For The Longest Time Chapter One
The year is 2002 and Tina Cohen Chang and a bunch of the neighbouring children are in the local park. It was early evening and the sun was filtering through the clouds. Their moms just yards away sharing a flask of tomato soup and gossiping as if their lives depended on it. Tina's playing on the jungle gym, her hair in pigtails and one of her front teeth is missing. Her pink dress is ruffled and stained from the grass as are her white socks which finish just below her knee. Her shoes are black and shiny with the smallest heel imaginable. She is a beautiful child with huge glossy dark eyes and a very pale complexion, thick dark locks and despite her missing tooth she never stops smiling.
Tina's having fun weaving herself in and out of the jungle gym with perfect ease. Her small stature really did come in handy at times. Mercedes is standing next to the jungle gym and is eating a strawberry ice cream. Her hair keeps moving its way into the ice cream making her frown and turning her black hair pink and sticky in the process "you need a scrunchie" Tina pipped up and pulls off a spare from her left wrist "here...you can have this". Watching Mercedes cautiously as she puts her hair up untidily off her face, they were seven years old and time was a permanent problem. Patience was scarce to children their age. She looks up from her huge thick eye lashes when she hears a familiar boys voice call her name "Noah" she replies back seeing Noah Puckerman smiling at her and puckering his lips up to kiss her. "ew go and kiss someone else...anyone else" she offers jumping down from the apparatus right in front of him. He is taller than her and she is much slighter and rather small for her age, his body practically towering over hers. Noah smiles at her and cocks his head to the side "just this once" he reasons "i won't tell anyone" she frowns at the boy and moves her feet over the ground below, the gravel moving under her shoe with each movement and refuses to meet Noahs gaze despite the fact she is now blushing deeply. "i said no" she tells him anger creeping into her voice. Tina may have been small but she could more than still up for herself if she needed to.
Noah began to tickle the slighter asian girl; she was resistant at first but soon broke into fits of giggles especially as he neared her arm pits. When she sees an opportunity to flee, she takes it, Noah immediately giving chase. Their laughter resounding around the park but also mingling in with all the other childrens delight as they played in the vicinity. He had almost caught up with her when she had lost her footing and fell to the ground with a thud. Her mouth making contact with the ground below and grazing her chin. Glancing down she becomes aware that her mouth is bleeding as warm wet blood drips slowly down her chin. She is so shocked there are no tears, only silence. Tina brings her legs up in comfort and rests her head against her legs. Noah looked at her dumbfounded for many moments almost as if that didn't occur "i'm sorry" he offers patting her shoulder before taking off in fear of being told off for Tina's apparent injuries by her mom.
Tina could feel her heart beating erratically in her chest and her knees throbbed painfully, she grazed her thumb over the darkening patches which seemed to be getting darker with each passing moment. She looks up from tear filled eyes at the sweet sound of her own name "Tina" he asks gently. Mike crouches down next to her, wearing Jeans and a cookie monster t-shirt and gives her a handkerchief from his pocket "are you okay?" he asks his eyes narrowing at seeing his friend hurt. Mike's voice is high pitched and concerned but all too familiar to her as they attended the same school. Wrapping his arm around her, he pulls her close. She dully nods at his question and presses the clothe to her mouth to try and stop the bleeding. "Want me to beat him up for you?" he asks softly "no thanks Mike" she replies. "It was just an accident" she responded resting her head against the taller Asian boys shoulder.
Mercedes is so shocked by what she had just witnessed that she drops the remainder of her ice cream to the ground, it splats and its dark pink colour covers her pumps. 'I was enjoying that too' she thought to herself. She shuts her eyes briefly before making her way over towards her friend "ouch" was all she could say as she drew level and took in Tina's injured knees and her blood stained chin "want me to go and get your mom?" Tina nods at her friends request and Mercedes makes her way towards the parents. "It's Tina, she fell over" she got out breathlessly after running the whole way. Her dungarees are all dishevelled in her haste to get there as quickly as possible and her hair is blowing around her face as the scrunchie Tina had allowed her to borrow had fallen out.
Tina's mom is up out of her seat in a split second and runs instinctively towards her daughter. Crouching down at the opposite side to Mike. She kisses her forehead "are you ok sweetie?" Tina nods before the other parents come over. Mikes mom is smiling as he comforts the smaller girl who was slightly younger but quite intelligent all the same. "We should watch these two, i hear wedding bells" she teased aiming her comment at both children and Tina's mom. Tina shrugs out of Mike's arms "Mikes nice and all but i'm never getting married" she scowls and wrinkles up her nose, wincing slightly as the movement pulls her chin. "Mom" Mike protests his cheeks flushing with colour and folding his arms over his waist in a huff. He did not like girls; they were creepy and foreign to him. Tina glances down and notices that she still has his handkerchief scrunched up tight in her left hand "here you go" she offers with a small smile. Mike shakes his head "no you keep it, only had my boogers in it anyway" Tina frowned strongly "ew germs" but puts it in her own pocket.
Frankie Cohen-Chang pulls up her daughter so she's now standing and pulls out her first aid kit and begins to bathe Tina's wounds. "How did you manage all of this, silly girl?" she asks gently "i just fell over mom i'm ok" she replied. Tina was far from fine and began to cry silently as each one was tended to, once they were all taken care of and band aids were in place. She dusted herself off and ran towards the park once more this time taking her position on the swing. Moving her legs back and forth to gain momentum she loves the feel of the air blowing in her face, right now it was soothing all her cuts and scrapes which were almost completely forgotten about. She slowed the swing to a steady stop and glanced in Mike's direction, frowning as she saw him collecting soda cans. What was he doing? she thought to herself. Soon all became clear and she watched as he scored a goal without much effort on his part. She clapped her hands in support but he was oblivious.
Mike ran and picked up his soccer ball and clutched it under his arm, he watched as Tina swung higher and higher. She was such a good friend to him and he noticed that they looked alike. He knew Mercedes was different and that he himself was different but looking at Tina he realized that, they were the same. His attention to the swinging asian didn't last long and he soon started dribbling his soccer ball over the grass. Moving around the ball with ease. He had made his own goal using two discarded soda cans and placed them several feet apart on the ground. Taking a shot he got it between them and celebrated by mimicking what he had saw on TV. His dad was a huge sports fan and naturally him and Mike watched games together.
Frankie kept a watchful eye on her daughter after her fall but continued with the conversation the rest of the parents were having before beckoning her over. Noah's mom was telling him off for rough housing with Tina and made him apologize to Frankie and then to Tina. She knew that they were only kids, but what he had done had caused the young asian to cry as her wounds were tended to and that was not ok with her. Tina accepted his apology and rather reluctantly shook Noah's hand as a way of accepting it after much coaxing from both parents.
Evening was now giving way to night and the clouds were moving quickly in the sky as the winds picked up considerably, causing a dramatic drop in temperature. With that in mind the parents had decided on rounding up their kids and heading on home. "Tina, we have to go" Frankie called; as Tina approached her minutes later after one more go on the slide. She held out Tina's jacket for her to shrug on. Helping her with her zipper, she rubbed her shoulders to warm her up before they exchanged goodbyes with everyone who was still there in the park. "Great goal before Mike" Tina told her friend and gave him a hug goodbye lingering longer with him than she had with the other children. Both Mikes and Tina's mom's exchanged glances, grinning from ear to ear at the affection between their children "they're going to end up together you mark my words" with that suggestion Tina quickly pulled away scoffing loudly "come on mom can we go now" she took her moms hand and pulled her towards the car. It didn't take long for Tina to promptly fall asleep in her booster seat, she always was an extremely active child even as a toddler.
Once in the drive way of the Cohen-Chang residence, Frankie unbuckled the belts on Tina's seat and eased her sleeping daughter out of the car into her arms. When she began to stare slightly she shushed her and cuddled her closer to her body. Making her way up the stairs with her carefully. She helped Tina out of her clothes gently, and tossed them aside. Finding her night dress in a nearby draw. She eased her into a snoopy nightdress and put her into bed. Reaching for the covers she tucked her in securely "night princess" Frankie said softly kissing Tina's forehead and turning off the bedside lamp. Heading out of the room she left the door ajar to allow some light to filter in. She totally adored her daughter and it showed during every aspect of her life. Inside the home there were pictures a plenty of Tina in varies stages of her life.