But I Never Promised You

Jack and I skipped over to the skatepark. We were really excited about finding it.

There were a few guys there. Some were boarding and some had bikes. We saw a few girls sitting in one of the corners watching them. I assumed they were the girlfriends or like Jack and I, best friends.

We received glances from everyone in the park. A few of them did double takes.

“Oh my god! It’s Jack Barakat!” one of the girls shouted.

He smirked. “I was waiting for that.”

We waved at them.

“Me too.” I smiled at him.

I walked over to one of the guys standing on the side with a board.

“Would you mind if I borrowed your board for a little bit?”

He smirked at me. “You skateboard?”

I nodded. “Is that a problem?”

“No.”

“So, can I borrow it?”

“Sure.” He handed me the board that was leaning against the chain link fence.

“Thanks,” I said as I grabbed the board from him. “Hey Jack, watch this.”

I ran slightly with the board in my hand before dropping it and jumping on. I dropped into the bowl and came up on the other side, one hand on the edge holding my weight as I did a handstand before I dropped back in.

After doing a few more tricks, I rolled back towards the boy.

“Thanks for letting me use this.”

“Dude, you’re insane! Where’d you learn to do all that?”

“My friend Tanner taught me. He’s my best friend from back home.”

“Noice.”

I grimaced. Some days I really hated the lingo skater boys used.

I walked back over to Jack, who was standing in the same spot I left him in open mouthed.

“Why didn’t you tell me you could skateboard?”

“You never asked and it was never brought up.”

“I know what I’m getting you for your birthday.”

I giggled. “Jack, my birthday isn’t for another nine months.”

“Okay, I know what I’m getting you for a going away present.”

“I’m not going away anywhere, Jack.”

“We’re leaving for tour tomorrow, Mika. Remember?”

“That’s not going away, Jack. I’ll be with you the whole time,” I said with my hand on my hip.

“What time is it?”

I got my phone out of my pocket and checked the time. “Eight forty five. Why?”

Jack grabbed me by the hand and starting running out of the skatepark, toward our apartment building. “The skate shop closes at ten. We have to get there tonight or I’ll have to buy you one in Japan and I’m pretty sure those all suck.”

“Jack, it’s okay. I have one in my closet at the apartment.”

“Not a new one, though.”

“I don’t need a new one.”

“Yes, you do. Now hurry up or we won’t make it. Don’t make me carry you the rest of the way there.”

I picked up my pace. I really didn’t want Jack to carry me the rest of the way home. It was still kind of far.

We somehow managed to make the two mile trip within fifteen minutes. It was only nine when we walked in the door of Jack’s apartment that he was supposed to share with Alex.

“Does Alex still have the keys to the car?”

Rian and Zack both shrugged.

“Thanks for the help guys,” Jack said sarcastically.

“Anytime, man,” Zack said.

Jack dragged me out of the door and across the hall. Walking in the door, we found Alex laying on the couch watching TV.

“Hey, Alex, do you still have the keys to the Cadillac?” Jack asked.

“Yeah, they’re on the kitchen counter. Are you going somewhere?”

“Yeah. We have to run downtown quick. The skate shop closes at ten and there is no way I’m getting Mika a crappy Japanese board to use on tour.”

He just waved at us, signaling us to shut up and we walked back into the hall.

We made it to the shop in record time. It was only nine fifteen and normally the drive would have taken us twenty minutes at least.

Walking in the door, Jack immediately dragged me over to the board section. It didn’t take long for an employee to come over and ask us if we needed anything. We politely declined. I already knew what size board I needed. We just needed to find one with a design I liked.

It didn’t take me long to find the perfect deck, correction, decks. It was a set. The two of them together completed a picture. They were black and white and spelled out various words including: camp, popular, occupation, alliance, independent, base, revolution, and disappear. There were a few other words on the boards, but there was a “sign” so to speak covering some of the letters. There was a third deck in the series and Jack decided he was going to get it for himself.

After we picked out trucks, wheels, bearings, and grip tape we walked up to the register.

I was ecstatic. I hadn’t gotten a new board in a long time; about a year before I moved to California. Now, I was getting two at one time. I felt like a fat kid in a candy store.
Once Jack had paid, we walked back out to the Cadillac.

“Thanks Jack. You didn’t have to do this.”

“I know, but I wanted to. You felt so at peace when I saw you on at the skatepark.”

“Yeah, boarding was what helped me get out my frustration when my dad left us. Tanner was a huge support for me, especially when Conner and I stopped talking for a while. Could you do me another huge favor, Jack?”

“Sure. What is it?”

“Would you be able to buy Tanner a ticket to one of your shows? I just realized how much I missed him.”

“Of course. Pick the place and I’ll bring him there. I’ll even pay for his plane ticket, if he needs one.”

“Jack you’re the best! Thank you so much.”

I immediately called Tanner.

“Hey Loserface, guess what.”

“What, Mika?”

“Well, actually, there are like three things.” I heard him laugh before I continued. “Okay, I’m engaged.”

“Whoa! I definitely wasn’t expecting that one. Who’s the sucker that has to marry you?”

“Jerk! You probably won’t believe me, but it’s Alex Gaskarth.”

“No fucking way! You’re getting married to the lead singer of our favorite band?”

“Yes, way. Okay, item number two, I’m going on tour with them for eight months. I leave tomorrow morning for Japan.”

“That’s crazy. You’re going to have so much fun. Remember us little people when you get famous.”

“I will. Guess what else.”

“I don’t have any idea. You grew horns?”

“Not even close, Steffes. You’re coming to one of their shows, courtesy of Jack.”

“You’re shitting me.”

“I’m not. Get on your computer and tell me where you want to come see them, so I can tell Jack where to get the ticket for.”

I could hear Tanner typing. He actually listened when I told him to look up the tour. Amazing.

“Mika, there aren’t any dates for the US on this tour. I won’t be able to go.”

“Tanner, you have a valid passport. Pick somewhere. Jack’s buying your plane ticket.”

“Mika, you know if you’re lying to me about this, I will officially hate you forever.”

“I know, Steffes. That’s why I’m not lying. I have another surprise for you, but that has to wait until you see me on tour.”

“I don’t know if I can handle any more excitement.”

“You’ll be happy about this. Trust me.”

I could tell Jack was getting impatient because he grabbed the phone from me. “Will you just pick somewhere already?” He handed the phone back to me.

“Tanner, you have to pick somewhere like now. Jack’s getting impatient.”

“Venice. I’ve always wanted to go to Italy.”

“Alright. Venice it is. I’ll see you in a couple weeks, Tanner, but I have to go.”

“Bye, Mika. See you soon.”

I hung up the phone and glanced over and Jack.

“He’s gonna love Venice!”

“I know.”

“So, what is the other surprise that he has to wait for?”

“You know how you bought me two boards?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m giving one of them to him. I’ll give you money for it when we get back to the apartment.”

“You will do no such thing. I won’t accept any of your money.”

I exhaled the breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I thought you were going to say I couldn’t give it to him.”

Jack shook his head. “I wouldn’t do that.”

“Okay, good. Tanner and I have wanted to get boards like this since he first taught me how to ride. We couldn’t ever find any though.”

Jack smiled. “I’m glad I could help.”

By this time, we had gotten back to our building.

We went our separate ways after Jack nearly squished me in a hug. We had a big day tomorrow.