"Shawn, how many times have I told you, you're hair looks fine!" Gus said, the exasperation clear to every other mall-rat in a twenty foot radius.
"Dude, it's got to look perfect." Shawn Spencer said in perfect seriousness, taking one last look at himself in the mirrored column. "I might run into Lucy."
"Lucy could care less, and if we are late to the movie, I'm never going to talk to you again," Gus responded, walking away.
"Gus," Shawn called, jogging to catch up to his best friend. "You're going the wrong way!"
Burton "Gus" Guster stopped at the entrance of the store at that nugget of information. "No, I'm not Shawn. The movie theater is at the other end of the mall. Which is where I am headed; are you coming or not?"
"But, Gussy, we're not going to that movie theatre," Shawn said inspecting his hand. "Didn't I tell you that?"
"No, you did not."
"Oh, well we're going to that brand new theater over on 2nd street."
"The one with twelve theaters?" Gus asked, his eyes lighting up.
"That's the one, buddy. And it's on me, tonight."
"You're paying?" Gus's eyes showed less excitement and more wariness at the news. "When is the last time you paid for anything?"
"Seventh grade," Shawn answered decisively. "I got the half Mint Chocolate Chip and half Chunky Monkey. You got the Vanilla with sprinkles."
"Right," Gus drawled out. "That was when you got me beat up by Johnny Gates. What trouble did you get me into now?"
"How could you think that of me? I was young and naïve then, but so much more mature now. It's your last night in town before heading off to college, leaving me forever; a lonely Maverick without his Goose."
"I'm Maverick," Gus interjected, one eyebrow raised.
"That's what I meant. A Laurel without his Hardy, a Charlie Brown without his Snoopy."
"You just called me a dog, Shawn." Gus said, starting to become less amused.
"Only the best dog ever," Shawn tried to placate. "So what do you say, the new theater?"
"What are we waiting around for?"
Gus and Shawn left the mall, Shawn grabbing the car keys from Gus' pocket and sliding into the driver's seat. "You're carriage awaits, milord" he exclaimed grandiosely, arms flung out.
Gus nodded in appreciation, getting into the car through the passenger door, nose stuck in the air. "Carry on, good sir," he said, getting into the game for at least a second, before falling back on old habits. "Just please don't wreck the car," he warned Shawn.
"Wouldn't dream of it," his best friend answered with a wide grin. The rest of the ride was marked by loud, out-of-tune singing from the childhood friends to Wham's latest album. Windows were rolled down, letting the cool Santa Barbara breeze waft through the car and allowing nearby cars and pedestrians to roll their eyes at the antics of the recent high school graduates. Gus couldn't believe he was leaving tomorrow to go to UCLA; while it wasn't far, he would miss his family and especially Shawn, the irresponsible rascal who Gus couldn't get rid of, and never wanted to.
Gus got lost in his memories, and it wasn't until the car was fully stopped that the young man realized where they were. "Um, Shawn, this isn't the new movie theater."
"I know," Shawn responded quietly, not looking over at Gus.
"Why are we at the elementary school?" Gus demanded, unsure of what to make of Shawn's sudden reticence.
"Remember when we first met, in kindergarten?" Shawn asked, eyes still firmly focused on his hands.
'Of course," Gus told him.
"Who would have thought we'd still be friends over ten years later," Shawn mused. "I couldn't ask for a better buddy."
"Shawn, you're scaring me. What's wrong?"
Shawn said nothing for a few moments, before finally meeting Gus' concerned gaze. "Do you have to leave for college?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Do you want to go to college?"
"Yeah, I do."
"Are you going to make new, super cool friends?"
"Probably," Gus said in a matter-of-fact tone. Shawn nodded in resignation, suddenly fascinated by the steering wheel.
"But no one like you," Gus continued. "You know you're my best friend, Shawn."
"Yeah, but you're going off to college. You'll be going to tons of parties, hanging with lots of cool frat boys, rocking your sweater vests. You'll forget all about me."
"Shawn, I'm sure none of those parties will be as exciting as you getting a stupid scheme in your head. How many of those frat boys will be able to talk me into stealing a sweet old woman's poodle and dying it's fur pink and shaving a heart into the poor pooch for a 'Valentine's Fools Day'."
"The one no one ever sees coming," Shawn said with a smile, lost in the memory. "So…friends forever and all that crap?"
"And all that crap," Gus agreed with a smile, holding out his hand. Shawn took the hand, shaking it a few times before the two embraced in an awkward hug for three seconds. Coughing, Shawn leaned out of the hug as Gus ran his hands through his newly grown fro, which his parents most definitely did not approve.
"So the movie theater?" Gus asked finally.
"Right, the movies," Shawn said. "Do you really want to go to a theater you've never been to before? The popcorn could be horrible for all we know. The Lycee down on Main is having a double feature of 'The Evil Dead' and 'The Evil Dead 2' if you want to check that out."
"The Lycee it is then. Remember that time when we skipped school and your dad…" Gus stopped right there, knowing Shawn's father to be a particularly sore subject at the moment. Sure enough, Shawn gripped the steering wheel tighter and acted as if Gus had never spoken.
"Maybe we can grab some Circus Peanuts on the way; sneak them in," Shawn mused out loud.
"You know I'm a sucker for Circus Peanuts," Gus agreed. "By the way, Shawn, have you decided what you're going to do?" Gus asked gingerly.
"Oh, didn't I tell you, buddy? I have an interview with a dude ranch in Texas next week to be some sort of tour guide. I'm going to drive down there on the new bike Wednesday."
"A dude ranch, Shawn? Do you know anything about horses?" Gus asked incredulous, but not completely surprised by Shawn's choice in career. His friend had never been one for normality.
"Nope," Shawn responded cheerfully. "Ah, here's the Quick-E-Stop, they should have some Circus Peanuts. Do you want some Jolt too?"
"No, just the peanuts are fine," Gus said.
"Cool, do you happen to have any money on you?" Shawn asked as he got out of the car.
Rolling his eyes, Gus took a crisp ten dollar bill out of his wallet and handed it to Shawn. "So how are you going to convince them that you know anything about horses and cattle?" Gus asked, genuinely curious.
"You know me, I'll just wing it."
"It won't work," Gus said flatly.
"Just watch and see. I'll give you a call when I get the job," Shawn said with a shrug and a smirk.
"I bet you my 'St. Elmo's Fire' VHS that you won't get the job," Gus said holding out his hand once more.
"You're on, mon frere." Shawn said, shaking his hand firmly.
"I'll be expecting your call within the next two weeks," Gus told him. "I gave you my dorm number right?"
"I'll call," Shawn promised. "Are you sure you don't want some Jolt?"