The title of this fic is taken from the movie Now and Then. If you haven't seen it, it's basically about a group of life-long friends who reflect on their preteen days. It's one of my favorite movies. Anyways, this is sort of like that, but teenage James and Carlos reflect on their childhood days together. A lot of it is based on various things that have happened in my life that have made me the gay young man that I am today. So you know ahead of time, this will be a chapter story. Enjoy!

"James! You won't believe what I just found!" exclaimed Carlos. He and James were looking through old boxes in the Garcia family's attic. They'd always wanted to do it, and now they finally were.

James pushed himself to his feet and hurried across the attic to where Carlos was standing. He was holding a big, red book with flowery decorations all over it. James looked over his short boyfriend's shoulder, smiling as Carlos opened up to the first page. Centered in the middle of the page was a picture of James and Carlos when they were six years old. James had been tall but chubby, and Carlos looked exactly the same as he did now. "Oh my gosh."

"I know," said Carlos quietly. He turned to the next page. The next two pages were filled with pictures of young James and Carlos. On the second page, they were joined by two other young boys, Kendall and Logan.

Carlos flipped back to the first page. "That was the day we met..."

Sylvia Garcia couldn't get her son to let go of her leg. Six-year-old Carlos was screaming, "You can't make me go! You can't make me go!"

Sylvia let out a breath and crouched down so that she was eye-level with her only child. He looked away from her, crossing his arms and pouting. Sylvia rested a hand on his tiny shoulder. "Carlitos, I know you don't want to meet new people again, but Daddy got a very good job here. Can you try? For me?"

Carlos sighed dramatically. He uncrossed his arms. "Fine, but only if you stay the whoooole day."

"I can do that," said Sylvia, smiling. "All the mommies get to stay on the first day of your new school year. Now, let's go."

Sylvia straightened up again, grasping Carlos's small hand. She led him into the classroom, which was full of other small children and their mothers. One child in the corner, however, was alone. Carlos pointed at him. "If all the mommies get to stay, why is he alone?"

"Carlitos, don't point. It's rude," said Sylvia, gently pushing Carlos's arm down to his side. She glanced at the alone boy. "Sometimes, mijo, mommies are busy."

"Let's go ask him." Before his mother could stop him, Carlos ran over to the boy. He lightly tapped on the boy's shoulder. When the boy turned around, Carlos's mouth fell open. This boy was unlike any other boy Carlos had ever seen. He was almost as tan as Carlos, and his hazel eyes shone in the flourescent lighting of the classroom. He had rosy, full cheeks and perfect, almost too-white teeth. He was a little chubby, but it looked good on him. Carlos swallowed and found his words. "Where's your mommy?"

"Work," answered the boy shortly. "But it's okay. I'm used to it."

Sylvia made it across the room, smiling when she saw Carlos sit down across from the other little boy. Carlos sat Indian-style, just as he'd been taught in Kindergarten back in Florida. "Aren't you scared of being alone?"

"No," said the boy. "I like to be alone so I can imagine stuff."

Carlos's face fell. "I'll go away, then."

Carlos stood up and turned to walk back to his mother, but then James said, "You can imagine stuff with me."

Carlos returned to the spot he'd been sitting in before. "Okay, but what's your name?"

"James Diamond. You?"

"Ooh, diamonds. They're shiny. I'm Carlos Garcia."

James nodded. "So what do you wanna play?"

Carlos opened his mouth to answer, but Sylvia tapped his shoulder. The young boy turned to look at her. "Yeah?"

"Let me get a picture of you and your new friend," smiled Sylvia.

Ever dramatic, Carlos threw back his head and groaned. A second later, though, he was smiling at James. "My mommy wants us to take a picture together."

"Okay," said James. He started moving his brown hair around randomly.

Carlos giggled. "What are you doing?"

"I have to look good in the picture," answered James, as if Carlos should already know that.

James stood up, and Carlos's mouth fell open when he saw that James was a few inches taller than him. Sylvia got ready, holding her Polaroid up to her eye. "Okay. Smile, boys."

"Hold on, mom." Carlos turned to look at James again. "James?"

"Yeah?"

"Are we friends?" asked the small Latino.

James smiled. "Do you wanna be?"

"Yeah."

"Me too. Let's take the picture now."

"Okay."

Carlos and James turned so they were facing Sylvia again. They put on their best smiles, and then the flash went off. Carlos blinked a few times. He turned to look at James again. "Pirates. We should play pirates."

"I love playing pirates!"

Back in the present, James put his arm around Carlos's waist. Both of them were smiling. Carlos laughed a little. "You were obsessed with looking good, even back then."

"And you were a sweetheart back then, too," said James. "If you hadn't asked me where my mom was, we probably wouldn't be standing here right now."

"I don't believe that." Carlos turned the page again. He looked back at his tall boyfriend. "I think we would have fallen in love eventually anyways."

James and Carlos kissed, their minds lost in the past.

So, in this chapter, the italicized part was the flashback, but the next chapter is going to be completely flashback, so it's not going to be italicized like this one was. I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Give feedback, if you so wish. :)