The Treehouse [BxB]

six

It was seven o'clock in the morning. Today was the last day of school, and Mickey and River were sitting in the treehouse, their legs dangling off the edge as they shared a cigarette. The neighbourhood was doused in golden sunlight, the peace disturbed only by the mailman's quiet footsteps below.

"How are you feeling about today?" Mickey broke the silence.

River shrugged, "I'm excited for summer."

"Me too." Mickey agreed. But there was a sense of unspoken tension in the air. After the summer holidays, they would enter their last year of school; that meant stress, anxiety, university applications, exam season. It meant studying harder than they ever had before. And in their minds, they were still children, playing dress up and pretending to be adults. Soon, they really would be adults. And it was terrifying. "At least you don't have to tutor Declan anymore."

River breathed in the warm smoke from the cigarette, then handed it over to Mickey, "I guess." He hummed quietly, "But maybe we'll still hang out. We get on well."

Mickey took one last drag from the cigarette, then stumped it out on the heel of his converse, and tossed it aside, "There's a party tonight." He said, "At Rachel McGill's house."

River looked across at him blankly, "So?"

"You should come."

River shook his head, "No thanks."

"It's the last day of term. We should celebrate."

"I'm not invited." River protested. He didn't want to go. He hated parties. They were loud, messy, and full of people he didn't like.

"Doesn't matter." Mickey shot back, "You're coming. It will be fun."

"Just go with your other friends."

"I want to go with you." Mickey told him stubbornly. "We've spent practically every day together this whole year, so it's only right that we end the term together, too."

River groaned, running his hands through his curls, "Do I have to?"

"Yes." Mickey replied. "And tomorrow, we'll do whatever you want. I promise."

River thought for a moment, "Can I stay round yours after the party?"

"Is that even a question?" Mickey scoffed, "Of course. It's summer; you can stay round mine every night." And just like all the summers before, they would spend every waking second together.

"And whatever I want to do tomorrow...you'll do it?"

Mickey hesitated, "Sure."

"Let's go to the river." He suggested. "We can get drunk and go swimming."

Mickey grinned, "I thought you were gonna suggest a museum or something." He teased, "That sounds great. Sure. Should I invite Declan, too?"

River looked away, afraid that the bashful expression that flashed across his face would give something away, "Yeah. Sure. I don't mind."

Mickey leant over and ruffled River's hair. That was a habit he would never give up. "You ready to go?"

"Mickey?"

"Hm?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do without you." He said softly.

Mickey frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"When we go to university." They locked eyes, "We'll be miles apart."

Mickey sighed deeply, "River, I haven't even thought about which universities I want to apply to. We could end up close, so there's no point stressing about it yet."