It was February 16, 2002. The temperature was cold, but the sun can sometimes warm the people's body. There were barely clouds in the sky and was just a terrific day to go out an hour away from their home in the west. The school bus went into the parking lot and made a complete stop in the entrance of the zoo. The sign was black and had some form of giraffe, elephant, and even monkeys. The door swing open as there were squeals and screams inside there as 8th grade kids burst out of the door running to the entrance. One teacher got out and shouted at them to wait as she chased after them. While the teacher was calling them, a girl and a boy hopped out of the bus door and both stared at the entrance with awe.
The girl had a red hair braid,a small round glasses, and a green and pink flowery t-shirt wearing braces. She also had blue jeans with white sneakers and had pinkish skin. The boy, just like the girl, had the same glasses and had a red shirt with short sleeves. He was wearing a a dark blue jean and also the same white sneakers. He had a olive skin, and a dark brown short hair that reaches to the top of his neck.
"Whoa," the boy whispered, "I never thought a zoo can be THIS huge!"
"Well actually Simon," the girl turned to him, "not ALL zoos are like that. Some people who are in charge of some of them don't have enough money to make it big. But who knows whether or not it's big inside there or not?
"Well the point is that I can finally have my first visit to a zoo," He smiled at her, "I'm just so happy that I'm gonna faint!"
the girl giggled and sighed as she place her hand on his shoulder.
"Oh Simon, you just always get dramatic with things all the time,"
"Hey I'm no dramatic, Betty," he narrowed a little, "I'm too heroic to be dramatic."
"Well yeah," she shrugged chuckle, "in your imagination,"
"You mean OUR imagination, princess," He poked his forehead while saying it.
"Oh right," she laughed again, "such a forgetting princess I am!"
"But a smart princess too," he pointed out with a smile.
"yeah," she smiled with a gesture, "once again Simon the knight is right again,"
"Correct my dear friend," he then pointed out to the entrance, "and as a knight, I'm going to make my greatest journey in the world where we will see DANGEROUS creatures and also see unique ones along the way!"
"Oh no," Betty pretends to be scared, "not dangerous creatures! How could we EVER go through such a dangerous place like that?"
"Don't worry princess Betty," he hold both of her hands and facing her, "I will scare their tails away with my AWESOME KNIGHT SKILLS!"
"Yay," she shouted and hopped once, "now I feel safer already!"
"Now come along my royal partner," he grabbed one of his neighbor's hand, "adventure awaits us!"
They made a cheerful shout and were catching up to their groups.
"SIMON C. PETRIKOV!"
The kids halted in silence and turned behind them in a blank stare to who was calling them.
Behind them were two women.
One on the left had a red-hair with green glasses a yellow shirt, and blue jean and green shoes. Next to her was a tan skinned lady who had a thick body. She had a darker red shirt and dark blue pants with black shoes and also was wearing glasses. She was carrying a blue hoodie with her as she made a narrow stare at the boy. the boy stared at her for a while before rolling his eyes with a sigh.
"Mom..."
"Hey, don't give me that look like that sweetie," she walked up to him and pointed, "didn't I tell you to stay close at all times?"
"Well...I guess so," he shrugged.
"Well you should at least pay attention more next time. Anyways," she gave out the hoodie, "you forgot this at my car after I lend it to you,"
"But mom, I'm not even cold," he narrowed a little bit, "it's not even that cold-
"Hey, no 'but' on my property, young man," she narrows more, "Now come over here and put this on or I won't let you go into that zoo!"
Simon and Betty glance at each other with him showing a frown. He then sighs and walks over to his mother. As he got there, she handed him the clothe and he put it on and finishes off by pulling down his sweater as he stares at his mother with a little frown.
"Oh look at you," she smiled clasping her hand, "You just look so cute with that little sweater. Oh how you're already starting to look like an adult that I can just break down into tears at any moment."
She then chuckles and squeezes his cheek slightly.
"Now you can go ahead and play with you friend,baby."
By saying this, Simon blushed in embarrassment not saying a word. Speechless, he put the hood on covering his head and tucked his hands on his pocket as he walked to Betty still taking a little look at her. He then stopped. After what felt like minutes, he felt a hand place on his shoulder.
"Hey don't worry about it Simon," Betty murmured to him and smiled, "I don't think there's anything wrong with that sweater your wearing."
Simon made a frustrated sigh.
"It's not JUST the sweater Betty," he then turn to her and slowly takes off the hood while still grabbing it, "it just that mom always so overprotected with me. Why can't she see I'm a big boy now? I just can't be humiliated like this, not right in front of you like...this!"
"Hey don't be like that, Simon," she frowned, "you know your mother loves you so much since you're the only one she has left.
Simon this time made a soft and calm sigh.
"Yeah," he turn back to her, "I guess you're right. I wouldn't want to feel the same way like that also,"
"Hey," she made a emotional smile, "like they say: Nobody's perfect. Besides, I actually love the hoodie. It looks really cute on you."
The boy looks at her in surprise.
"You...really think so?"
"Ofcourse," she made a slight shrug, "it actually makes you more heroic."
He paused for a while as his cheek slowly turn pinkish again.
"O...oh," he smiled as Betty frowned.
"You alright, Simon?"
By hearing this, Simon cleared his throat and snapped out of it until his face turned normal.
"Yes," he turned back to her, "I'm fine now. Now come on," he then grabbed her hand, "let's once again begin our adventure!"
They then squeal as they started catching up to the group again. The mother saw this as she called out to him.
"NOW REMEMBER, SIMON! STAY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AND DON'T leave without...us."
Mrs. Petrikov paused as the kids were too far away to hear her and they were already at the end of the line in excitment with the other class. The mother then rub her forehead with a sigh. As she was doing this, a red-hair women came next to her and stared.
"What am I'm going to do with that boy, Beatrice?" she released her hand and looked at her son, "he's just always into fantasy so much that he barely pays attention to me.
"I mean, ever since my husband left for war, it's just always about looking at series and reading some sequels. Back then when my husband was here, he would always tell him stories about pegasus, knights, wizards, and many other strange creatures. Simon is just like that because of him."
"Well you know, Mrs. Petrikov," Bea answered as the black hair woman turned to her, "Simon is just fourteen years old. You know how boys can be immature those times, but the different thing is that Betty is like that all the time. She sometimes doesn't pay attention to me also with these imaginable things going around her head."
"Well welcome to my world," Simon's mother rolled her eyes. The mothers then stared at the children in silence.
"So," Bea continued, "should we keep following them?"
"What do you THINK I'm going to say?" she turned to her and her neighbor knew exactly what was on her mind. Afterwards, they follow the groups with several other parents in front of the entrance.
As soon as they got in, the fantasy lovers began exploding their minds with imagination, as they begin pretending they're in another world as they take every step. They will do it when they see the lions and Simon would pretend he is fighting them with his invisible sword while protecting Betty. For monkeys since they are nearly smart as human, Betty would pretend she can understand what they are saying and ask them for their next direction. They would do the same thing with the parrots as they pretend they are now flying away riding the parrots as big as a house. By hours passed, class were starting to get annoyed by their exciting adventures.
As they were pointing at stuff and talking about what they are suppose to be, Brad and his partner Thomas, were behind them frustrated by every of their movements.
"Dude," Thomas whispered to his friends, "I can't take these nerds anymore. They're driving us nuts!"
"Don't worry bro," Brad narrowed at the kids, "I'll try to handle this."
He then took three seconds to look directly at them before doing anything else.
"Hey you two!"
The kids then stopped and then glanced at who was behind him.
"Can't you two EVER stop acting like four year olds for once? You're going to make our head explode at any moment if you stop your chattering about that stupid land of yours!"
"Hey," Simon narrowed, "doesn't mean we act like kids doesn't make us dumb."
"Yeah Simon is right," Betty narrowed a little also, "why can't you just shut up and mind your own business?"
"I will until YOU two shut your figment up!"
Simon just stared at them in silence and narrowed more.
But on the inside, he felt doomed and thought he was going to be beaten again.
"Hey," Brad pointed at him, "don't you look at me like that, Petrikov, we do not want to make this worse again, don't you?"
"Well YOU'RE the one who started it," Betty pointed it out, "besides, even if you do beat both of us, one of the adults can see us. So you there's no way you can harm us!"
Brad growled by this and put his fist down.
"Why...you no good little!"
The fight was then interrupted by a whistling sound as the class all turned to their teacher.
"Alright class, were going inside the arctic building," she showed them a huge building that was themed with snow and a logo saying "Arctic Winter Land".
"Now when we get inside I want you all to stay close together and always follow the group. If parents are here, please watch over your student at all time. This building is home for antarctic animals so it may be pretty chilly there since the workers need it cold to keep the animals healthy and alive. And I am also glad somebody around here was prepared for this the way he has that sweater," the teacher smiled and look at Simon as all of the class looked at him for a moment and began making giggles. During that, the boy just tried to pretend he didn't care if it was embarrassing as he stared at the ground in silence.
"Now anyways," the class stared at their teacher again, "let's start moving. We only have half an hour till we leave for lunch time."
The teacher then let the class follow her inside the building as few by few would enter into the door. Simon and Betty were the last students to go in as they felt the coolness rush through their body. Ignoring it, they look at the hallway. In the beginning of it, the walls had pictures of the south and north pole with some information glowing on the bottom of it. There were also some video about the arctic animals surviving through the freezing world and many cuts comes in with some eating their preys.
Since Betty is not use to animals being killed, she just quickly looked away from it and looked at some pictures again.
"Wow," Simon eyes glittered in amazement, "this place is amazing. I can't believe mom never brought me here before. Isn't it beautiful princess Betty?"
Simon didn't hear a word from her and turn to her in confusion.
"Hey, are you ok? You don't look like you're feeling well."
"No nothing it's just..."
Betty bit her lips.
"Betty?"
the girl then pause for a moment.
"I just hate watching animals get killed."
"Huh?" Simon thought about it and glanced at the video with the seal munching up the penguin.
"Oh you mean the prey scene," he then pointed at it and without a sound for a while, the female teenager slowly nodded.
"Well there's nothing scary about animals eating another animal," he smiled a little, "it's part of life. If they don't do it, they will get extinct and the food chain will break making us all starve to death."
"Yes but," she frowned, "I'm still scared of seeing it...I'm sorry."
"Hey," he place his hand on her shoulder as she slightly turn to him, "there's nothing wrong with being scared of that. Everybody have fears that can be even way worst than yours. Just close your eyes and don't look at it."
The girl didn't say a word about it.
Obeying him, she closed her eyes but made it something different. she came close to him and then cover her eyes by his sweater and gripping on it. From this, Simon couldn't help but feeling like squealing in happiness. But instead, his face began to feel warmer as he wrapped his arms around her and tried his best not to tighten her. He can just wonder whether or not Betty can feel his heart pounding with the way she was leaning her forehead near his chest. He can just really hope she didn't notice.
"Well what do we have here?" Simon's thoughts drifted away as he looked up and so did Betty as Brad and Thomas came in with a smile on their faces, "looks like this friendship has gone through a whole different level."
"Um," Betty looked at him suspiciously, "what do you mean like that, Brad?"
"Well it can be pretty complicated," Brad started, "you know that there some stories that a boy and a girl who are best friend can start having interest in each other, right?"
"I...I don't get it," Simon shook his head curiously, "what are you even trying to say?
"It seems to me that maybe while we came in here, I think the cupid hit both of you. So I believe that arrow is starting to promote your friendship to something new."
The friends glance at each other hoping it is not what he trying to say.
"Meaning..."
"Maybe someday you will be couples and get married!"
"WHAT?" they both blurted out blushing harshly.
"Well it is true you know, it's very obvious you guys are making those googly eyes."
The two froze for a moment.
"Oh um," Simon looked at Betty for a while before chuckling nervously and Betty tried to smile also.
"What are you talking about?" He replied,
"Yeah never heard anything like that," the girl spoke back,
"How can that even be possible?"
"Yeah, were just um.."
"Best friends," they both said it at the same time and then froze to look at them.
Brad just continue smiling and crossing his arms.
"Someday losers," he nodded, "someday."
"Alright class," the teacher announced, "lets keep moving. Remember just as a reminder to stay close as possible."
As they continued, the two kids pretended they never heard what the bully just said. They rather just forget about it.
They were walking pass through the hallways stopping through seals, polar bears, and many others. Simon would most likely be the one who would never take his eyes off of them until his mother ordered him to keep moving. The building last like forever. As they pass by these animals, many of them would stare at them in surprise without the class even noticing. It was then that they were near leaving the building until Simon gasped when he saw something.
"Look Betty," he pointed out as the girl turned to him after looking at the puffins, "penguins!"
It was then they were both looking at them.
There inside the large window was a shelter that was filled with snow and alot of penguins. Many of them were swimming around and making many tricks while the others on land rolling around the snow and couples honking and sometimes flapping their small flightless wings. Seeing the sight, Simon dashed towards the glass and place both his hands on it with his eyes sparkling with interest. Betty just giggled as she joined him and saw the beauty of them.
She knew how much he always wanted to see penguins. Penguins were just always his favorite animals and she even remember that when he grows up, he wants to have his own penguin. May be impossible, but he might work at this place taking care of the penguins someday. But he also takes interest by looking at ancient item collection. He once said that the ancient artifacts are like looking at a different world from today. Whatever career he would choose, she hopes one job would make him happy.
"Wow Simon," Betty awed, "this is beautiful..."
"I know right," He glanced at her, "I've waited my whole entire to see this. They are just such interesting creatures.
"By the way," she turned to him, "you never told me why you love penguins so much. Is it because they're adorable or something?"
"Well to tell the truth, I don't know," he shrugged while smiling, "they just appear to interest me alot for very long time. I think you remember when ypu came over my house that my bedroom is nearly filled with penguins,"
"Yeah I still remember," Betty chuckled, "I also love the drawing you have on the wall. It looks so cute in that egg."
"Um thanks," he scratched head with a little embarrassing look, "it's not that good of a drawing though. Just scribbles.
"But it still looks like a cute drawing," Betty smiled.
Simon just didn't say anything else and looked back at the penguins. He then glanced out and smiled.
"Hey look," the boy pointed out, "I think that man is going to give them something to eat."
By then, the girl looked up too.
"Well," she replied, "this is going to be interesting."
At the ceiling, there was a small opening where a man in a Arctic Land uniform sweater was peaking out. He then showed a grey bucket as he tucked his hand in and took out groups of fresh small dead fish.
By then, almost all the penguins were at the center of their small island jumping and honking in excitement.
Finally one by one, the man threw the fish to them as they started catching their own food. Some of them would fall into the water and the penguins would have to go in after them. They then saw a penguin who missed catching it and the food slipped into the water. The penguin then quickly waddled towards the water and jumped inside. But when he did it, he fell belly flopped as his stomach made a huge slapping sound from the water. The penguin then laid floating there and then a second later sank into the water.
"Oh," Simon answered as they both reacted to it.
"Sheesh," Betty answered too, "that's gotta hurt. I'm just glad I'm not him,"
"Yeah," Simon frowned, "I just sure hope he's ok."
Betty then smiled knowing that the penguin would be fine any moment and looked around while Simon was still staring at that penguin who was starting to wake up. It was then her smiled disappeared when she noticed something.
Meanwhile, Simon continued to stare at the wipe out penguin as it woke up with no reaction and then looked around until he saw his fish to the right. He then quickly went towards it and gobbled the food down and with happiness of getting it popped out of the surface and honked while flapping it's short wing with pride. Seeing this, the child smiled in happiness too and was glad that the penguin didn't get damaged. It was then he got interrupted when he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey Simon," Betty murmured, "you should actually look at this. I think that penguin over there is staring at you."
When saying this, Simon thought she was doing that little "Monkey-made-you-look" game they always play together.
But when he turned to see it, his smile disappeared and discovered she was serious this time. At the middle of the island, one penguin was just frozen there never taking it's eyes off him. It appeared to not care about it's food with the way half of it was right in front of it. It just stand there very still staring at the boy's black eyes.
"Woah," Simon murmured with a bit of a frown, "I wonder why it's not eating. I just hope he's not sick or something. I'm a bit worried about him.
"I don't really think so Simon," Betty looked a bit closer, "at least that's what I think. I'm sure he just likes you,"
she smiled and turned to him trying to make her friend cheer up.
"Like me?" he teased, "Come on, I never even met this penguin before. This is the first time ever I get to see these creatures in person!"
"Well maybe it's the perfume you're wearing," she then poked him a little, "or maybe you're the penguin's LEADER and maybe you don't know.
"Are you joking?" he burst into laughter, "I can't be a leader! I'm not even good at being one.
"Remember the time when I became last year's class president?"
"Yeah," Betty shrugged, "but you know I was just playing around,"
"Oh just be quiet," Simon said jokingly as the penguin kept staring at him for a while until it blinked twice and made a loud honk across the room, "I think you did that on purpose."
"No I wasn't," Betty replied as the penguins began responding from the staring penguin's sound and looked around a little till their eyes locked on the glasses boy also, "the only time I do things on purpose is when I see something bad or strange things happen,"
"Oh yeah?" Simon pressed his fist on his hips, "and how am I'm going to believe about that? Want me to bring out my lie detector to know that you're right?"
The penguins were now swimming away their little island and began swimming towards him.
"Simon," the girl rolled her eyes, "you don't even have a lie detector. I'm your best friend so why can a friend like me ever lie to you?"
"Well," Simon continued while the penguins were slowly swimming closer and one little girl notice this as she pulled her mom's shirt who was talking to a lady, "I remember back then when we were at a fair a year ago that I told you not to eat my hamburger and when I came back to the table, you ate half of them!"
"I'm sorry," Betty frowned as half the people were already noticing the penguins' strange actions, "but I was just so hungry. If I couldn't have ate that thing, I think I would've die on that spot,"
"Oh look who's being dramatic now," the boy replied back, "maybe since you're not telling me the truth, maybe I can ask those penguins what they think."
"Oh yeah," she narrowed and glance at them for a moment, "like you think those penguins are going to-"
But then her words cut off as she froze there for just a second and looked at the penguins again and made a shocking gasp. Curious, Simon looked too and gasp with his eyes widening when he saw this and collapse on the floor. They watched as the penguins came close to the glass tank and beginning to surround themselves in the same area knocking on the glass. Responding to this, Betty took steps back and Simon just tried crawling away from it. By this, the knocking grew louder and the penguins tried sinking the other penguins to get as close as possible. The penguins were also honking unstopping in such a panic.
They just kept laying their eyes on Simon with such yearning as if they were pleading him for something. All the boy can do was just stare at those birds in such disbelief. By then, every single people there began seeing this in astonishment and began taking photos and mutterings became louder. The last one to recognize this was Beatrice and finally Mrs. Petrikov. Simon's mother just stood there beginning to look a bit pale when seeing this.
"Oh my..." Beatrice murmured.
After staring at them for a long time, Betty quickly turned to her friend.
"What the heck is wrong with them?"
"I don't know," Simon shrugged, "I'm NOT a worker or anything. I'm just a boy!"
Betty then turned in worry. The crowds were staring at them. She knew that something didn't feel right about this. She then turn back to Simon.
"Well there's nothing we can do to stop this," Betty frowned, "the crowds are staring at us. I just feel uneasy with being stared at. I just wanna go home already!"
The boy just froze there frowning and nervous about the penguins. He looked at them in those huge eyes. They were pleading for something, but for what? He then kept on staring at them until he noticed how much they were trying to get to him. What if they...need him? Then he thought of something but it might be pretty stupid.
"Hang on Betty," he stand up, "stay right here. I'm going to try to do something."
After saying this he started walking towards them.
"Simon what are you doing?" the girl shouted, "You may get hurt over there. SIMON!"
But he ignored her and had his eyes glued on the penguins now. It felt as if his whole body was in complete control over them. He didn't know what he was thinking, but he was hoping he would give it a try. Afterwards he stopped in front of the glass with the penguins now trying to reach for him. He stared at them for a while. He then knelled on the ground and place both hand on the glass.
"Listen guys," Simon narrowed a bit, "I know this may be weird talking to you, but you have to stop it. If you keep going, who knows if you would be harmed by the workers or not."
The penguins were now rubbing and tapping the glass a bit but still crying for him.
"Please I beg of you," he frowned, "just please stop it! I don't want you to get hurt, just please stop!"
It took few moments for the penguins to respond until it happened. They stopped.
They stopped crying, tapping, and rubbing the glass and they just float there with no reaction. They stopped. They actually stopped.
With this, Simon just sat there speechless not making a movement. It was by then that the whole crowd fell silent and stared at him. And so did Betty. He didn't know what to say of this.
It was then he discovered that there was something about this that makes him feel more attached to the birds than ever before. He can just feel it inside him as he never takes his eyes off them. After a long time of silence, the boy gave a really gentle and soft nod.
"Good," he whispered and look at all of them, "I'm proud of you. Thank you."
He was then interrupted again by one honk as he flinched a little and quickly turned to which one of them did it.
Although the penguin didn't seem to look like he or she was going to panic again, it just swam gently closer to him with its frown eyes still staring at him. it then struggled as it climbed to the bottom of the tank that had a tiny edge and stared for a while. It was then afterwards that its wing was reaching out for and Simon started getting a bit nervous about this. He actually thought it was going to panic again. But instead unexpectedly, it place it wing on the glass and it just laid there without moving a muscle.
It took a while till Simon was about to back away in fear. But he just tried staying calm and stared at the penguin's wing. He then realize that the penguin was trying to reach out for him. It have made his heart nearly exploded just seeing it.
It must want to get out, Simon thought, it chose me to set me free. But why me? Why did they have to choose a young boy who doesn't even know what to do?
Simon just felt guilty. He really wanted to help him, but...What can he even do? Besides, he would get in trouble if he tries to rescue them. It's just pretty hopeless. Simon then blinked and found himself still in front of the trapped penguins. The penguin just waited there for a respond with such patience. Then something caught him. Maybe they don't want to be free, he thought, maybe they just want...
It took few moments of silence.
He then slowly began to reach out for him back with his hand shaking. As he was halfway there, he flinched again and let his hand escape it for a moment. He then kept staring at the penguin and he could tell he could trust that bird by doing it. He then gulped down feeling his body starting to heat up. He then once again started reaching out this time not turning back. He could just see his hand now about to touch the glass where the bird's wing was touching the same area.
He was so close to touching it.
It was then suddenly, he heard a fading shout that he thought he was imagining. Next thing he knew, he felt arms wrap around his body pretty tightly and was being dragged away. He didn't even notice until he discovered how far away he was now. He blinked twice to wake himself up and look behind to see who was holding. He saw a familiar woman who was looking at the penguins breathlessly and pretty pale.
"Mom?"
"Quiet!" she turned to him. She then looked around to see that people were still staring at him. Recognizing this, he started to feel so uneasy about what just happened. He waited until his mother turned back to him.
"We can't be here anymore. We have to get out of here."
Simon's eyes then widened and never took his eyes off his mother.
Is she even serious after for so long I waited to be here?
Thinking of this, he gets distracted from it as Mrs. Petrikov let him go.
"Stay right here while I speak to the teacher. And don't you even DARE go back to those penguins ever again!"
She then walked towards the teacher. He just watched in silence as they began the conversation.
"Simon!"
Before he reacted, a hand once again touched his shoulder as the person made him turn towards her face. Betty was looking at him a bit worried.
"Simon, are you ok?"
"Um yeah," he rubbed his arm, "I guess."
The girl then sighed and wrapped her arms around him that made him slightly blush.
"You don't even know how worried I was," she then release him holding on to his arms, "I actually thought thought those penguins were going to break the window and attack you for sure. I was going to run after you, but my mother wouldn't let me. Are you sure you're ok? Are you sick or something?"
"Don't worry Betty," the boy tried to smile, "I'm one hundred percent healthy and injure free. Trust me on this one, ok?"
Betty just looked at him.
"I know," she thought about something for a moment before looking back up at him, "it's just that I don't wanna lose you because your my only best friend I have since I moved here."
Simon felt as if his heart was going to burst out of his chest when he said that.
I really need to stop feeling like this, he thought again, otherwise I'll end up letting the cat out of the bag.
"Speaking of the penguins, how did you even do that? How did you get the penguins to obey you?
"Well to tell the truth," Simon shrugged, "I don't know. I just tried to see if they would do anything,"
"And you can even understand what they're saying," her eyes widened and then form a smile.
"Tell me Simon," she played with her braid, "did they say anything about me? Did they say anything of how pretty I look?"
Simon just tried not laughing too hard and just did a loud chuckle.
"Well actually," he began, "I really didn't understand them. I just tried reading their mind and spoke to them of what I thought they were thinking. It wasn't pretty easy to tell the truth."
"Oh," her smiled disappeared for a bit before continuing, "well it appears you have a gift, Simon. A very special gift."
"Well," Simon smiled a bit and shrugged, "I just sure hope it's useful for something.
"Hey," the girl made a frown smile, "I believe it will be useful someday. Trust me on that."
It became silence there and all Simon could do was just smile at her.
It was then he got distracted when a hand gripped on his. He was then turned to face his mother again.
"Come on Simon," his mother narrowed, "let's get out of here before the workers find you!"
He can feel himself being walked away as he later on looked at Betty.
She was just looking at him with a blank stare yet with sadness.
To make her cheer up, he made a soft wave.
"I'll see you soon Betty," he murmured.
Betty took a moment until she can wave back.
"Yeah...see you later."
He kept staring at her until she disappeared from a bunch of crowds.
Ever since then, his mother never took him to the zoo again.