Perfect School

With my order of pancakes, fried eggs, and sausage links I pulled out my phone and began to idly run through it. We had no sports events today, the art museum was closed, science as well. No major shows until later. That left the history museum, aquarium, or the hanging gardens. I told him the three best choices for now and waited for him to select.

Jonah:

“Why not all three?” I asked while pouring syrup over my pancakes and eggs. “Lets see the gardens first though” I enjoyed the outdoors, the garden at the school was one of my favorite places to retreat to when I had spare time.

"That works. Shall we head back and order a ride? They are spread through the city and it would take us all day just to reach two let alone spend time there." I replied as I poured my own syrup then added a little bit of ketchup on the side for my sausage and eggs.

Joanh:

We got a ride at were at the botanical gardens half an hour later. The Japanese garden was my favorite. I studied the tiny treas in detail. “Your nickname should be Bonsai.” I commented to Kira without turning to her. In the absence any of Marie's people besides Kira, my playful side was making a reemergence.

"Bonsai? Long life or Planted in a container?" I asked while kneeling before a bed of flowers. I reached a finger out to delicately run my fingers over the petals. Bending forward I gently breathed in their scent with my eyes closed.

Jonah:

My lips twisted up in amusement.  “I meant because you're short.”  I extended my hand to brush the top of her head then moved it in, significantly lowering it to suggest she only came up to my chest.  “But perfectly manicured and directed as well.”

His hand brushing over my head was a surprise, and I reached up to grab it but it was already gone and pressed to his chest. "Cultivated and grown like a tree in a planter. Perhaps so."

Jonah:

“Don't forget admired by all.” I added. The smile felt odd on my face, having not used those muscles in two weeks, but it was easy to fall into this pattern with Kira. Regardless of what she thought, we were friends.

"Mmm. But I may never understand why." I dusted off my knees for a moment then turned to look down the path. "The cherry blossoms are next I believe?"

Jonah:

I followed after her. The smell was heavenly and the blossoms beautiful. I gathered petals from the ground then released them over Kira's head.

My lips parted as I gazed up at the falling petals, one eye closing as I shifted my head to prevent a petal from falling in my eye. But soon enough I had my eyes open again to gaze around at the wonder around us.

Jonah:

Kira was striking surrounded by pink blossoms, and with a few still stuck in her hair. She looked like an anime school girl, with her black hair and bright green eyes. Despite my efforts, she wasn't paying much attention to me, it made me pine for our time at the resort.

Slowly my eyes shifted over to him, hands coming to rest clasped before me. My head cocked to the side at his scrutiny. "What is it?"

Jonah:

I shook my head. “I'm enjoying this mini vacation. My time here hasn't exactly been pleasant until now.” I gave a soft shrug as if it was nothing. “Part of the life.”

"This has been my life since my birth. You either grow used to it or you die. Physical death sometimes isn't the worst pain a person can go through. Marie is apt at making ones spirit die." I replied with my own shrug before gesturing for him to take the lead again.

Jonah:

When we had finished at the garden, the car took us to the aquarium across town. It was even more mesmerizing than the gardens. The intricacies of life ware all around. I knelt before a small reef tank and stared in. “If you were a fish, what kind of fish would you be?” I asked Kira.

"I would like to be a shark? But I have never thought about it." I stood beside him, watching the fish from above with my head tilted to the side.

Jonah:

“I would be an octopus.” I announced, moving onto the next tank. “I don't think you would be a shark. Everyone knows sharks are dangerous. But you’re deceptive. No one would shirk away from you in a dark alley. They would probably offer to walk you to your destination to protect you.”

"Then what would you say I am? You called me a Bonsai already." I followed along before moving past him to peer into a tank full of little seahorses. I couldn't refute his words. They were utterly true.

Jonah:

“Hm, manta ray? You're beautiful and graceful, but at any moment you could land a deadly blow.” I moved to stand before a large tank of pulsing jellyfish.

I looked at him for a long moment. It had been a while since he had leveled compliments like that at me. "A manta ray hm? Alright." Slowly I moved on past him to look into a large tank full of fish.

Jonah:

We wondered around in the tropical section for a while longer. “Come on,” I said finally, taking hold of her wrist and tugging it gently. “The shark exhibit is next.”

I glanced down at my wrist where he held it, letting him pull me along. Soon enough though I matched my pace to his so I was right beside him as we wove through the crowds. The Shark Exhibit was a giant open tank with a few sharks and a couple of other swarms of fish mixed in. Along the other wall were big tanks that held individual sharks as well.

Jonah:

I released her to sit on a bench in front of the largest tank. It was soothing to watch them swim round and round in the water, utterly weightless in their world.

The aquarium was my favorite so far. I enjoyed the water, and the weightless feeling it offered. But it wasn't quite the same to be out here and not in the water. As it was it felt nice to be here, to get away from the work. I remained standing beside the bench but I was feeling relaxed.