This chapter makes it seem as if the story has reached its end, but this will be turned into a multi-chapter fic. Stay tuned!
Sherwin doesn't go to school the following day. Instead, he sleeps in until 10:00, three hours longer than he is accustomed to on weekdays. Candice comes to check up on him at the usual time and asks whether he can make it to school, but Sherwin responds with nothing more than a weak shake of his head. It's the perfect excuse—why wouldn't someone who's sick stay in bed longer than usual? Rest is always prescribed to those who are ill, after all.
It's only moments after his mom vacates the room when Sherwin begins to daydream. He envisions the approaching get-together with Jonathan: what they'll say, where they may go, what they'll do. His mind cycles through each scenario over and over, continually crafting new storylines for each additional thought. Visions about what Jonathan wants to show him are especially persistent. What could it possibly be? The range of options is endless, but it must be something easily accessible and hidden; that way the boys can both enjoy the item and conceal it in case their meeting is discovered. But what if it has nothing do to with a physical object? Maybe it's an action, or some other intangible experience. A declaration of love, hand-holding in the meadow, a kiss...
No. The thought is beyond wonderful, but Sherwin knows raising his hopes so soon is reckless. Better to go in with no exceptions and leave unmoved, than to arrive enraptured and come out struck by a sense of dejection.
The hours tick by fast, and he is so engulfed in fantasy that before long the clock reads 10:00. Seeing this as his cue to finally jump out of bed and be productive, Sherwin puts his daydreaming aside and looks around the room. Nearly everything, from the desk to the closet, is disorganized. Although not dirty, the disorder marks the beginning of what could soon become enough to overwhelm the entire area in disarray. Before long, Sherwin implements a plan that will hopefully restore the area into some semblance of an acceptable living space. Naturally, the very first task is uncluttering the bedroom—a beast that should have been tackled long ago. After several half-hearted attempts at getting started, Sherwin gradually finds a rhythm. As dull as the actual work is, the repetition and movement allow him to focus his strengths on the task and ease the jitters that have plagued him since morning.
Many forgotten objects are resurfaced, including the photographed-filled shoebox he finds while searching under his bed. It isn't until the lid is removed that he realizes just how many pictures are inside. Dozens upon dozens of long-forgotten images fill the space, with their colors ranging from black and white to sepia to standard palette hues. While shifting through each photo, Sherwin recalls the gift his mom had given him for his tenth birthday. It was just after his father was diagnosed, and Candice kept in mind what her son had told her once Ross's results came through: he wanted a digital camera so the family could capture as many moments as possible before the inevitable. She had thought it cryptic at the time but eventually began to understand Sherwin's perspective. They were never big on taking pictures, so the only available option in the house was an outdated and, unfortunately, dead camera. With finances so sparse due to medical expenses, Candice eventually set aside enough money to buy a basic Nikon camera. She truly wished a better model could have been purchased, but there was no way around it.
Once May 15th rolled around, Sherwin unwrapped his present and was struck with elation. He then spent days capturing every moment deemed irreplaceable. Candice suggested that he also take pictures of things unrelated to the family, so for a few days a week the young boy set out to Arlington Park. Snap shots were taken of just about everything: lily pads on a pond, fireflies at dusk, singing birds on a bench. There's no rhyme or reason to the type of photos Sherwin took, just scenes and moments he felt particularly compelled to remember; instances that held some sort of beauty.
The camera was used less and less as Ross's health deteriorated, and two years later the day arrived where it was put back in its case permanently. Sherwin then had a two-year dry spell where he didn't consider even holding the camera; the time when he found it difficult to find joy in the things he once loved doing.
Bringing himself back to the present, Sherwin continues to sort through the pile until he reaches a picture of himself standing near a mountain ledge of the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. He's wearing a hunter green wind breaker that helped protect him from the high-altitude wind chill, and joy is evident from the large smile on his face. Sherwin remembers this moment well. Ross had insisted they take one final family trip before he was too ill to travel, to the place where they could experience an authentic part of their heritage. The trip had only lasted for a few days, but reflecting back to that short time always proved to be nothing if not delightful. After some deliberation, Sherwin decides to take it to Jonathan. His friend has a gift for him, and Sherwin wants to give the dark-haired boy something of his own.
Once the photo is tucked inside his wallet, Sherwin checks the clock to see that it is already 2:45. School will end in 15 minutes, and he can't wrap his head around how the time has slipped by so quickly. Not that he's complaining. Had he not been judicious about what to undertaken while stuck at home, the passing time would have become painfully slow as the day progressed, and the only thing tethering Sherwin to his sanity would have been the promise of seeing Jonathan.
When the clock strikes 3:00, Sherwin makes his way downstairs to begin the trek to school. In the dining room, he notices Candice focusing on her latest drawing: a woodland landscape permeated by thick green foliage, dark soil, and sunlit beams that create just the right amount of contrast between light and shadows. It is an outline Sherwin remembers his mom creating several weeks ago, but may have just now found the time to fill in. The canvas is no larger than a notebook, but the details composed in the small frame are spectacular nonetheless. Before her son reaches the front door, Candice lifts her head from the picture.
"Hey, how are you feeling? I've heard you shuffling around all day, so that must mean something good."
"A lot better. All that shuffling was an attempt at trying to revamp my disgrace of a room—the thing you've been begging me to do for months now." Sherwin glances across the room and notices his mom has moved her laptop to the far end of the table. "By the looks of your art project, I'd say you've also had a very productive work-from-home day." He lifts one eyebrow and gives her a teasing look.
Candice lifts her hands in mock surrender. "Practically nothing has gone on all day. I've answered a few e-mails and made some calls, but it's been a ghost town besides that. I needed something to do in between bursts of work to keep myself occupied."
Sherwin knows the feeling. It's the exact reason he undertook such a mundane task on his day off in the first place.
"How do you plan to spend the rest of the day?" she asks.
"Thought I'd take a walk to get out of the house. Cabin fever is starting to set in."
"Not before you eat. I'm surprised you haven't come down before now to grab something." Candice walks to the refrigerator and lists off all types of food. Each suggestion would take too long to make, so they settle on strawberries and peanut butter crackers he can eat on the go.
The walk to school takes around 20 minutes, and he believes this is sufficient enough time for everyone to file out. Seeing as it's a Friday, no one wants to hang around school longer than they have to. The last thing Sherwin wants is to be spotted alone with Jonathan, considering it's only been one day since his secret was outed. He couldn't bear to have his crush face any more ridicule than he probably already dealt with today. The silent scrutiny from the other students alone was too much to withstand, especially for Sherwin. Their biggest hope is for everyone to focus their attention on other areas of interest over the weekend.
Trees and bushes encompass the entire campus, so finding what must be the only apple tree on the grounds poses a challenge. Sherwin does his best to remain vigilant and not miss any mark he passes, but anxiety creeps in with the passing time and seeing no sign of his friend. No large cluster of students can be spotted from this vantage point, but the sight of even one stray person walking along the path sends Sherwin racing to the nearest shrub to hide behind until they pass. Even with his brain telling him there's no threat, Sherwin can't shake the paranoia that has accompanied him since yesterday. Each time he emerges from his temporary hiding spots, Sherwin considers how he really needs to get over his fear of ridicule if there is to be any hope of going back to school.
At last, after many minutes of searching through the sea of green shrubbery, Sherwin spots the tree adorned with bright red fruit. Sure enough, Jonathan is right where the letter said he'd be. He's sitting with his back pressed against the narrow trunk, legs stretched straight out with the left one tucked under the other. By the looks of the beige cover in his hands, the book he reads is the exact same one from yesterday. Jonathan seems so comfortable, and Sherwin imagines this setting must be natural for him. He never gives the impression of being riddled with unrest, and the ginger wonders how anyone can remain still and content for so long.
Must be nice, he thinks. To be so serene and unperturbed seems like such a luxury, one that Sherwin doesn't know if his body or mind will ever have the patience for. Maybe, just maybe, being around Jonathan can help quell the boy's never-ending energy.
Once Jonathan notices his friend is only a few yards away, he immediately places a bookmark between two pages and stands up.
"Hi," Sherwin says.
"Hi," Jonathan echoes.
Both boys offer small, close-lipped smiles. Only a couple of feet separate both of them, but each one is too nervous to close the space. After a few beats, Jonathan releases a contented sigh.
"I'm so glad you made it. Wasn't sure what to think when I didn't see you in school today."
Sherwin blinks a few times to clear his confusion. "Of course. What reason would I have for not showing up?"
"Nothing I can pinpoint. I was almost sure you would, but there's always that nagging at the back of your head, you know? Something that makes you worry."
"You, getting flustered? Didn't know it was possible."
"I can't be that mysterious," he chuckles.
"No, but it's just enough to keep us wondering." Sherwin brings his eyes up to the tree. "I'm on these grounds almost every day, yet I've never noticed this."
"I like that it's hidden from the main path," Jonathan remarks. "Gives me a place to run off to when I need time to myself."
"Do apple trees usually grow in Florida? All this time I thought you should have been spinning an orange."
"It's a community project I've been working on. My parents and I volunteer once a month for a planning committee, and for Arbor Day we planted trees all over the city. It's nice to have some variety in this town. If I wanted to be surrounded by any more orange, I'd ask my parents to move us to the Netherlands."
The redhead lets out a light laugh. "Good thing you've brought about variance yourself, then. I wouldn't want to see you move so far away just for a change of scenery."
Jonathan subtly leans his body forward. "Trust me when I say I'm not going anywhere."
All Sherwin can do is nod and say, "Okay."
Before long, the dark-haired boy bids his friend to follow him to the base of the tree. They both sit down against the trunk and peer into each other's eyes in an exact replica of yesterday's venture.
"That letter I wrote the other day promised I'd have something to show you. It's not much, but hear me out." He then digs into his backpack's pocket and retrieves a bright red apple. It's offered to Sherwin, who turns it over in his hands.
"An apple? Looks tasty."
"Not just any apple—the apple. The one your heart replaced in my hand when it decided to break free. It came from this very tree, and I want you to know that you can come here any time you'd like, no strings attached. It's my gift to you."
The thought stops him short. Could this spot really be just for the two of them? Sherwin hasn't seen another soul pass by since his arrival, but that doesn't mean someone from Jonathan's community group won't show up unannounced at any point in time.
"Do members of your committee not come over and tend this spot? I'd think they would if this is a community project."
Jonathan turns his head to look at the piece of fruit in Sherwin's hands. "Not many people know about it. We planted it out of sight to this degree so people wouldn't get any ideas and mess around with it. I come here all the time, and no one ever travels this far outside campus to notice. There's no need to worry about its secret being outed."
"Why are you the only one who looks after it?"
"Well, I was told it would be mine. But if you'd like, we can make it ours."
Jonathan then cups his hands underneath Sherwin's, and together they cradle the colorful apple in the same gesture when their hands came together to mend Sherwin's broken heart; only this time, no healing is required.
"I don't think there's anything I'd like more than that," Sherwin replies. Their hands stay in the same positon for several moments before he considers another question. "Now that we're on the topic, where did this thing roll off to?"
"Oh, it was caught under the bushes surrounding the tree you climbed the other day. I found it once I came outside after talking with the principal."
The ginger purses his lips, trying to hide his embarrassment. "So you knew about that, huh? I really thought I had gotten away with it by hiding behind the trunk."
"Well, I guessed that's where it might be based on the commotion. I didn't think that thud I heard was coming only from your heart." Jonathan winks, and Sherwin's cheeks turn a hue as brilliant as that of the apples overhead.
Once his face returns to its usual shade, Sherwin reluctantly brings his hands back and takes out his wallet. "I also have something to give. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but I'd still like you to have it."
He passes the photo over to Jonathan, who then takes in every detail. "This is incredible. Where was it taken?"
"In Scotland. We had the best time of our lives. It was captured on the same camera I used to use all the time, but for the past few years it's just collected dust."
"I think you should get back into the hobby. If your photos are even half the quality of this one, definitely consider it." The picture is placed inside his own wallet for safekeeping. "Thank you, Sherwin. It means a lot."
"I really wanted you to have a remembrance, and this seemed like the perfect way to do that. I have your note, and now you have my picture. We're one for one."
Jonathan can't stop the smile that lights up his face. "Looks like we are."
Sherwin looks his love straight in the eyes and, before he loses all courage, lightly presses his lips to the other boy's cheek. Jonathan's breathing hitches, but he doesn't pull away. Once the ginger leans back, he notices Jonathan's fire-engine red cheeks and can't help but laugh.
"Looks like you're not immune to embarrassment after all. Yet another thing we have in common." The Latino boy's hands cover his face, and Sherwin's joy amplifies.
They talk until the sun begins to set, signaling the end of a long day and their need to journey home. Each boy says their goodbyes and makes a promise to visit soon. Most importantly, it's declared that they now have hold of one another's heart; something that may have never been possible had Sherwin decided not to follow his own. As it turns out, that reckless chase of desire was one of the best decisions to date.