Let's Burn Our Dreams Into the Skyline

“C’mon,” Max urged, tugging violently at my arms.

“I’m coming,” I groaned, gently pulling away from her tight grasp and steadying myself against the dulled dresser. Everyone else was already half way down the stairs. Figures.

Max stopped in her tracks suddenly causing a domino affect to take place as we all crashed into one another. It’s a wonder that we didn’t end up at the foot of the stairs in a pool of blood with cracked skulls.

She was nearly doubled over from laughter while she wiped invisible tears from her soft brown eyes.

“… What?” Ryland was almost afraid to ask.

“Wentz babies,” She stated bluntly, nodding toward a black and white portrait. I didn’t quite understand what was so funny about the picture, besides the fact that neither Pete nor me is paying attention to the camera. Pete’s staring off into space and sucking on his fingers and I’m laughing like a loon (whatever a loon is anyway?) at the sky with my eyes all scrunched up. Not really amusing, at least to me.

Pete huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Max gradually calmed down from her little moment of Wentz inspired hysteria and we nudged her out of the door.

xxx

“We should get these Best Friends Forever necklaces with the neon stereos!” Max suggested loudly in the center of an accessory store that’s so small it turns people claustrophobic.

“Totally!” I agreed, matching her loudness (loudaucity?). Pete simply rolled his eyes and grunted an inaudible, “whatever.” Fun crusher.

Max snatched up the pack of 3 necklaces and rushed to the counter. She slowly dug through her Jack Skellington purse and ripped out a converse shoe wallet with a look of pure satisfaction etched on her face. Gradually, she fished out a crisp $5 bill to cover the cost of the necklaces.

Outside of the store, she handed each of us a necklace. Mine was a vibrant green that sported the words “Forever” and Max’s was pink and said “Best”. Pete was obviously confused by this.

“Why does Linnea’s say “forever” and Max’s say “best”?” He asked, scrunching up his brow.

Max sighed, extending her arm and opening her hand to reveal the third necklace that was a darker blue that said “friends”. If we were cartoons, a big fluorescent light bulb would of appeared above his head.

“Oh!” He yelled in realization as he clipped the necklace on and spun it around so the stereo was in front.

Max smiled, “Perfect. Now, food court with the others?”

I slipped my arm into hers, “Lead the way.”

xxx

“I’m coming bitch. I’m coming bitch. I’m coming bitch,” Gabe kept repeating in an odd voice.

“… What the hell…” Max began, sipping at her Diet Coke and swallowing before continuing, “… are you doing?”

Gabe shrugged, “No idea. It was too quiet. Quiet and Gabe do not mix.”

“Oh really?” I asked as politely as I could manage.

Naturally, the hundreds of people conversing with each other around us wasn’t enough
noise for Gabriel Saporta.

“Idea!” Ryland screamed, grabbing a handful of lettuce from Gabe and a banana from Pete. He smushed the banana and slipped it’s remnants under his hamburger bun.

“Gross,” Steph muttered, popping a fry into her mouth.

He then proceeded to rip apart the lettuce and put it in his drink, “Now. Someone come with me.”

Gabe, naturally, craving excitement, mutely followed behind Ryland.

“What is this?!” Ryland screamed moments later furiously at the confused worker at McDonalds, “I wait like a half hour in line and this is the SHIT you give me?!”

"Oh no, oh no," Gabe repeated, horror-struck, pointing at our creation behind Ryland the entire time.

The rent-a-cop mall security man angrily escourted the boys back to our table and glared daggers at the both of them. As soon as he was out of earshot, we all burst out laughing. Why it’s funny? I will never know.

Another silence soon fell over our table. Who was going to break it this time?

“Buttsex is itchy!” Alex screeched, causing an awkward silence to fall over the packed food court. Way to go, Suarez. Now that’s two strikes against us. We “inconspicuously” slipped out of the food court milliseconds later. I think our posse had a bit too much mall for one day.