Mindless

Chapter 8- Reunited

~I only look up at him, I do not want to say anything because I have a feeling in my gut that I know what is about to happen. He is going to ask me. He is going to ask me why I left, why I never said anything and never told him why~

After finishing off my second drink, I realize that it is getting way too crowded and loud in here to talk. Wendy is dancing with Kenny and Token along with a couple others who joined. She has done so much for me, she really deserves the friend of the year award. Stan ordered a drink and downed that before suggesting we find another place to talk. He really does not know, which is not his fault. I have stepped out of my comfort zone a lot since I have returned to my hometown, oh hell, what's one more step? Even though I am willing to talk to him, I am not ready to just flat out reveal why I left in the first place. I honestly do not see myself ever telling him. Would I like to? To be honest, I have no clue.

When I locked eyes with him, it all came to me, all of it at once. I will not try to walk around the truth, all my feelings never went away. They remained alive and well. They went into hibernation for a while, though. When Lance came into my life, they all hibernated themselves. All of my old best friend's features are just as eye-catching and striking as they used to be. His jet black hair, his ocean blue crystal balls for eyes, his full lips, he has definitely been paying attention to physical fitness because he is in really great shape. The feelings took over and basically just opened the door to my comfort zone. There is this link to him, this strong wire that is far too strong to cut.

"It's kind of cold to take a walk, the old abandoned mall is usually empty at this hour, they still keep it open. We could go walk around there," Stan tells me.

I give him a quick but slow nod, "Okay."

Wendy notices me coming over, "I guess we're gonna go walk around the abandoned mall."

"Are you going to be okay?" Wendy asks me, putting a comforting hand to my bicep.

"I think. I can manage," This is uncomfortable for me to do, but Stan never asked for this and I need to admit that.

"Text me."

"I will."

I give Kenny and Token a quick hug and they tell me we will all have to catch up sometime soon. I agree and follow Stan out of the bar. This happened so fast, like almost too fast for me to process. I really did not expect to be doing this tonight. The fact that I agreed to see him at all was scary, but now I am going to have a conversation with him that will most likely lead to him asking me my reason for running away and leaving him clueless. We climb inside his car as he heads off to the old abandoned mall. Stan told me on the way out to the car it was right around the corner from here. I know of the mall from when I lived here, but I did not know it was this close to the bar and the hotel I was previously staying at. The ride there is silent, except for the faint sound of the radio. My heart is beating inside of my chest. God, I do not think I was ready for this. I should have refused to go. Well, maybe not. I owe him an explanation, right?

Stan pulls into the empty parking lot. We both exit the vehicle. I look up at the building's structure. It definitely has that light eery feel to it that abandoned places contain. As we walk in through the doors, side by side, the interior is actually pretty clean for a mall that is no longer in business. This used to be a really good hangout spot. Kenny, Eric, Stan, and I would come here on weekends sometimes, catch a movie or grab some dinner in the food court. I think back to the times our parents would bring us here for back-to-school clothes shopping. My mom was always getting me and my brother in here a few weeks before school started so we were all ready and good to go. The trip down memory lane ends when Stan's voice floats through me ears.