Night in the Ruts

Only Me, Yeah? - Charlie

        He put up his hands in surrender and went back to rolling.

        He laid down and I followed likewise, looking at the clouds, which were tinged a lightish pinky-orange from the setting sun that could hardly be seen above the tips of the trees lining the horizon.

        "Okay," he said, blowing out smoke a he did so, "so earlier..."

        I looked at him.  He was staring fixedly at a cloud, though I could tell his mind was somewhere else, and he was looking way beyond the cloud.

        "Have you ever been bowling?" he asked after quite a long moment of silence.  I begin to answer with a duh! because he and I have gone on many occasions.  "With, uh, with S-Steven, I mean?"

        I consider the question.  Come to think of it... "No, I don't think so."  Weird.

        "Oh, okay."  Though he sounds kind of relieved.

        "Why?"  Is this really what he wanted to say, or is he just high?  Matter of fact, I feel a little dizzy.  I hope he finishes that nasty thing soon.

        "Just wonderin' is all," he replies.

        I don't say anything back.  Actually, neither one of us says much of anything.  But when you're with your best friend you don't have to say anything.  You can just sit (or in this case lay) with them for hours and stare at the sky, while the music of Cream and the Beatles drifts through your open window.

        The night was quiet, other than the rustling breeze in the budding branches.  There wasn't a single cloud in the sky anymore.  A beautiful night of early spring, to say the least.

        But all good things must come to an end.

        I'm not sure what time it was, but Surrealistic Pillow had just ended and Nicky sat up slowly.  I had my eyes closed.  I wouldn't even had noticed he sat up except for the fact that our shoulders were touching and the roof creaked a bit.

        He flinched at the noise and I bit back a smirk.  Nicky is absolutely terrified of heights.

        I sat up too.  "I gotta head home," Nicky said tiredly.  "My mom said to be back by lunch."

        I tried not to laugh at that.  "See you tomorrow," I yawned.

        "Probably," was his response.  I followed him through the window, closing it behind me and turning off my record player, which was kind of hot because it had been on for so long.  I walked Nicky to the door, where he turned around to face me again.  "Listen," he began slowly, collecting his thoughts, "sometimes things aren't always what they may seem."

        "Okay," I said with a little chuckle.

        He puts a hand on my arm.  "I'm serious," he states, looking me dead in the eye.  "Just... Watch how much time you spend with certain people.  Be careful who you hang out with."

        "I'll see you tomorrow," I say with a smile, ignoring his drunken warning.

        On that disturbing note, Nicky rode away on his bike, and I went to sleep.  Though Nicky's words couldn't help but haunt me.

        Who was he taking about?  I mean, Nicky seems to know everything about anything.  So when he issues a warning, you best heed it.  But I can't tell if he was just saying that to say it because he's confused or not.