Saving The Gone

Chapter 11 - Old Friend

"Mario" He said as I shook his hand.

"Archer" I smiled politely at him, which he did too in return.

However Harry had different plans.

"Luigi" He said with a very serious expression on his face when he shook Mario's hand.

"Really?" Mario asked, with a smirk on his face.

Marilyn started laughing out loud which made it clear it was a joke, I smiled too.

"So what made you come back here, Mario?" Marilyn asked him.

Come back? Does that mean that he used to be here before?

"Well, I missed this place. And I missed my best friends" He said before naming them "You and Evelyn" He winked at Marilyn.

Just as he took Evelyn's name Marilyn's expression turned into a sad one, to which Mario was oblivious.

"Where is Evelyn? haven't heard much about her since I've been back?" He asked suddenly.

Well someone had to tell him, so I went ahead.

"She committed suicide" I told him in a monotone.

"What?" His eyes went wide, and then there was an awkward silence at the table.

Thankfully, the bell rang which signaled the end of recess and start of our next class.

"I am throwing a party on Friday night, since I am back now. You all are invited, hope to see you three there" He smiled at us before he left.

"He seemed like a fine guy" I complemented him once it was just me and Harry.

"Pfft, his name is Mario" Harry said and I grinned.

That night around eleven'o clock I received a call from an unknown number. I picked it up anyway.

"Hello" I said into the phone.

"Hey. I am sorry for calling like this but I just felt like talking to you" The other voice said and I recognized it as Mario's voice.

"Oh no, it's no big deal" I replied, in my sleepy voice.

"To make it a little less creepy, I will let you know that I took your number from Marilyn" He laughed and I smiled too. He seemed like a nice guy to me.

"So..." I said, not sure about to say.

"Sometimes" He started "I miss the old times. I miss when me, Marilyn and Evelyn would throw parties. Hang out and do all the stuff together. It's so hard to believe Evelyn is gone now" He said and he sounded more honest than Archer had heard anyone being before.

"What are your favorite memories of her?" I asked him, in attempt to get to know more about Evelyn.

"I remember when we used to prank our teacher" He chuckled, remembering the memory probably "And all the times we actually spent in Alabama" 

This seemed to catch my attention and the word was out of my mouth before I could stop it.

"Alabama?" I asked.

"Yeah. We used to always go there to spend our vacations" He told me.

"Where in Alabama exactly?" I asked him. Could it possibly be that I was about to know where Evelyn wanted us to go?

"There was this small village type of place which only consisted of like two huts and one market. We always stayed there when we went" I could tell he was still smiling at the memory now.

I wish I could get more exact location of where in Alabama this place was.

"You're coming to the party on Friday right?" He asked me out of no where.

"I am" I told him.

Then there was a brief but comfortable pause of a few seconds. I've never talked to this guy before, yet it felt like I had known him forever.

"I miss her" He said suddenly, his voice low now.

I smiled sadly, and then replied.

"I do too"