Forever

Chapter 1

September 12th, 1972

"Happy Birthday to youuuu!" Everyone sang in unison as all us boys crowded the table, all eyes on Maurice. I stood beside him, my hand grabbing his shoulder tight, candle smoke filling my eyes as he blows the one out. Even though there should be 15 candles, we had to make do with what we had in school.
"Happy birthday Maury!" Billy calls out from the other end of the table, others echoing after him. I don't, I already said happy birthday thousands of times today, making sure he knew I always remember.
He touches my hand that lays on his shoulder tightly and stands up, "Who wants cake?" He shouts.
"We do!" Billy, Rob, and Jake holler back. I laugh and shake my head as they grab handfuls of the random mashed food. We didn't have an actual cake to bring to school obviously, so we just put mashed potatoes, orange juice, peas, carrots, mystery meat, bits of bread, and someone's brownie all mashed together. It worked, and Maurice seemed happy to me.

Summer vacation was always the best time of year to have a birthday, unlike mine in the middle of spring. Having one at summer camp must have been ten times better. After presents came cake, and after cake you go outside and get wet in the lake. Unfortunately Maurice's was right after summer vacation. But even still we planned to go out to the local pool to swim. What more can get better than this?

I brush his hair back, holding it at his neck, rubbing his back as he throws up on the grass. Maurice always had a sweet tooth, so of course he ate cake at the party. But this year, some 17 year old found the hosts parents booze and decided it was a good idea to toast to Maurice. He drank a little more than he should have.
"Daryl, you ain't have to help me. I don't wanna puke on your shirt." Maurice mumbles under his breath, his lips dripping with spit.
"It don't hurt me."
"I'm just saying I don't need all this lovin' on me." He snickers.
"It ain't lovin', Maurice. It's just being there for you when you're puking your heart out." I grumble. He's always joking about love and things like that. I never liked it.

"Well if you're staying, just make sure to keep eye out for Miss Molly." Maurice murmurs, wiping his forehead with his hand, still leaning over.
"I've been watching." Molly was a sassy chic who had always been a pain in the ass, making things a bigger deal than they should have been.

Maurice got up after a while and we walked over to the edge of the water. He washed his face off and I wrung out his puke soaked shirt.
"How does 15 feel?" I ask.
"Just like 14."
"Thought so." I snicker. I'm always awkward in the worst moments. I don't feel awkward, but I always make everyone feel compelled to speak.

"You sleeping with me tonight?" Maurice glances over at me, using a beach towel to dry his face.
"Jake isn't staying with you anymore?"
"Nope. He decided to bunk with Brandy."
I hesitate, though I don't know why. "Sure."
"What took you so long." Maurice shoves me. "Made me think I'm a terrible bed buddy." He laughs.
I roll my eyes and shake my head wringing out his shirt one last time before handing it to him.
"I sleep on my _own_ side of the bed this time." I chuckle.
"Aw, that's unfortunate."

I wake up in the middle of the night, stirring over onto my other side, looking to the clock on the nightstand. _3:29AM_. I look down at my chest, Maurice invading me as he sleeps. His head in my shoulder, arm over my torso, legs locked in mine. I lay my head back down and sigh. _I knew I should've just slept on the floor or something._
I sneak out from under Maurice. Thank God he's a heavy sleeper. I slip on my shoes and grab my swimsuit I had changed out of, as well as my towel and cap. I look back at Maurice as he sleeps before leaving, retreating back home. We always sleep beside each other, sneak away before morning and never speak of it again. It's not abnormal to us, but it feels like it to me. I wish Maurice could have a better friend than just me.