black roses | The Lost Boys (1987)

after.

Santa Carla hadn't changed a bit. Thirty years later, and it was the exact same. A grin grew across Evangeline's face as she and the boys drove down the boardwalk. It had been twenty-five years since they left, and they figured they would pay it a visit. They hadn't really changed all too much besides the young ones.

Laddie had changed at the age of eighteen, drinking from a man who had been messing with Star all night. Sam had changed around nineteen, not wanting to be the older brother no matter how much he would've joked about it. Rain had died in the mid-90s which truly hurt us all, but we had gotten a hellhound to replace him after a few years, though he still wasn't my beloved dog.

In the matters of the boys, Marko had cut his long hair short around the early 90s and has kept it ever since. He no longer wore his chaps and boots after they got destroyed one night by a guy who carried a knife. His patched jacket – a few days of contemplation – had been thrown into the ocean in the early 00s. He now wore a spiked jacket with paintings covering it instead of the patches. It was something I had helped him with for three nights in a row.

Dwayne kept his hair long, though it was styled different, and his wardrobe had barely changed. The only difference was his boots which he had swapped for a different pair that was similar yet different.

Paul had also cut his hair, unfortunately, but he still used just as much hairspray as he pushed it up in crazy styles that somehow always fit. He had changed his pants from white to black, and he had gotten nipple piercings one night when he was drunk, though he found them hilarious the next night. His clunky boots were replaced with sleeker ones, and he now had a tattoo crawling up his side after a night where they realized they could still get them, a silver wolf, funnily enough.

David had left behind his trench coat in favor of a leather jacket I had gotten him one Christmas in the late 90s. He also loved hanging chains from his belt and neck, something that he pulled off surprisingly well. He also now had initials for me and the three others on each wrist and ankle.

My fashion was still the same. I never stuck to one outfit like the boys could. I just loved trying different styles and outfits. That includes the time I let Paul spike my hair into a mohawk and dress me for the day. It was a complete disaster, and I went out in a tight miniskirt and crop top that barely covered anything. We weren't out very long before the boys dragged me back home to do some activities.

Star and Michael were going strong as were Max and Lucy, and I truly couldn't be happier than I was.

We pulled up to where we used to park our bikes and easily got off, looking around at everyone at the boardwalk. Even the people hadn't changed. The boardwalk was still filled with people of all kinds. The only change was the trends in clothing and talking.

I leaned against Dwayne and hummed along to the songs playing over the speakers. He wrapped his arm around my waist, and we eyed the different shops surrounding each side of the boardwalk. They seemed a lot better than what there used to be.

Marko and Paul were holding hands, and Paul was talking excitedly about how he wanted ice cream and how he found a new dealer that would sell them weed for cheaper. One thing that was definitely better about the time change was the acceptance growing around LGBT+ couples. Though Marko and Paul could always kill the person who said anything about them, it was nice to be able to walk around in public and hold hands or kiss without having to hear someone grumble and call them slurs every time. There were still moments, but it was becoming easier and easier to be more open about it.

David was on my other side, smoking a cigarette as he looked around. Anyone else would have thought he was bored, but I could see the little glint in his eyes that signified that he was intrigued about what was around him.