Don't Panic - B. Hargrove

TWO

"What's the matter?" Steve asked, pausing to eat his friend halfway as he noticed the weird look in his best friend's eyes.
"I think I'm going to miss your disgusting eating habits," David answered truthfully, slightly squinting his eyes at Steve, who just glared at him.

"Charming as always," he hummed, then pushed the rest of his meal in his mouth to chew extra loudly. David cringed at the misophonia, which only made Steve grin sadistically.

"You are going to miss me so badly," he said when he was done, and David rolled his eyes at him."Well, we certainly will see each other less often when you work at the mall."

Steve glared at him.
"As my best friend, you're obliged to visit me at least once a day," he then pointed out, grabbing onto his empty lunch tray to stand up.

"You can be lucky if I make it into that nightmare once a week," David begged to differ as he followed closely behind, picking up the other boy's gym back in the process.

"Fair enough," Steve hummed while returning the tray. He then took over his bag, hoisting it over one shoulder lazily as he strutted on and into the hallway.
"Does Loverboy still work at the pool?" he asked after glancing around to see if anybody was close enough to listen into their conversation and deeming it safe.

"Unfortunately, yes," David responded, scrunching his nose in disgust.
The community pool was one of the places he hated most in Hawkins, and the summer sun didn't help the level of hostility for his gentle skin and ears.

"Sucks," Steve agreed. "At least he'll be there to kiss your sunburn better. I'm completely on my own in that shithole."

"You'll live," David said as he stopped in front of the vending machine, putting a dollar in like he always did, wishfully glancing at the bottle coming out as the last of its kind.

It's the last drink he'll ever get Steve for basketball practice. It kind of felt wrong how he could hand it straight over, the boy so used to cradling the soda and taking it to the bleachers with him. This time, it went with Steve into the changing room, leaving David behind. And a second wave of melancholy hit as he entered the gym and aimed for his favorite spot, sitting down to swing his legs back and forth while the team was getting ready.

For a strange moment, it was just him, and it hit him like a bus that this was what his senior year would soon look like. Luckily, that time hadn't arrived yet, and the doors swung open again to reveal the first boss Jogging in, including Billy, who briefly looked at him and winked. And watching him, David figured that it really was best for Billy to become a professional basketball player as he just looked perfect in those shorts.

Steve followed just a second after, hair whipping with every movement as he offered Billy a nod. That was the best David had gotten out of the two, and he was still proud that they weren't bashing their heads in anymore. Just looking at them made him feel warm as he loved those two idiots to pieces. Hawkins High would be a worse place without them.
But he was undoubtedly the only one thinking so as he could see that Jason boy was eager to take over the title of the school's king finally. David didn't like him, but he wouldn't have to deal with him or the basketball team ever again, so it wasn't necessary. In that spirit, he watched his boys bicker on the court, leading the two teams against each other with the glee of two people who were still no friends.

David had high hopes that without the competitive energy, they would make up eventually. So he was thankful when the match ended with a final victory for Steve, an apparent courtesy of Billy, who had sent his boyfriend a conspirational wink after announcing the final score. So David left the gym with a bittersweet smile on his lips and a happy bounce in his step.