The Boy Behind the Counter

✑ chapter five: man in the mirror

i'm starting with the man in the mirror/ i'm asking him to change his ways
and no message could have been any clearer: if you wanna make the world
a better place, you gotta look at yourself and make that change

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Phoenix practically leapt out of bed. Today marked the first performance on the stage at Vintage Volumes, and Phoenix wouldn't miss it for the world. It meant that he might get to see Miles' smile, after all. He wondered how far he would go just to see it. It really was a rare treasure.

"Larry!" Phoenix barked at his friend, passed out on the couch as per usual. He had a room of his own (even if it was the size of a closet), but he wasn't someone who managed his time well, meaning he often passed out here after watching TV or playing video games.

"What, what?!" Larry groaned.

"I usually don't wake you if I don't have to, but did you want to come see the concert at the shop today? Iris and Dahlia will be there. Ema and Maya and Pearl, too."

Larry blinked his eyes until they widened, startled.

"Is that today?! I got my weekdays totally mixed up!" A silence, and then he smiled an odd, glassy smile. "Geez. I sound just like my friggin' mom. Dammit." He hissed at the pain of the sunlight entering his eyes and squeezed at the bridge of his nose.

Phoenix frowned. It was something Larry would never have brought up if he wasn't half asleep. He thought about pushing the subject, about asking if she was okay and if Larry had seen her recently. He decided against it. Larry rolled off of the cushions and stood, slurring something about taking a shower. Phoenix took a moment to try and save his now dampened mood.

Phoenix was lucky to have supportive parents and an apartment of his own. Because he'd worked so hard to get a full scholarship, saving them the cost of tuition, they insisted on paying to put him up here during the summer. It was small in terms of living quarters and the not-kitchen, but it had a big open space with a great deal of natural light that made an amazing studio, one big enough for him to paint and for Larry to sculpt.

His parents had agreed to also put up Larry, without question. They'd known the boy since he was little, after all. They knew about the truth that he didn't like to talk about.

Phoenix, having already showered, made the two of them a quick breakfast. Larry wolfed it down. He had seemingly forgotten what he'd let slip and had returned to his usual demeanor. Phoenix snuck glances at him as he ate. He wished there was something he could do to help, but he knew Larry would withdraw from him if he dared breach the subject, and he didn't want to hurt his best friend, even with the best of intentions.

"I'll drive us, if you wanna get there quick," Larry offered. His car was barely big enough to qualify as a car, but it got the job done. "I'm investing, y'know. I wanna get a van big enough to drive us all around, since none of you people can drive."

Phoenix laughed as he buckled his seat belt.

"Hey, Maya can drive. It's just best for us all that she doesn't."

The trip, by car, was almost shockingly short, making Phoenix wish for about a half of a second that he could drive. He checked his phone for the time— he was early. This was okay, as it meant he had time to talk to the others first.

Miles seemed to perk up when he saw Larry and Phoenix enter together. Thankfully, Larry didn't betray the fact that they had shared a car and made for the back of the store, where he apparently found Maya, as Phoenix heard her loud greeting.