He was stood outside 'Drive 'N Buy', his eyes boring into the ground beneath his feet. He pushed his hands deeper into the pockets of his trousers and sighed. Why did life have to be so complicated? Why did his life have to be so complicated? He remembered what life was like only a year ago, when everything was much simpler. Then, all he had to think about was what new scheme to think of next or how to make Darren pay for sleeping with his girlfriend. But times had changed drastically and the time he had spent wishing Darren dead felt like a world away. And, he mused, it was, because that was before John Paul.
He heard a noise to the left of him and looked up slowly. The door to Drive 'N Buy was opening. He shifted slightly against the shop wall he was leaning on and saw John Paul step on to the ground beside him. He was carrying two cans of some drinkable substance, one of which he handed to him. Craig took the drink with a small smile and returned to staring at the floor, muttering "Thanks."
"Shall we?" John Paul asked, motioning behind him with his thumb.
Craig nodded, still keeping his head down.
They walked slowly for a few moments with only the soft hiss of them opening their drink cans for company.
Craig brought his can to his lips to take a small swig of the liquid within. He glanced to his right where John Paul was walking. He was smiling. A small, almost invisible smile that betrayed he was thinking of something else. Or, to be precise, someone else.
Craig coughed on the small amount of drink still in his mouth and John Paul looked at him in concern. He wiped his mouth, held the can to his side and looked at John Paul.
"So, are you and Spike…you know?" he muttered, hoping he sounded simply curious at this new event in his friend's life.
"Are me and Spike what?" asked John Paul, bemused.
"You know," Craig encouraged gruffly, wafting the drink enclosed hand in front of him as if that would help explain his question. Did John Paul want him to spell it out?
"No, I don't know," John Paul said slowly and he stopped walking.
Craig stood still. He wanted to find out the answer to his question but he didn't want John Paul to think he cared about the answer.
"You know…dating?" Craig said quickly, bringing the can to his mouth again as to take a sip.
They stared at each other for a moment before John Paul looked down, pushing his free hand into his pocket. When he looked up again he was smiling, this time much larger than before.
"Yeah, yeah I think we are."