelli sighed too. "I guess … not for a very long time."
"My point exactly."
Silence ensued.
"Hey! I found them!" the voice of Vince LaSalle cut through the silence. He jumped over the red and white tape while Gretchen, Mikey and Gus hurried towards them. The four new arrivals found a spot to sit on the ground.
"So what's going on?" Gus asked, looking directly at TJ. "We got a call from your mum; she was worried about you."
"I'm fine."
"No you're not," Gretchen interjected. "You don't come here unless you're upset. Tell us, TJ. What has been bothering you?"
TJ looked at Spinelli, asking her without words not to tell them. Spinelli ignored him.
"He's just…sad because it's our senior year."
TJ looked at Spinelli, mildly annoyed, but not surprised because he didn't really expect her to keep this to herself.
"TJ, is this what's it about?" Vince asked. TJ kept a stony silence, resolutely staring off into the horizon.
"Oh, sweet TJ! You should not be upset for such a thing! Nothing would ever happen to the bonds of our friendship!" cried Mikey. The others followed with "yeah"s and "absolutely"s.
"Yeah, well! You don't know!" TJ snapped, leaping off the swing seat and staring down at all of them. "Look guys. I've heard it from Butch and I've seen it all happening. Friends who're tight as glue just suddenly fall apart when they graduate. Gretchen already has offers from both Harvard and Princeton," Gretchen looked away. "Vince would surely get a football scholarship," Vince's turn to look away "Mikey's going to Europe to study," Mikey's frown deepened. "Gus is going off to military school and Spinelli's going to a dance school…all the way in New York."
Everyone couldn't bear to make eye contact. It was clear that TJ's words ring true.
"And I'm stuck here. In Third Street College. With no apparent future whatsoever," TJ said hollowly as he sat back down on the swing seat. The six of them sat despondently, contemplating the consequence the future brings.
"Teej. Since when have you become the pessimist of the group?" Spinelli asked quietly. "I don't know," was his honest and glum reply. "I guess since the start of this year."
"Well, it sure is a bad time to start being whiny!" Spinelli said angrily, stomping her foot on the ground. The rest of the group was startled by her fury.
"You've always been the one keeping us together. And now that you're telling us all this stuff about falling apart, how's that supposed to make us feel, huh?!" she demanded, standing up, and staring him down. TJ trembled: Spinelli may be his best friend, but she still frightened him at times.
"We'll only fall apart if we don't keep together! Guys, come on. We're not like the rest of those kids out there. We're stronger than that!" she said, slowly inspiring and instilling hope in everyone in their group, including TJ.
"I'm in this for the long run. Who's with me?" she said, pumping her fist in the middle of the circle in which they currently sat in. Vince smiled and placed his palm over her tiny fist. Gretchen placed hers too. Mikey and Gus also did it.
Everyone looked at TJ, with pleading eyes, imploring him not to give up on this camaraderie. His face was impassive. Then, it suddenly broke out into an infectious grin that they all knew and love.
"I'm in," he said quietly, placing his hand over theirs.
"Good," Spinelli said, trying hard not to cry.
As they all went in for a group hug, they all believe that each of them would be there for each other… through the good times and the bad.
They were not disappointed.