Different yet Always the Same

”Do you think it’ll always be like this?” Rachel asked Dane.

Dane felt his friend move about. He looked at her, wonderingly as she her head lay peacefully on his stomach, her brown hair cascading his midsection. If he had one, his breath would have been taken away. The bugs buzzed above them nosily, ignoring the resting duo in their field. The weak breeze nudged the tall grass they were laying in, caressing their bodies as if to comfort them. The sun hid behind the thick clouds, lightening the sky to a dull gray just like every other day in Downsville.

“What do you mean?” Dane asked Rachel, unsure of what she was talking about.

Rachel turned to her side but kept her head on his stomach so she could look at him. He watched her intently with his fierce brown eyes that she had grown accustomed to looking in when she needed answers. Her best friend of eight years, Dane Weatherly always had answers. Always comforted her. And right now, she needed those answers again.

“You know,” Rachel started. “The two of us. Watching each other’s backs. Always together.”

Dane gave a small chuckle, “Sure. I plan on it. What makes you think otherwise?”

Rachel blinked once but kept searching Dane’s eyes. Searching for an answer. Even despite all the years they’ve been friends she still couldn’t read him. She could see answers but she could never decipher him. And it’s never bothered Rachel before until now. They were graduating middle school and Rachel had a feeling a lot was going to change for them.

“High school,” she stated simply.

Dane raised his eye brows at Rachel. He knew his best friend to be a very sure person. She always had a plan and was never unsure of herself. Yet he could tell by the way she was looking at him that this time she really did not have a plan. He could see that she was scared.

“I don’t see how high school will affect our friendship,” Dane replied truthfully. “Unless there’s something you’re not telling me.”

Rachel’s mouth twitched. Dane mentally smiled to himself. She was about to lie to him.
“No,” she lied. “I just don’t want to lose my best friend in the chaos that high school might bring.”

“Trust me,” Dane said. “Our friendship has already beaten so many odds.”

Rachel blinked again and frowned at Dane, “When you say things like that... I have no idea what you’re referring to.”

Dane smiled at her, knowing full well that he couldn’t tell her what he meant by his words. Since pre-school, their friendship had been tested by outsiders and by the both of them. Tommy Hanson and his gang repeatedly attacked their friendship. Tommy and co. tried to pull Rachel away from him many times. But they stayed strong. When Dane forgot to feed, his strength literally saved Rachel from himself on several occasions. And when his parents realized that Dane’s crush for Rachel was more than a crush, they locked him away in order to “save” the two. But Rachel’s unrelentingly knocks on the door had convinced his parents that there was no stopping the two’s friendship.

All this, he could never tell her.

“It’s alright,” he replied. “You’ll understand one day.”

“More like never,” Rachel said under her breath.

“I heard that,” Dane said laughingly.

“So let’s talk about tomorrow,” Rachel suggested, sitting up and relieving Dane’s stomach from her head weight.

Dane sat up as well, facing her with a intrigued expression. “Ok. What about tomorrow?”

“Well, we only have one class together,” she started.

“And it’s our last class,” he added.

Rachel frowned at his interjection, “English. So I suggest we meet up at lunch since we won’t be able to see each other until then.”

“Ok,” Dane said with a smile. The sky darkened significantly, indicating that it was night time. The hours tended to pass quickly whenever he was spending time with Rachel. She’s what made the past eight years for him pass so quickly. It was as if each time he blinked another year passed by.

“-backside of the Cafeteria. Are you even listening Dane?” Rachel said, frowning again when she noticed his inattention.

He nodded in response to her and watched as she stood up. Dane followed suit and stood up as well. This was what their relationship was like. When she moved, he moved as well. Even at so young an age, his life was devoted to her being. And she had no idea. Not even a clue.

He listened to her talk about her expectations and hopes about their first day of high school. Dane’s thoughts were far from the qualms of high school though. In truth he was not at all excited about it, he was only excited about it for Rachel.

“Ok. Well goodnight, Dane. I’ll see you on the bus tomorrow,” Rachel said as she hugged him goodbye.

Pulled out of his thoughts by her embrace, Dane realized that they were standing on her front steps. He hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go then released her after a few moments. Rachel smiled at him and then turned to her door. He watched as her shoulders slumped and she opened her front door. The sound of her siblings and her parents arguing could be heard. Rachel’s smile faded as she entered and shut the door behind her.

They talked about many things together. But the one thing she never talked to Dane about was her family. The Lyons’ household always seemed to be in some sort of turmoil and Rachel always shadowed her feelings about it. Dane knew that it bothered her to talk about it. But it bothered him even more that she wouldn't.

It seemed that both had their secrets.

Dane walked across the street to his own home. The windows were dark and the curtains drawn. No lights were on inside like usual. But both his parents were home. His home looked as if it were empty. To extent, Dane thoughts, it sort of was empty. He pushed the door open and closed it shut behind him. To no surprise, he found both his parents sitting in the living room watching the old television set in their home.

“Welcome home, darling. Dinner’s in the fridge,” his mother greeted as she turned her head around to smile at her son.

“Thank you mother,” Dane replied walking into the living room and taking a seat on the arm chair next to his parents’ sofa.

They watched the television screen in silence for a few minutes before Dane’s mother spoke again.

“You know,” his mother started softly. “You’re not being fair to yourself.”

Dane snapped his head at his mother with lighting speed. His anger obvious, “I know what I’m doing.”

His mother saw the anger in his eyes and shook her head in shame for her son, “Actually, you don’t, Dane.”