Let's Go Brooklyn *Spot Conlon Modern AU*

Set Me Free

*A/N: this part is like Family Line; lyrics are used as dialogue*

*A Year Later*

"Hey Brins," Mush says to me as he sits down at the lunch table.

I give him a smile. "Hey Mush."

"It sucks that we don't get to have a play this year," Race says as he sits down on the other side of Faith, who's sitting next to me.

"Yeah, ever since Jack graduated, a ton of programs are being slowly shut down," Davey says.

Sarah sighs. "It feels so weird being seniors but having nothing to do."

"Yeah," Skittery says. "I can't believe football is done already."

"You need a better quarterback," Snipeshooter says.

Mush rolls his eyes. "Thanks Captain Obvious. It would be great if Sp-"

"How'd you guys do on the history text?" Race asks, cutting Mush off.

I look down at my lunch that I won't be eating. I'm not in the mood today. It's been a year. Jack is graduated and is studying at Santa Fe Art Institue, I'm a junior along with Snipe, Boots, and Faith, and the rest of the boys, along with Ellie and Sarah, are seniors. Spot would be one too.

I know it's been a year, but I'm still not completely over Spot. He was the first guy I really connected with, and then he just up and left. The goodbye in the elementary school parking lot replays through my mind at least twice a day. I've tried to stop all the memories. I took his hoodies down to my basement. I tried to delete the pictures of him on my phone, but I could only get through so many without crying. 

I still wonder where he is sometimes. If he's still in the state or maybe off in Santa Fe with Jack. That's mostly what I think about when it comes to him. If he's safe, where he's staying at, how he's protecting Hannah, and what job he has that allows him to care for her and also get money. I use those thoughts to push out the what ifs of him coming back. Because even though he said he would, he won't.

When I get home from school that day, I go to my room and start on homework. I'm in the middle of my Pre-Calculus homework when my phone lights up with two notifications. The first one I click on is a photo memory.

One year ago, today... written on the top of the photo of Spot and I from last year's play. I smile, because I can't cry that's it over, I have to smile because it happened. That's been my motto for the past year.

I close out of my photos and look at the other notification, which is a text message from an unknown number. I click on it so I can read the message.

     Unknown: Hey Brinley, I don't know if this is still your number or not. I'm back, like I told you I would be. If you're up for it, I'd like to meet up and talk. I have a lot of things to talk to you about. If you're not, that's cool too. I'm planning on meeting up with some of the guys already, but I asked them not to tell you until I could text you myself. Lmk if you want to meet up or not.

I'm confused when I first read it, because there's no name. But the situation seems all too familiar, and there's only one person who it could be. The next text message from that number confirms it.

     Unknown: This is Spot by the way.

The second the text sends through, I'm up out of my bed and heading towards Race's room. I burst into his room, making him jump.

"What the hell, Brinley!?" Race asks, looking at me, concerned.

I hold up my phone that's still clutched tightly in my hand. "YOU KNEW! YOU FREAKING KNEW HE WAS BACK AND DIDN'T TELL ME!"