It was 2020. COVID-19 hit the world like a plot twist nobody asked for. School went fully online, and graduation? Let's just say it got pushed back so much it felt like we were waiting for a new season of a Netflix show that never dropped. I was 16 at the time, freshly done with high school stuff — or at least what passed for it during a global lockdown.
Most days, I was stuck indoors, which is pretty much the opposite of every teenager's dream. I didn't even bother going to my graduation ceremony because, honestly, what's the point of dressing up, sitting alone in a big hall, and pretending it's fun? Not my vibe. But, surprisingly, I still managed to pass my final exams with mostly A's and B's. How? Maybe it was the extra time with my books, or the fact that I wasn't distracted by people asking me to hang out. Either way, I was kinda proud — or at least relieved.
Since there was nothing much to do, I mostly spent time at my neighbor's place — my friend Emma's house. Hanging out with Emma wasn't an everyday thing, but when we did, it was chill. We usually watched movies, talked about everything and nothing, or just lay around listening to music. Sometimes we just sat in silence, which is actually pretty nice when you think about it.
Emma had this habit of keeping tissues close by — not because she was sick, but just in case she wanted to sneeze. Weird, right? But hey, to each their own.
One day, we were just hanging out. Emma was washing dishes — the kind of casual thing that you do while your brain is somewhere else — and I was sitting beside her, staring out the window at the neighboring houses. Not because I found it thrilling, but more like... there was nothing better to do. Every now and then, I'd look at my phone, scroll through memes, then show her one, and we'd both laugh. It was either that or just zoning out, which, trust me, was my quarantine mood in a nutshell.
Then, out of nowhere, Emma said, "I have a boyfriend."
I literally froze. "Wait, what?!"
She just laughed — the kind of laugh that says, "I'm serious, but don't make a big deal out of it." And she reminded me, "He's my first boyfriend, duh."
I snorted. "But I just met you today!"
She laughed again and said, "Yeah, I know you're aware."
She told me his name was Righteous.
In my head, I was like, Who even names a kid Righteous? But I kept it cool and just smiled.
After that, we moved on to memes and everything else. That's how I first heard about him.
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A few weeks later, one evening — you know those evenings when the sun is just about done with the day, casting this weird dark glow that feels like the world is holding its breath? That kind of evening.
My mom needed something from the kitchen, and since nobody else was volunteering, I decided to go get it. I grabbed my phone, not because I needed it, but because stepping outside without my phone felt like going to war without a shield. Also, I put on my usual quarantine-era outfit: baggy clothes so roomy you could build a tent with them. But somehow, I pulled it off and felt pretty fly in my "I-don't-care-but-actually-I-do" style. Usually, I like dressing up and looking sharp, but during quarantine, baggy was the vibe — and honestly, it looked really good on me.
When I was about to step out the gate, I noticed a tall, handsome guy, neatly dressed, standing right in front of me.
He said he was looking for Emma.
I blurted out, "Oh, he must be Righteous."
He laughed and said, "Nah, that's not me. That's the name of my friend."
That's when it really clicked. Emma hadn't told me his real name. Why would she give me a decoy? I thought about it for a moment but shrugged it off.
Then I gave him the look — you know, the one that says, "Dude, now is not the right time to walk into that house."
He totally caught on. No way was he going to walk in and risk leaving with a swollen face.
He asked me, "Where are you headed?"
I said, "Just grabbing something nearby for my mom."
He said, "Mind if I walk with you?"
I looked at him for a moment and thought, "Why not?"
So, we walked. Didn't say much, just walked.
When I got what I needed, he waved, nodded, and left.
Who would have thought this was going to be the best, worst, and craziest plot twist of my entire summer?