"Strike! That's how it's done boys." Anna headed back to her seat, strutting like a fashion show model the whole way back. Peter laughed at her playfulness and matched her incoming high five. Across from him, Raven smiled ever so slightly and nodded his head.

"I guess it's my turn." Raven stood, dusting off his hoodie as he searched for his navy blue bowling ball. Peter found it hard to believe Anna was in first place so far. Not because she wasn't good but because Raven had precise aim. Maybe he's letting her win, he thought. He chuckled to himself and stretched his legs. For a while there, he hadn't been able to move them. Today was exactly one year since he was discharged from the hospital. The following months proved a challenge; physical therapy and home visits plagued his schedule until he was back on his feet. Some days, he felt as if he wasn't going to make it. Those were the days he was grateful for friends like Raven and Anna. They helped him to fight his way back.

Each night that passed by, Peter would open his eyes and fumble through the dark for his phone. Hope as he might, King's name never appeared in his messages or calls. Raven would often talk to him about this. Peter would vent and let out his pain into his ear, wishing for a change to come about. However, as months passed and his body grew stronger, so did his mind. From a mention a day, to once a week, to every random now and again, to almost never. Peter conditioned himself to accept the facts. King was gone and practically dead. He would never receive closure, so he would have to make his own.

As the bowling game continued, the young man became lost in thought. He remembered a few days after waking up from his accident. Anna arrived and wheeled him out to the garden for some fresh air.

"Sweetie, I know things are hard for you right now. But I hope you know that this isn't permanent. You will be back in the tournaments with us, kicking ass again. Seriously, I'm jealous and somewhat creeped out that you can kick higher than I can." She nudged his shoulder to emphasize her humorous tone. Peter laughed for the first time in days.

"It's because of those cocktail dresses you're so fond of wearing," He remembered telling her.

"Girl's gotta look her best at all times, you know. All jokes aside, I know not having King here during this difficult time is killing you inside. He's basically your father. If anyone understands what it's like to lose a father, it's me." She paused to take a deep breath, composing herself for the subject.

"I never got to say to him the things I wanted to. I never got to tell him that even though he favored Nina, my favorite part of the day was hearing his bedtime stories as a little girl. Never got to tell him that even when he was gone for weeks, I was in my room practicing for the one day he'd hopefully walk me down the aisle to marry the man of my dreams. Never told him that those times I said I hated him, I was hoping he would tell me he loved me anyway." Her voice faltered slightly before she cleared her throat.

"I never got to say goodbye."

Those words resonated deep within Peter's mind. While his friend had dealt with a loss of a greater intensity, he still related to her longing for her father. In some ways, he felt the same way. What he wouldn't give for one more chance to see his father figure again so he could say how much he valued him. Almost as if she had read his mind, Anna continued to speak.

"With King, he knew what you felt. You got the opportunity to express your feelings and appreciation countless times. He knew how important he was to you. I…I guess what I'm trying to say is this. If he can't find it in his heart to be here for you now when you've been there for him…he doesn't deserve your friendship, love. He doesn't deserve you."

"Hey handsome, you're up." The sound of Anna's voice snapped him back to the present. Raven slid a beer his way, motioning towards the score screen.

"You might want to chug that. Maybe it'll help you get a strike, you kind of need one." Raven's words brought a smile to Peter's face, and he lifted the beer to the ones in his friends' hands.

"Cheers."

After finishing the remainder of the game, the three friends made their way up to the counter. Turning in their bowling shoes, Raven looked to Anna and shook his head.

"Why pay for shoes if you are not going to wear them, Anna?" The woman fixed the creases in her red spaghetti strap top and skirt, smiling and pointing to the shoe rack.

"I'm not letting such filth touch this skin. Ever. Now when they get some Manolo's, we'll talk."

Peter parted ways with his friends outside and headed to his car. They were headed to meet Michelle for Julia's surprise birthday party. Starting the engine, he realized he forgot to get a case of Julia's favorite wine.

"ABC Liquor's too far, so that only leaves one other nearby place…" Moments later, Peter found himself standing in the aisles of Wal-Mart. He hated coming here with a passion. Just walking into the store, he was tempted to take out his cell and text Steve and Hwoarang pictures of all the poorly dressed individuals walking around. Grabbing Julia's favorite Pinot Grigio, something caused him to stop in his tracks. After almost a year and a half, there he was.

…

King.

…

It was as if Peter had seen a ghost. Carefully, he placed the wine back on the shelf and turned to face the older man. Looking up to him, he struggled to find the right thing to say or do.

"Hi," he finally managed to utter.

"How've you been, Peter? It's been a long time."

"Yeah King. It has."

"…I heard about your accident. I kept meaning to stop by but you know…"

"Busy no doubt. You've got a lot of things to take care of."

"Yes. Well, I'm glad to see that you're doing better. You know, I was shocked to hear that they-"

"I called off the search," Peter said as he folded his arms, cutting King off altogether. The wrestler was obviously confused by the statement.

"The search?"

"I've had a lot of time to recover, King. And a lot of time to think as well." As he spoke, he remembered talking to Raven two weeks after the accident.

"Peter are you sure about this? Don't let this decision be guided by your emotions."

"I'm sure Raven. Just bury what you and Anna have, please. But thank you and tell Lei Wulong I appreciate the help as well."

The doctors told him that he suffered a memory loss of sorts, but were unable to determine if this was going to be a permanent condition. Looking into the eyes of the man he considered a father, Peter remembered it all so vividly now.

He was outside, caught in a storm. It had been raining so heavily that night, he couldn't see anything in front of him. It was dark, cold, and the wind was vicious. He was only concerned with keeping his cigarette lit. And that's when it happened. A horn blared, a white light came at him through the darkness and slammed right into him. He flew through the air, smashing violently onto the pavement behind him. The back of his head bounced off the cold concrete and he lay with his eyes half open, rain drops pelting his face like bullets of ice. The sound of the storm became like static silence.

…

He remembered hearing a car door open and someone approaching him. The rain became blocked by someone above his face and while it was dark, his mind went into shock.

"K-King…?" he managed to whisper. The man who had pulled him through all the dark times of his life was now pulling him across the cold and wet road beneath him. He heard his father figure panicking, covering his mouth as he rolled his broken body into the muddy grass nearby. He couldn't really make out what he was saying anymore as the world around him began to fade to black. But he heard one thing clearly.

"You're going to be okay," said King as he ran back to his car, got in, closed the door…

…and drove away…

It must've been shortly after he fell unconscious that Raven found him and rushed him to the hospital.

"You left me to die on the side of the road that night, King." Peter said, finally breaking the silence between the two.

"Peter…listen, I-I was-"

"I used to see you and respect you as my own father. I thought you were the bravest man I'd ever known. I wanted so, so badly to be just like you. But after everything that's happened, I've seen what you really are. You're a coward."

"I'm sorry Peter, I really am…why haven't you done anything to me?"

"…Because as angry as I am, there's still a part of me that cares about you and didn't want to see you go to jail. You have people who depend on you. If I did anything against you, it would ruin your reputation, your career…your life." Peter maintained eye contact the entire time. He wanted to see the man's soul as he spoke. King lowered his head and looked around to make sure nobody else was listening.

"I'm so sorry…can you find it in your heart to ever forgive me?" asked King. Peter looked to Julia's wine on the shelf and picked it back up.

"I don't think my forgiveness means anything. Because at the end of the day, I'm not the person that you have to live with." With one last look, Peter turned to walk away.

"Pete-"

"You know King, you were right about one thing though."

"What's that?"

"I am going to be okay."

Peter left the store as fast as he could, trembling all the way back to his car. Getting in, he closed the door and breathed deeply. He wanted to break. That's when he thought of the faces of Raven and Anna. He thought of Julia, Michelle, Steve, Hwoarang, and Xiao. All the people he'd met who he considered good friends. All the people who were there for him when he needed them. Those friends were waiting just a few miles away, ready to celebrate. Pulling out of the parking lot, he adjusted his rear view mirror, getting one last look at the version of himself that he was leaving behind.

"I'm going to be okay."