April third 1997 (Age Five)
I feel the pain of the sword as I'm hit in the stomach with it. "Avan! That hurt!" I exclaim, taking the sword from him and throwing it across the room. Before he can take the other sword out of his belt loop, I take it and throw that one across the room too.
The teacher walks over to us, "Now Abigail, we don't throw our friends toys do we?"
I sigh, "But he's Avan." I glance over at him and see that he's wearing a smug look.
"He may be Avan and you may have known him for a long time but you can't take his toys," She scolds before walking away.
"Your turn to hit me!" He exclaims when she walks away.
"I'm not hitting you. Let's play house," I suggest.
He sticks his thumb in his mouth and looks down, his dark brown hair flopping over his eyes. "I don't wanna play house. The big kids always lock me in the high chair."
I smirk at this. We have recess with the third graders who always want Avan to play baby and never let him out of the high chair when he wants out or when it's time to go. "It's ok, I'll let you out," I say.
"You don't know how," He replies.
"I'll figure it out, don't worry," I reassure him before leading him over to the play house.
February ninth 2002 (Age ten)
"Happy birthday dear, uh… Avan and Abby, happy birthday to you!" The end of the chorus to the birthday song finishes.
"And the much anticipated pause," Avan whispers in my ear after we blow out the candles to our cupcakes. Avan and I have known each other for exactly ten years now.
"What'd you wish for," Ketan asks with a bounce.
"If I told you it wouldn't come true would it?" Avan says to his older brother.
He sighs and takes a chunk of Avan's cupcake before walking away.
"So, what'd you wish for?" I ask, nudging his elbow.
"I can't tell you, I want this one to come true," He replies.
October thirty first 2007 (Age Fifteen)
The lights from the Jack-o-lanterns light the path from the beginning of the monster trail to the near middle, where it heads into the dark forest. We sit on a hayride avoiding being grabbed by the zombies and vampires around us. "You're scared," Avan says simply, throwing a smirk in my direction.
"I am not," I say, jumping when a hand pulls at the back of my t shirt. Avan and I didn't dress up this year because we aren't trick or treating like the other kids; we're going to a festival that we were told not to go to.
"You're totally freaked out," He says. He takes my hand and holds it tight.
"This is your stop," The man driving the tractor says in an eerie voice.
"Here we go," Avan whispers in my ear.
Something grabs at me and I scream. Avan chuckles beside me and I take hold of his hand,"Just don't let go of me."
"Never," He replies
