trash star - punznap

⑅

. °. • 。

he kicks rocks on the asphalt road, hands shoved into his pockets. his old black converse live to see another day, whether it'll be a good one or not.

the evening air is cool, with occasional gusts of wind sweeping past and messing up his hair. he doesn't really know why he bothered fixing it in the first place. it's not like he's going to a fancy wedding.

he hears voices and pouya's aftershock playing in the background, but most of it is drowned out by the white noise of his own mind. he's been absent from the conversation for a while, and he knows that if he doesn't speak up soon, his friends will start to worry. it's not a nick thing to be quiet, especially not on the way to a house party.

not long after he's thought that an arm is slung around his shoulders, just like he feared. he straightens his back to avoid looking so blue.

"what's up, nick?"

clay gazes at him sympathetically, because he knows that something isn't right. it wouldn't be hard for anyone to tell.

"i don't know," he shrugs, lacking a better response.

"just not feeling it tonight?"

"i guess."

they watch from afar as harvey chases after sam who's stolen his beanie. both boys laugh and shout, and for a brief moment their antics put a smile on nick's face. his friends are so dumb, yet they never fail to cheer him up.

"you'll loosen up once you get there, you know how it is," clay reassures him.

"mm.. maybe," he mumbles, fiddling with the sleeves of his jacket.

"what's been bugging you anyway? it feels like you've been kinda absent this whole week."

what has been bugging him? he doesn't even know the answer to that himself. lots of things. school. homework. people. more school.

"i think i've just been tired, slept like shit, all of that.. we all have periods when we're down, don't we?"

clay nods in agreement, but nick can tell that the answer didn't satisfy him.

"well, whatever's making you feel bad, forget about it, okay? even if it's only for tonight. it's time to have fun! it's been so long since the four of us went out like this properly."

he gets his hair ruffled and his cheeks pinched in typical clay fashion. it's a gesture of love and kindness that he's shown consistently ever since they were kids.

"and besides, i think sam's got a treat for you.."

clay calls the boy in question over, interrupting his and harvey's little play fight. nick raises an eyebrow, searching the blond's face for answers.

"what's up?" sam exclaims as he sprints over to where they're walking.

"you brought it with you, right?" clay asks, gesticulating towards the other boy.

sam seems confused for a second, but then his face lights up and suddenly there's another arm wrapped around nick.

"oh yeah, of course i did.."

he gets his wallet out and digs through coupons, coins, and parking tickets until he finds the so-called treat, a small ziplock bag containing a vibrant pill.

"left over from last time, if you remember that," he grins.

nick definitely remembers that. how could he even forget such an amazing night? the fleeting memories make him smile for the first time in a good while.

"give me your hand."

he stops walking and eagerly obeys. sam shakes the bag until the molly falls out into his palm. its bright pink tone and skull shape is familiar.

"dude, you're a blessing, what do you want for it?"

sam just laughs, "i don't want shit for it. it's free, cause you're one of my best friends and you deserve it."

he pats nick on the back, and ruffles his hair again just like clay did moments earlier. nick feels like a puppy with the way he's being treated, but he doesn't mind at all.

"hey harvey, bozo, get over here!"

the boy in question turns around upon hearing his name being called. when sam gestures once again to come closer, he sets off from where he was walking, about thirty feet ahead of them.

"what?"

he's slightly out of breath from chasing sam earlier, but his energy hasn't faltered, and that childlike glint in his eyes would never.

"your water bottle."

harvey tosses it over to sam without hesitation. it's a blue plastic bottle with a chipped print, probably from soccer practice or something along those lines.

"wash it down," sam tells him.

"this better be just water or else one of you are dying tonight," nick warns as he puts the pill in his mouth.

"of course it's just water dude," harvey chuckles, "i'm too broke to bring liquor."

he has a point, so nick takes a big swig, swallowing before that nasty bitter taste can take over. sam cheers, hitting his back and turning up the music. and when he looks over at clay he's smiling like an idiot, moving his finger to boop his nose.

"go crazy tonight, lil bro."

he gives nick a quick peck on the cheek. sam whistles and clay just responds by shoving him forward, as if to tell him to continue walking.

the sun shines weakly from above the hill, painting the sky orange, pink, red, and all the pretty colors. nick feels like royalty because the street is empty except for them. he twirls, bopping his head to the beat of the music.

"giiiiiirls.." harvey sings, "fuck, dude, sam, put on that song, it's so good."

sam snickers at the request, but gets his phone out anyway.

"we're gonna get so many girls tonight, sooo many girls!"

the familiar intro starts playing, and it's not long until everyone is singing along.

"every single senior is gonna be there," harvey swoons, "all the cheerleaders, all of their hot friends, arzaylea from ela.. and girls from other schools too, i bet luke knows so many."

"calm down homie," sam laughs, "we're all excited but you sound mad desperate right now."

"and so what? i'm not gonna be a pussy tonight, i'm gonna own the pussy."

the boys make fun of him for that one for the next five minutes. they belt out lyrics while passing house after house, row after row of parked cars. birds fly over the rocky hills, and street lights start to shine as darkness slowly overcomes the town, wrapping around it like a blanket.

nick knows that it can't be far now, because the small townhouses down in the valley have turned into large villas with gates and neatly trimmed lawns.

he slips his phone out of his pocket, texting the number that was written on the piece of paper.

> almost there. let's fuck shit up tonight <3

he smiles to himself while reading it back. it sounds dumb, but good enough for the occasion.

the others keep talking while he tries to ignore that nagging feeling from before, the one that's still stuck in the back of his mind. it tries to pull him down now that he's climbed up, but he won't let it. tonight is supposed to be fun.

he hopes that the molly will kick soon, and it should. then he won't have to worry about a single thing anymore. it will just be him, the music, the people, the rushes, sadie..

tonight is supposed to be fun.

°. •. 。