When It Rains

Chapter 32: Memories Start at the Circle

I quickly closed the door behind us as we entered the bitter sweet day.  The sun was clouded by grey, puffy, clouds which gave the entire city almost a blue glow.  As I joined him, he looked down at me with a happy smile as I took a sip of my coffee. A bitter sweet taste of dark chocolate and the sweet tang of caramel flooded my senses. We walked down the street towards the car but passed the intersection and continued around the giant circle.

I began to remember everything around us.  The east exit contained a TJ Maxx, while the north exit had a direct parking lot into a mall and if you followed it all the way up it led straight to my hometown.  The west went into an apartment area and the south went to a bar area of the city.  All in all, being under twenty-one, there wasn't much to do besides walk around and spend money.

*My twenty-first.  Wait... what month is it?  May?  Did Dimitri's birthday pass?* I wondered as I looked up at his as he took another sip to drink.  He looked down at me expectantly, "Wait, did your birthday pass?"  I asked blatantly.

"Oh, yeah."  He smiled.

"What?  Dimitri!  You let me miss it?"  I asked a little shocked, slowing our pace to a stop so I can turn to him.

"What, Ryan?  It's not a big deal.  I didn't really celebrate it anyways, I had practice... and I think we hung out..." He said putting his thinker pose on.

"What?  And you didn't bother telling me?" I shot at him.  It bothered me that he would even let me miss it.

"What?  Again, it's not a big deal, Ryan."  He reassured with a confused smile.

"Yes it is!"  I argued.  "How old did you turn?"  I continued.

"Twenty-one."  He answered beginning to walk again.

"What?  Are you serious, Dimitri!  You let me miss your twenty-first?"  I argued loudly.

"It's not like I did anything anyways.  All I did was go to practice and eat dinner with you that one week you had all those assignments you were doing. Afterwards I mean I went back to the apartment and finished some homework. Luke came over briefly with a case of... something sweet.  Left around ten, then I went to bed." He argued.

He seemed to be a little defensive, rightfully so.  "Ok? And? You didn't save me any?" I argued trying to lighten the mood.

"What? Ryan..." He was taken back by the question.

After an awkward second of just staring at one another, he busted out in laughter and put his free hand on his knees as he tried to control himself. He worked himself into a chuckle and finally answered, "I'll keep that in mind next time then." He smirked as he stood back up.

"Good, then what do you want?" I asked.

"What? I don't want anything, Ryan." He said solemnly.

"Come on, there's gotta be something." I pushed. *Just give me something to work with.*

He turned toward the center monument as we continued walking. He took his time responding. He looked back down at the ground in front of us when he did, "I don't want to leave. Just yet." He said.

His response was the complete opposite of what I was expecting. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing." He said quickly, "It's dumb. Besides..." He reached towards me and I thought he was going to put me in another knoggy, so I backed away. He quick snatched my drink out of my hand and began a slight jog ahead of me, "... this is mine now!" He giggled as he sped up.

"What? Dimitri! Give that back!" I began after him.

He began running just ahead of me as I struggled to keep up.  His laughter made a smile break out on my face as we ran past an overhead to the entrance of what looked like a theatre.  Older people were exiting as we booked it through the crowd.  An older Caucasian man stopped in front of me a little confused as I tried to fight past him.  "Excuse me!"  I called out as I ran through.