I̶n̶f̶a̶t̶u̶a̶t̶i̶o̶n

Chapter 6

            "The Knights of the Round Table?" I pulled the book off the shelf. "King Arthur. It's a classic."

Evan and I had gone to the library after school and I'd asked him what his favorite book was. This was the book he had led me to.

"It's pretty much the only book I've read that counts," he said. "I've read it 3 times and it still has never bored me."

I cradled the book in my arm along with a few others I had selected earlier. "Well, I guess I'll have to check it out if it's that good."

I checked out my books and we left. The air smelled of soil and rain. It had rained every day this week and there was constant wetness that clung to everything. It was the kind of wet that would seep into your shoes and leave your shoes uncomfortably soggy and left dingy puddles everywhere that you didn't always see. The rain had stopped a few hours ago and you could find people everywhere taking advantage of the short break.

"Where to next?" I asked.

"Starbucks?"

I stared at him blankly. "You like Starbucks?"

"Yeah, they have good coffee."

I laughed and shook my head. "You learn something new every day. Well then, Starbucks it is."

The closest Starbucks was only a few blocks away from the library so we didn't bother to drive. It stood on the edge of BP and there was a trail close to the library that ended near it.

"I always imagined us walking this trail together someday. Ever since Junior High," I said as we made our way through the woods.

"Really?" His voice had that lightness to it and I started to smile. I loved when he was like this.

"Yeah," I replied.

"Why? Did you, like, see us doing anything or what?" He was messing with me; teasing me. He was in a good mood and I wished he would always be like this. I felt the world fade away behind me.

"Yes, actually, I always envisioned us running through here. Just running together."

He grinned and started jogging, shouting, "Try to keep up," over his shoulder.

I laughed the most genuine laugh I had had in a long time and sprinted after him.

"Not a problem," I smirked as I started to pass him.

"Oh, that's what you think." He shot forward so fast I could feel the wind hit me as he launched ahead, already starting to take a big lead on me. I ran harder and faster than I ever had but could only manage to stay just behind him.

"That," I said, panting, "was what I have always imagined us doing." In spite of my deoxygenated lungs and screaming muscles, I smiled. Evan smiled back.

"Can you imagine living in a place like this?" I asked as we were walking, looking at all of the homes. They were big with well kept-yards, but not quite as grand as the BP neighborhoods.

"I could never live in a house like these," he said, also looking at the houses. "There's too much space, I wouldn't know what to do with it. Besides, I like where I live. It's not much, but it's mine and I'm grateful to call it home. I could always be worse off, you know?" He looked at me and I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. No matter how bad things are, they could always be worse and one should be thankful for what one has."

"Exactly."