In The Old City (The Worst Years of Our Lives)

Requiem

 I could have stayed. I needed a reason not to go home today, I hate goodbyes. After all these years, and even living together, I don't think I can stand a goodbye. So I'm going to let things be how they are. I walked out listening to "Scar Tissue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers as I walked outside in the bright sun. The August heat was still so harsh and brought itself down on the scorching streets.

After school, I walked around town until I decided to go to the park. The swings were always open, and I was on the nice side of town so there wasn't any risk of being shot. I made my way towards the park and found it almost empty, which was an unlikely stroke of luck for me.
The swings were open and I headed straight for them. I sat down at the highest one and let my feet dangle. I took off my jacket and tied it around my waist and took out my phone. I opened up Snapchat while I pushed off the ground in the swing. It opened to the front camera and saw a tired girl with weird eyes. I could see just how bad my skin had gotten and I swiped away quickly. That was a box of issues I didn't want to open. I held the bottle in one hand and my phone in the other, going through Instagram stories and listening to music, anything to keep me out of my head. I didn't want to think about August, but I felt like I was finally moving on to something, someone, better than the rat trap I found myself stuck in. Maybe with me away, he can find a better place for himself.

I swing back and forth slowly, listening to my music. As each melody played, I felt the mid-afternoon wind weave through my hair. An engine sound disrupted the peace in the park and I looked up. It was someone on a black motorcycle and I watched as the driver turned the corner and stopped and parked in the parking lot right as the song ended. The driver turned off the ignition and got off the bike. I  stopped swinging in case I needed to bolt and took out my earbud. The driver scanned the horizon and I saw the helmet stop once I was spotted and walked over to my swing and took off their helmet as they sat down at the swing next to me. Dark brown hair sprang out of the helmet and the sun bounced off his skin.

"Are you not coming?" he asked, his voice serious. Zander sighed and craned his neck. When the hell did Zander get a motorcycle? When he left for the summer Jasper was the one to give him rides. 

"How did you even know where I was?" I asked. Zander stared me down with green eyes like he knew he was losing control of the conversation.

"You have your location on Snap, here, I'm sure I have an extra helmet somewhere." Zander sighed but I stood firm.

"Why does it have to be me? Haven't you asked anyone else?" I asked and Zander wasn't taking no for an answer.

"We already made a deal, since when do you go back on your word?" he asked and I rolled my eyes.

"It's just a sports team,"

"You know we need another member or we won't be a team anymore," he said and I went silent. That was pretty shitty of me to just leave without telling him I changed my mind. "Look, just give it a chance, that's all I'm asking," he said and I sighed. It wasn't like I had anything better to do. 

We pulled into the parking lot of an old field house near the outskirts of our campus. The school had three abandoned buildings that were just too old to really use, a gym, a field house, and a greenhouse. I always thought the field house was unused until we passed through the red metal door that was met with the shouting of twelve different people. The field house opened into a large concrete space with red and blue mats on the ground. To my right was an office with large windows allowing me to see out into the mats. To my left were metal doors that led to the weight room and locker room.

"PARKER!" someone shouted, the yell was deep and demanding. I felt it in my bones and I only knew a handful of people with a voice like that. I look up to see Luther Cain in a black robe with our school's crest on his shoulder.