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As Alice had more lessons today, Eric could finally go home alone again. He pushed his bike slowly beside him. He didn't want to get on it right away after the little adventure this morning. He had to even admit that the thrill Alice had caused him had been quite exciting. Now, in retrospect, he even had to laugh at the thought of him daring to follow her.
"You are so happy today," Sara noted pleased.
"I'm not!" Eric denied quickly and put his dark facial expression back on.
"I'm not, my butt!" Sara stretched out her tongue. "Besides, a happy face looks much better on you than this sad one."
"I would be much more joyful if you wouldn't always annoy me!"
"Or perhaps if you would spend more time with your new friend," Sara winked knowingly.
"Oh, stop it! That's crazy! After just one day, she tells me that I'm her new best friend!"
"That only proves that she has good taste," she pushed the shoulder of her brother with her own. "Besides, the supposedly most absurd ones are usually the most normal."
"You only say that because you belong to those. But who needs such crazy friends?"
"Hey, everyone needs friends, you too, Mr Smart Alec. I think she has something. Something I like about her. I'm sure she could be a good friend."
"I think we disagree on that."
Gu appeared with a basketball between his hands in front of Eric's bike. His friend was surprised to see the basketball player as he was still focusing on his conversation with Sara, so he had not seen the boy coming.
"Hey, Eric, fancy a round of basketball with me?" the boy threw the round, hard leather in Eric's direction, who barely caught it while the pole of his bike fell against his hip.
With the ball in his hand, the boy looked over to his sister, who was looking at him.
"Not today," he threw the ball back to Gu, who caught it with a disappointed expression.
"Yeah, that was to be expected."
Gu went past his friend with stoop-shouldered. He had already expected a rejection, as it had been the same for the last few times, but he was no less disappointed. He wanted to help his friend during this difficult time, and he knew no better way than to keep asking him to play.
"But maybe we can play tomorrow!" Eric called after him as he felt surprisingly guilty to reject the boy once more.
Surprised, Gu turned around and needed a moment to find some words, "Yes, yes, if you want. I'm waiting for you."
The boys said goodbye with the promise for tomorrow.
"See, you do have changed", Sara insisted rigidly.
"No, I just felt sorry for him," Eric replied persistently. "Every day he asks me if we play. It's frustrating! Perhaps he'll give me some peace when I finally play with him."
"Yes, if you say so," Sara jumped onto the bicycle carrier and held on to the saddle. "Let's go home now!"
Eric rode off with his sister on the bike. Being together on the road caused a smile to appear on his face. From time to time, Eric drove in slopes and his sister laughed aloud as she was shaken. When they arrived at the hillside, Sara had to dismount because Eric would not have managed to ride uphill.
