Lost Cause

“So...he really did it this time huh?"

"Yep...he actually expelled me..."

Grace stared at her feet as they walked down the road towards her house, "What are you going to do?"

Raab shrugged, "I dunno...My dad will most likely kick me out when he hears...I'll probably just live with Bam until I get enough money for an apartment..."

She nodded, watching their feet move in unison.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Right.

Her feet stopped and so did his.

"Raaby..." she managed to get out.

"Yeah?"

"I dunno what I'm going to do without you...how am I going to get through school without the person that makes it worthwhile?" she said, her nails digging into her skin as she held back tears.

"What do you mean? You still have Bam!" he said.

"You didn't hear? After you got called in the office, Bam knew you were going to be expelled so...he dropped out...He said you were the only reason he went to school..."

"Really? I honestly don't think I'm that important..." Raab said, frowning.

Grace looked up at him, smiling bitterly, "Face it Raaby...You're loved."

Raab didn't smile.

"Grace, baby, come on...you know you're loved too," he said, pulling her into a hug.

He was trying to cheer her up.

She knew he was...but it wasn't working.

For some reason the sadness she had felt before was being replaced with anger.

"Why did you do it, Raab?! You knew you were more than likely going to get expelled! Did you ever once think about the consequences?!" she asked, going into slight hysterics.

Raab looked a little scared, "Gracie...Why do you care anyway? You don't need me to get through school! Besides, I'm a lost cause, remember?" he questioned.

She shook her head, "Raaby, you're not a lost cause; you're my best friend in whole world. You have been since we were in the fifth grade...and you always will be."

Raab pulled her into a hug, and she finally broke down, her tears staining his white shirt.
"Raaby, I'm going to miss you so much..." she choked out.

"Don't worry, sweetheart...I'll figure something out," he said, holding back his own tears for her sake.

He let go of Grace, "Let's just....go to your house and have our movie night and make the best of it."

She nodded, letting him wipe the tears away from her cheeks..

"Hey...how about I make you a deal?" Raab said.

She looked at him, puzzled, "What kind of deal?"

"If you beat me to that gate, we'll continue the Saturday night movie tradition, no matter what," he said.

Grace smiled lightly, "Alright then!"

The best friends both took off running to the gate.

Raab was ahead of her, and she knew she was going to lose.

Raab, about two feet from the gate, froze.

Grace ran to the gate, touched it, and turned to give him a puzzled look.

He grinned, "You didn't actually think I'd let you lose did you?"

She grinned back, "Never! So about that deal?" she questioned.

"Oh yes...you won so I have to come to your house every Saturday no matter what! Even if it's raining or snowing or dead bodies are falling from the sky I will be here Saturday at eight o'clock until the day we die!" he said.

Grace raised her hand in the air, "Pinky promise?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

Raab wrapped his pinkie around her, "A thousand pinkie promises, Gracie baby." he said, exactly like they did when we were younger.

They linked arms and made our way into her house.

Grace smiled to herself, knowing that this wouldn't be the last night of their Saturday night movies.