Everything We Always Were

Seven: Red

(TW: Rape, drugs, cancer and dying)

So, James and I were friends again. At first, it didn't change much in my daily routine, for the first week at least. Once the weekend hit though, it was different.

Friday after school, on my way to Roni's car, James runs up to me, stopping me.

"Let's hang out," He proposes, out of breath.

"Okay, where?"

"Anywhere,"

I don't question him, a smile on my face as I follow him just a few rows over from Roni's car, to his truck. I have never been in his truck, obviously. It was a little difficult since he has it raised but I managed to get in without an injury.

Surprisingly, the truck is spotless on the inside, with no trash or anything.

"Very clean," I point out awkwardly.

He chuckles while starting the truck, "Had a change of faith," I laugh at that one, relaxing a little, knowing that his room used to be an absolute pigsty.

"Glad to hear that," I smile. "Any ideas for where to go?"

"Remember the arcade we used to ride our bikes to when we were younger?"

"The one that took 30 minutes to bike to and that we were always so nervous to do because if our parents found out they would kill us?"

"Like they would ever find out," He adds in, "But yes that one, I found out that by some miracle, it's still open. So I figure we take a little drive through the woods to get there. And there's that little cafe with really good sandwiches right down the street from it,"

"I remember. It was always super expensive so if we planned to go there, I would take money from my mom's purse while she was sleeping because our allowance in grade school would never cut it," The smile hasn't left my face yet. My cheeks are starting to hurt a bit.

"You mean your allowance,"

"You're right," I nod to him. "Do you still listen to 2000's punk rock?"

"Of course, do you?" I nod, "Great, I'll play one of my playlists for the short drive,"

And he does. The rest of the trip is filled with familiar songs, the ones I remember listening to on my old tablet, sharing headphones with him.

And the arcade is even more familiar. What's with the businesses around here never updating anything?

The first few games we play are the claw machines, which James has always been determined to win at least once every time we went. That habit has not died.

We spend so long at the claw machines that I'm now starving and it's almost 7 pm. But he won. Finally. He managed to get a whale plushie into the hole.

I can't help but smile as I watch him cheer for himself and grin at his victory.

"For you, as always," He offers me the soft plushie and I take it. I wonder if he was just referring to the fact that he used to give me everything he won or if he secretly knows that I kept it all in the bottom of my closet. I kept every plushie and small toy he got me, hidden in boxes. I put them there after that night on his porch.

The nostalgia is overwhelming and once again that cloud is getting lighter. Much lighter than it did last weekend.

But of course, once again that cloud is weighed down. And once again, by Kyler Jones.

"Oh look at this, a slut and a pussy on a date, what a great pair!"

"Don't be a dick, Kyler," James snaps, the smile on his face instantly gone and replaced by a scowl. He's standing in front of me now, creating a barrier.