Escaping the Current

1. Saving Grace

Kaden's one-person concert was interrupted by incoming messages. He knew who was texting on the other end, and he knew why that person was texting. Kaden didn't want to hear it that day. He was trying to keep his spirits up, and Beyoncé was next on the playlist, which meant his imaginary audience was expecting his all. He took his glance away from the phone and fixed his eyes on his mirror.

Beyoncé hadn't even finished the first verse when Kaden's phone rang. He tried to ignore it and put the volume up higher. But the sounds of a honking became more distinct than the ringing. Kaden accepted his fate and huffed out, 'Later, Bey.'

Grabbing his phone and a sweater, he raced out of his room and ran down the stairs.

'You tell that white boy he's all out of honks. He can't honk here no more,' Kaden's mom yelled as he headed down the stairs.

'I'll let him know, Ma,' Kaden rolled his eyes. 'I won't be late.'

'Love you.'

'Love you too,' he yelled as he closed the door.

K

aden could make out the smile on Austin's face as he walked down his driveway. The boy got out of his car, milkshake in one hand and Slurpee in the other. Kaden's eyes narrowed on Austin's desperate looking eyes. He figured Austin was trying to butter him up with double the treats that would help his case.

Kaden stopped in front of the doe eyed boy. Austin presented the drinks to Kaden, 'Which one first, Yoda?'

'Milkshake,' Kaden answered. 'Keep the Slurpee.'

'Really?'

'Yeah, just as long as what you want is short and simple.'

Austin gave a desperate and innocent smile, 'I have dinner in the trunk.'

Kaden rolled his eyes and nodded. To his delight, Kaden was immersed in Austin's arms, which had been firmly strengthened during the athletic season at school. Kaden couldn't help but catch a whiff of Austin's fresh, out the shower scent, and he was muddled if whether those men's shower gels really made them smell like the amazon or was it just Austin who smelled like Tarzan. Then Kaden realized he had been caught in his thought a little long. He hadn't let go, and neither did Austin. If only they didn't have to let go. Kaden always found himself wishing that could happen. But just like all the times he would wish it, Austin would let go. It had not been different that day. Austin let him go, and he got in the car.

As Kaden got in the passenger seat, he asked, 'So Gandalf, what did you do to your girlfriend?'

XXX

A long-standing tradition of theirs, whenever they needed to discuss something at full length, Kaden and Austin would go to the top of the hill overlooking the beach, open the trunk of Austin's Jeep and just sit there looking at the beach, feeling the wind and eat an enormous amount of food while talking. The tradition continued that afternoon. They arrived just before the sun was going to disappear into the sea. This was their favorite time to be at the beach. People would be packing their things up to leave. Only a few people would be sitting on the sand and only one or two surfers would be in the water. The wind was getting a bit chilly but seeing the beach almost untouched by people was nothing short of a tiny, majestic sight that was not to be missed.

'Okay, so you're trying to fatten me up like witch did Hansel and Gretel,' Kaden remarked as Austin took one bag out after another from the back seat. There were about five bags from five different fast-food restaurants between them.

'Well, I am trying to sweeten you up by give you your favorite food but it's not to fatten you to eat later,' Austin stated as he sat the food in between them. 'It's all to sweeten you up for your help.'