Chapter 1;;
The cool breeze was refreshing this time of day; afternoon in the summer time. Although it was still early in the summer, the heat was sweltering. Many of the yards across the entire suburbs were constantly being sprinkler'd to keep the grass from yellowing. This was nice for Roxas, who could dash through the water drops almost whenever he needed a cool down. However at the present, the blonde haired blue eyed boy was lazily laying in his hammock, quite content with the sun beating down on him, and breeze playfully messing with his hair. This was the kind of day that Roxas could lay outside for hours, eyes closed and iPod playing loudly in his ears alone. This was the kind of day which Roxas wished would never go away.
This summer in particular was amazing. He had done it. He had graduated high school. A small smile spread across his face as the thought again crossed his mind. That chapter- the one that held within its pages the previous thirteen years of his life- was over. A new chapter had now began. After the summer ended, it would be time for Roxas to leave the town he's spent all eighteen years of his life in. However much he hated to admit it, it was a rather frightening thought. Part of him longed to be free from his parents, his neighbors, this life he knew… But the other part was scared of the change.
"Roxas, your phone's going off!" A too-familiar voice was distinguishable over the sound of his music. Roxas pulled out his ear buds, and opened his eyes. Enjoying the clear blue of the skies, and blissful slow-moving clouds. Over the course of the years, he's really began to appreciate little things a whole lot more.
"I'm coming, mom," he called back at the tall blonde woman standing in the porch. He swung his legs down from the tall hammock, and jogged up to the steps to his kitchen. Inside, the windows were all open wide, curtains gently swaying. Roxas snatched his phone from the counter, and slid it open. One missed call. "It was Axel.." he muttered aloud, in case his mom was interested. Hitting the 'call back' button, he pressed the phone to his ear and opened the refrigerator, pulling out a mountain dew.
"Heya, Rox." his friend answered on the second ring. Roxas smiled.
"Hey buddyyyyy. Sorry I missed ya, I was chillin' on my hammock. So what's up?" he closed the fridge behind him, and made his way out to the hammock again, cracking open his soda.
"Soaking up that sun?" Roxas could almost see Axel's one sided grin, "Sounds tight. But, I have something better in mind."
"And what is this?" he asked, gulping down what had been a large mouthful of the cool, sweet green liquid.
"Hang out with me!"
Roxas started laughing, "Oh you crack me up. Nice one. But seriously, what is it?"
"Mmph." Axel made a pouting noise, "I thought you were my bestest friend." Roxas was smiling fully now. He loved the stupid conversations they had, even though his dad always cracked jokes about them being worse than high school girls.
"You are! Hands down. You have too much on me to not be my friend, anyway!" they both laughed, and Roxas felt a pang of pure happiness flood through him. "Where do you want to meet?"
"Wherever we do." Axel replied simply. "Three, two, one, go!"
On that note, the two hung up. Roxas dashed away from the hammock, pushing his phone into his pocket as he did so. He ran up the steps to his kitchen, and bolted down the hallway to his room. Finding a pair of white ankle socks in his drawer, he pulled them on. Sliding into his Vans before rushing from his room again. As he ran through his house and out the front door, he could hear his mom give an exasperated sigh. He grinned lightly at the thought of bugging her, before returning his mind to the situation at hand. It wasn't fair, Axel had probably already started walking when they were on the phone! Roxas could hear his Vans pounding on the sidewalk beneath him as he ran, only briefly slowing down as he neared the road he intended to cross.
Axel didn't live too far away, but Roxas had a pretty strong feeling that the distance was one of the main factors of him being fit. He got a break today, though. He could see the tall, skinny, intensely red haired boy walking calmly in his direction, and he was not much more than a block from home. "Cheater." he muttered under his breathe, not able to hold his smile back as he neared his friend.
