Los Angeles

Going through the Arizona airport's baggage claim was something I thought I'd never be doing again. The state seemed so foreign to me after spending so many years apart from it and I could've easily gotten heat stroke just from stepping outside. The sun was worse here than it was in California and I wondered how it could be. But then I thought of all the smog that guarded the sun from even getting closer to my skin and it almost seemed possible.

John and I had agreed that we were doing this for the sake of our best friends. We would try to get along and smile through anything that we had to. We'd help plan things for the baby since we were godparents and we would be by their side when they were down and out. We didn't need to rekindle a thing because what was the point in rekindling if I had fell in love with the John I had met in high school?

As I walked through the airport, I was met with the familiar faces of Jared and Sara.

Sara was in her early twenties with olive skin to show that she was part Native American. She had dark brown eyes and she was quite skinny for her age, but no one really commented on it. Before I left for college, I had met Sara and introduced her to the guys since she was my coworker at an ice cream shop not too far from my old home. Her and Jared instantly collided together after their meeting and became inseparable ever since then. I almost felt myself a little jealous, but I didn't dare say so.

Jared still looked the same, but his hair seemed even more lighter than it had been in high school. He wore Ray Bans that covered his green eyes and a plaid button up along with a pair of jeans and boots. By the time he saw me, a smile adorned his face to show the cheeks that I referred to in our high school days as chubby. He hated it but after awhile of not speaking to one another, he couldn't really deny it.

I made my way towards the couple and embraced the two into a tight hug before asking to see the engagement ring on Sara's finger. I had almost forgotten that the two were engaged when Quinn had told me over the phone. I will admit that the rock on her finger was pretty big and Jared helped me with my luggage as his new fiancee told me all about the way the proposal had gone down.

The drive to their condo was short and once there, I climbed out as the two helped me with my things and showed me a little into their world. Jared took my things to the guest room and for awhile we all sat in complete silence as we let out a sigh of relief as the air conditioning had kicked on.

Jared then hopped up from his seat in the chair and told the two of us that he was going to head over and see the guys at Pat's house, asking if I was interested in going along since Quinn would be there. I nodded my head and told Sara I'd be back to annoy her soon as she only giggled and nodded with a thumbs up.

As we headed over to his car, we climbed into it and he began driving the way over to Pat's house which didn't take as long as I had hoped to fully prepare myself to see John and the others. "I hope you know that Quinn knows nothing about you being here, so let's just make it a surprise for her, alright?"

I nodded my head with a grin and stepped out of the car along with Jared. The two of us made our way into the home of the Kirch's and I was engulfed in hugs and their small dog that chased me wherever I went. They all said that they were so happy to see me again and that it was nice to see a friendly face. I would've said the same, but I was almost too choked up to see the childhood that I had left behind.

Making my way down to the basement along Tim while Jared spoke with Pat and Tim's mother about catering for the wedding. Tim was the first to step in and as I heard Pat's familiar stutter, I almost wanted to run in his arms because it was the first time I had heard innocence again. But, I didn't. Instead I trudged in behind Tim until I heard Quinn's squeal as she rushed over to me to envelope me in the biggest hug I had yet.

Once Quinn had pulled back, she looked at me with an almost eerie look before asking, "Who made you come because I know damn well if I tried, I wouldn't have succeeded?" I thought about the answer before taking a look over at the beast that invited me.

I was lured in by the sandy blond, green eyed, freckled face, tall and lanky little boy who would've ran the fastest he could if I was even ten feet in front of him. But this time he didn't run. He just sat on the run down thing that they called their couch, his eyes on his friends that crowded me before they landed on me. I wondered what went through his mind, but I realized how I was better off not knowing.

"Just a friend." I answered as she had gotten the idea and nodded her head. She then guided me over towards the couch and sitting down between John and I as all she could speak of was the baby. She was pregnant since December and didn't even look like it. She could hardly wait to figure out the gender and notified me and John that it was our job to get the baby shower ready since we were the godparents and she didn't want her or Kennedy stressing out more than they were.

Once the room had finally calmed from my presence, everyone had gone back to ignoring me and speaking of a few topics that were on the mind. Quinn was busy whispering things into Kennedy's ear that I had no wish of knowing what it was, so I decided to head upstairs and into the kitchen which was my great escape. I sighed at the quietness that consumed me in the home beside the sound of a football game on the television playing, Pat's dad watching it intently while his mom was seated on the patio with a book in her hand.

I decide to make myself at home like I normally did when the guys used to practice. Pat's mom always either had lemonade or ice cold tea made in the fridge and as I opened it, a piece of joy ran through me. I grabbed a cup from the cupboard and poured some of the lemonade into the cup. After taking a sip of the cold liquid, I let out a sigh at the remembrance and got ready to turn out to walk out of the room until I was jolted by surprise when I found John standing near me.

I didn't exactly remember when or how he had even gotten into the kitchen so quickly nor did I or anyone else in the house hear him. I furrowed my eyebrows and set my glass down on the counter as I stared up into his hazel irises as he looked at me for some sort of answer. I almost felt like some awkward teenager underneath his stare. "What?"

"You seem different, that's all." John said with a shrug of his shoulders as he ran a hand slowly through his hair. He then gently bit down on his lower lip and took a step closer to me, causing me to scrunch my nose at the smell of whiskey, cigarettes and cologne roaming over his tall body. I gently pushed him away and made my way downstairs to be met with my friends who were completely oblivious to the fact that John and I were even gone.

I let out a sigh and sat down on the couch with a small frown, realizing that it would be a long day.