Before I Go

Chapter 6

Past

     "Ugh!" Miles exclaimed. "What happened to the scrawny guys you used to be?"

     "Scrawny?" Shane asked, putting Miles in a headlock. "You're calling me scrawny?"

      I was standing by some lockers, watching as Shane and Miles wrestled each other. Shane had Miles in a headlock and Miles was trying to break out of it, but to no avail. Shane was a lot taller than Miles, bigger too, and Miles was no match for him.

     "Okay, okay," Miles said, breathing heavily. He'd grown tired after the few minutes they spent wrestling. "I've had enough. Let go of me."

     "Say sorry," Shane said, stopping in his place.

     "Sorry."

     Shane let go of Miles then and Miles pulled himself upright. He shook himself, seeming dazed and I stared at Shane and Miles as they glared at each other. They were good friends, but sometimes they acted like enemies just for the hell of it.

     As if remembering I existed, Miles then looked to me and he smiled when he saw that I was staring at him. His eyes were glistening with joy, his smile enhancing his entire face and all I could do was blink. I wasn't that close to him. I only knew him through Shane, and even then we rarely talked.

     "Why are you so shy for?" Miles asked. "You could have joined in on our wrestling match."

     "I don't know," I said. "I'm awkward."

     Miles laughed. "So am I, but that doesn't stop me."

     "You're awkward?" Shane said, shooting Miles a look. "Yeah right."

     "Around you I'm not, but around others I am."

     Shane rolled his eyes at Miles response, looking unable to believe that Miles was shy. Miles glared back and I laughed at the two of them. Somehow they always ended up fighting, but it was all out of love. They were close and I was glad Shane found someone to become close with other than me.

     "Wow," Miles said, smiling at me once again. "You should smile more often. You look really pretty when you smile."

     Caught off guard by Miles kind words, I blushed. Miles and I weren't close and I couldn't believe he said that. I grew more shy, unsure of how to respond.

     But before I could respond, Shane grabbed Miles and put him into a headlock again, leaving Miles cursing. Miles flailed around as Shane held him in place, and I grew surprised when I saw Shane glaring at Miles. He looked genuinely annoyed and I frowned as I wondered what triggered Shane's annoyance.

     "What's this for!" Miles exclaimed. "I already said sorry for calling you stupid. I didn't do anything wrong."

     "Just... Nothing," Shane said, letting go of Miles who stumbled back. "Just felt like it."

     "Really? You just felt like it?"

     Miles straightened himself out again and he glared at Shane, looking genuinely annoyed this time. And to my surprise, Shane reciprocated his glare. Growing nervous, I realized we needed to move no.

     "Come on," I said. "Let's all grab ice cream at Bakers Hut. It's hot and I'm melting in here."

     "Okay," Shane said, looking to me. Even though his eyes had been burning into Miles, they softened when they landed on me. It left me relaxing as I realized Shane could never be angry at me. "Let's go."