The sun was showering the small lake with its warming rays, the water reflecting the cascade of fire spreading upon Peach Creek. The sound of playing children could be heard in the background and the two boys sighed.
"So clueless." At the beach of the swimming hole, two boys were located. The two best friends gazed out over the water, reminiscing about the countless number of times they'd spent the summer days and nights there.
"Who, where, what?" Eddy McGee turned his head, tearing his eyes from the small lake.
"The other kids."
"Oh." Silence fell upon them as they continued down their individual trails of thought. Cheering was heard from the kids in the background, somebody probably scored in a basketball game.
"Eddy?"
"Yeah?"
"How…" He paused. "How do you feel about all of this, the… Well…"
"Suave Double-D." Eddy shook his head, grinning.
"Why Eddy! It appears that all the years you've spent taking part of my vocabulary has finally paid off!" Double-D grinned at his shorter friend.
"All because you're so stubborn when it comes to me and Ed." The friends shared a laugh before silence fell upon them.
"Eddy?"
"Yeah?"
"You never answered my question."
"Oh." Eddy's gaze fell upon the sunset and he decided that he would preserve this memory for the rest of his life, it felt important in itself. "Well…"
"Yes?"
"I don't know." Silence. "Hey Double-D?"
"Yes Eddy?"
"I'm really gonna miss you and Ed."
"I know Eddy. We're going to miss you too. Especially Ed."
"No kidding. Tell Monobrow I'm sorry and all." Eddy still stared at the sunset with half open eyes, the colors blending into his visual field.
"So clueless."
"The kids?"
"Yes." Silence. "It's amazing that they do not realize that this is it."
"Wasn't that what MJ said right before he died?" Eddy snickered.
"Don't curse it Eddy."
"Then what?" The shorter teenager sighed.
"This is it; this is our final summer together. As the children we once were. After all, we are…"
"Growing up. Just as we promised not to couple of years back." Eddy picked up a small pebble and threw it in the lake, disturbing the harmony of the lake for a minute until it went back to its calm state.
"Eddy, I know this isn't the best of times to ask but… You seem awfully calm today Eddy."
"Why shouldn't I? School's out, we're having a party later tonight, summer's here, I'm going to spend with the most beautiful girl in the world! I couldn't be happier!" Eddy threw out his arms and grinned. Double-D on the other hand didn't look so convinced.
"Refresh my memory Eddy, just exactly where are you and Nazz going to spend the summer?"
"We're gonna stay with my uncle in his apartment on Manhattan."
"Ah." Double-D closed his eyes and nodded. "Although, I remember you telling me last week you were staying with your handicapped aunt in Seattle…"
"Well, you know…" Eddy shifted nervously."We can't stay at uncle Remus' forever!" Eddy laughed nervously. The shorter of the duo stood up and wandered around slowly, turning his back to the lake.
"That is true, that is true…" Double-D sighed mentally. "But as far as I recall it, your uncle is named Floyd?"
"Well…" Eddy wandered over to a tree and placed his forehead against it, groaning.
"Eddy? May I ask what you're doing?"
"I'm panicking, that's what I am!" Eddy turned around and threw out his arms. "I knocked her up Double-D! We'd been secretly dating for seven months and I knocked her up the first time we did it!" Double-D did not face his friend; the hat-wearing Ed still observed the theatre of fire that unfurled itself upon the lake.
"I know Eddy, I know."
"How the heck do you know?"
"Because this may come as a surprise to you Eddy but Nazz and I have always been good friends. We talk, ever so occasionally and she accidentally told me a few weeks ago."
"Oh." Eddy sat down again, placing his forehead against his palms."Great then."
"So Eddy, where are you really going?"
"To Uncle Floyd in New York. He's gonna let us stay there for a while, gonna help us raise the kid."
"That sounds…"
"Don't worry Double-D, I already got accepted to a business school up there, gonna focus on economics and stuff like that."
"Well, it has been your primary target so far, economy." The two friends shared a small laugh. They soon became quiet and the silence placed itself upon them once again as they continued to observe the lake.
"Double-D?"
"Yes Eddy?"
"When you said that thing about how this is our last summer as kids before, you meant this whole thing with me and Nazz huh?" Double-D smiled slightly, Eddy had started to catch up over the years.
"Yes. Yes I was Eddy." A short pause.
"I think you're right."
"I beg your pardon?" Double-D turned his head and looked at his friend, over the years; he had never heard Eddy admit that someone else was right.
"This is our last summer as the kids we grew up being." The sun showered Eddy with its rays, making him raise his arm.
"It is Eddy. It is." The young men unbeknownst to each other picked up a grass straw each and observed them. "Promise that you'll visit us Eddy, Ed would like that."
"I will Double-D, I will." Eddy rolled the straw into a ball and tossed it in a random direction, not really caring where it landed.
"When do you leave tomorrow?"
"Our flight leaves at nine, dad's ready with the car by seven."
"Hmm." Double-D hummed.
"Will you see us off? Nazz would love it."
"You can trust me Eddy; I have always been there for you."Eddy blushed slightly; he didn't expect this to happen.
"Hey Double-D?"
"You don't have to ask me every time Eddy, I am listening."
"Right, right." The shorter of the two coughed. "I just wanna tell you that even if I give you a hard time every now and then, I really… I really…"
"I know Eddy. I feel the same." The two friends continued to sit there, cherishing the moment that made all of their memories up to that point obsolete. Even though they left after a couple of silent hours, the lake still rested there, filled with their memories, waiting for them to one day return and remember the time of their lives, the childhood they spent in a small Cul-de-Sac outside of Peach Creek.