That Friend.

"So, will you join it" Michaela smiled? She knew what that smile always did to me. It made me always fall for her trap. Her dimples were showing and her teeth were sparkling. How could I say no?

"I don't think so." I replied. Observing everything I see in the park. There was a bald man. He was with his dog walking across the benches where women sat,(Mothers) waiting for their kids to finish playing. Most of their faces were either frowned or annoyed. Not even a smirk. Ah well. My mind was not on Michaela right now. By now she would be rattling about why I should join the convention yet I am just observing what people are doing and picturing it in a parallel universe. The bald man would be a woman walking a poodle and the women on the benches would all be teenagers, shouting ta siblings to hurry up and finish playing.

"Are you even listening to me!" She shouted.

"Yeah, I don't want to join."

"Yo have a talent Brian stop being a scardey cat." She giggled. smiling again. She pinched my sides making me laugh with her. And there we were, the foolish 8th graders laughing out of the blue. I saw the bald man look in our direction and gave us a stern look. Michaela looked at me and started to laugh again, making me laugh. Her laughing is catchy, by that I mean if she starts to laugh, you start to laugh too. This continued for a few minutes till our sudden madness just overtook us. 

"Just consider it. Ok," She dusted herself and went got up and started skipping towards her home. She was doing her 'thing' that always makes me wonder whether she is mad. She talks to animals. It's her hobby. She and I are both weird yet the closest of friends ever since grade 1, She was lonely while I was with all my friends. Let's say, things turned out different ever since then but it is still worth it.

The next morning came as a surprise to me. Michaela's driver was coming to take us to this aquarium(where Aquaman was shot) and I needed to look different from the nerd me. I put on some jeans, wore my old rebook sneakers, Gosh! it was tight and I wore a cardigan over my lactose shirt. My glasses were fixed and I looked like a cool average 8th grader. In a few minutes, the thing at the fence made me realize I had somewhere to go.

"Bye! Mom." I yelled running out of the house and entered the black SUV out of the house. The drive started after we exchanged pleasantries and later, the car was steered in a different direction as the aquarium.

"Where are we going to?" I asked Michaela.

"Ask him." Michaela asks as if I haven't asked her a question while she's still on her phone.

"Alex, please where are we going to?" I asked. More curious than ever yet no response. What the hell was going on!

We got to this fancy building decorated with cardboards of humans with nerds. This was the convention Michaela was always bugging me about.

"Why are we here?" I ask. She doesn't respond. "Michaela Samuells!" She looked up from her phone and smirked.

"You have to learn to appreciate what you have. This place is a help support center for people with weird or strange talents or hobbies." She smiled going back to her phone.

"Now please, Kim Kardashian once said Lighting is everything. I need lighting." Michaela is obsessed with Instagram with over 3 thousand followers.

We got down, still frowning as I entered the halls of the place. It seemed I overdressed for the occasion. There were groups some abut animals. People who talk to animals. That was Michaela's que, yet she followed me to this support center for observants. Like me. Only 6 people have seated 3 boys and 3 girls excluding me.

"Sammy, please this is my friend Brian, Treat him with all respect please."

"I don't want to me here." I murmured to her but she pats my head and turned away, singing. "You can do it" To me.

The time passed and I realized the group was much better than I thought it would be. We talked about how to use our hobbies to help us in the future and actually, I could be a forensic investigator. All of us remembered stuff we observed over six years ago. the people there were so friendly and lonely like me,(Apart from Michaela of course). Lucy was one of the girls who observed everything she sees at all. She remembers the first step I took into the classroom and also the way my lips twitch whenever I smirk or laugh.

All of them are just amazing, I'd love to know all of them. Here, Michaela was right. I think my hobby can help me in a lot of different ways. I'm a very special person. Special!!!!

"So, how did you like it." She knew I loved it yet she wants to tease me because she knew better than me. 

"It could have been better." I lied, keeping a straight face yet the happiness was hiding inside was overlapping me.

"Oh!" She frowned getting into the car, she smirked. She knew me more than anyone. She knew that I was hiding it inside.

"Don't lie. Stop lying." She was smiling.

"Ok, It wasn't bad, but i think my talent is better than yours. Who speaks to animals" I tease. She frowns and I tickle her side and she lets a squeal of laughter. 

This group just saved my life. Michaela saved my life. All this saved my life. My hobby is a specialized and unique one. She was and is all I have left and with all the money and fame we have now, The thing that made all this happen was her. 

She pushed me and advised me into becoming who I am today. That's why I call her 'That Friend'.