Shadow at the Water's edge.

A strange encounter.

"Alex! Wait up!"

Alex turned around at the sound of Zach's shout, he was running toward him with a cheerful smile on his face. Alex waited in the hall for him to catch up. "Hey Zach, what's up?"

Zach was panting slightly from running, and he gasped several times before inhaling deeply and slinging an arm around Alex's shoulder. "Alex my man! You doing anything tonight?"

Alex thought for a moment.  "Uh...nope, I'm free."

Zach grinned and slapped him heartily on the back. "Great! The team and cheerleaders are going to the club tonight, wanna come?"

Alex scratched the back of his head and shifted his books. "Um...I don't really go to clubs."

Zach laughed. "Aw come on dude, you used to go! Still got your fake ID?"

Alex nodded.

"Great! We'll be there around ten o'clock. See you there." He slapped his back again and ran off down the hall.

Alex sighed and rubbed his forehead.

He had occasionally gone to clubs before the accident, but the only thing appealing about a club to him was the music. He didn't care to drink all that much, but he loved to dance, he was pretty good at it too. But the overall club atmosphere left him feeling uncomfortable. Most of the time when he went, he would volunteer to be the designated driver and make sure his friends didn't do anything too stupid.

"Alex!"

His head turned as his name was yelled down the hall for the second time. He smiled as he saw Squints weaving his way through the crowd, heading for him. "Hey Squints."

Squints shrugged his back-pack further up his shoulder and grinned. "You got any plans for tonight? The new Black Ops just came out."

Alex smiled and shook his head. "Yeah, I got roped into going to the club tonight."

Squints rolled his eyes. He disapproved of clubs, he considered them obnoxious and unsanitary. "Come on! I thought you had gave up on that sort of thing! What do you even do at a club?"

Alex shrugged. "Mostly keep everyone else out of trouble. I've got to go know, they're counting on me being the designated driver, and if I don't show up they won't have anyone to drive them home."

Squints sighed and started walking with Alex to their next class.

Alex suddenly had an idea, and he stopped Squints. "Hey, why don't you come to the club too?"

Squints looked horrified. "What? That's ridiculous!"

"Oh come on! Please? Then I won't be completely bored out of my mind." He pouted his lip and opened his blue eyes wide. "Please Squints? You're the bestest friend in the whole world."

Squints tried to hide a smile behind a scoff, but Alex could tell he almost had him. "Not the face! Come on Alex, I wouldn't be able to get in anyway!"

Alex grinned. "I can get you a fake ID by this afternoon."

Squints eyes widened and he stared at his best friend. "What?! How on earth could you do something so illegal so fast?"

Alex smiled. "I know a guy. Please?" 

Squints stared at him for a long moment, then gave in with a huff. "Fine, but know I'm only doing it because I need to keep an eye on you."

Alex laughed and ruffled Squints hair affectionately. "Thanks pal, meet me at my house around five, we'll go out to eat okay?"

Squints nodded and they separated to their different classes.