"Oh, well, I guess we'll see you around!" Petey waved to the other boy. "We'll have to hang out again."
"Yeah, yeah. Don't cream yourself, Petey."
"Night, Gary." Jimmy said without another word, leading the way as Petey followed in the opposite direction down the boy's dormitory.
Going out for a walk with the boys always lead to shenanigans. Whether it be trashing mailboxes or hitting cars with slingshots. All the while Petey whining.
Something about it made Gary feel a zest for something...
He felt like starting an argument with Jimmy or tossing Pete around a little.
His life was missing a chaotic element.
Gary shut the door behind him with an exaggerated sigh. He took one look at the bed before tossing himself onto it, sinking into the disgusting mattress. Word around the school was Johnny was back. Gary's reputation was only slightly repaired... but he wondered why he wasn't killed in his sleep by the greasey gearhead. There was no sign of Lola.
And the constant conflicts didn't help, but they all suddenly stopped a week ago when Johnny arrived. Sadly.
Gary laid there with a frown. Eyes feathering close for a moment.
In his dreams, he could see the gladiator's ring. Familiar yet it had a long time that he dreampt this dream. Except the busy Roman architecture was all too abandoned. When the boy had peered around to his subjects, he found none. Nobody but himself. The sound of scraping stones filled the air. The throne beneath him began to crumble.
He couldn't yell for help. Who would hear him? Nobody was in the Colosseum except him. The throne was abandoned as he fell forward and into the center of the ring.
Gary wasn't sure how he was thrusted into the ring. But he was helpless as the gates opened, revealing a bull. A bull who's horns curled towards him menacingly. Ready to gore him.
When it had charged, Gary's feet seemed glued to the ground.
Gary jumped from his sleep. Panting and with a yelp, something landed in his lap. With a curious nudge, his eyes focused on the thing. A book.
Almost as if it materialized. It was his book. The library book. The one that Lola had. That she stole.
Gary smudged his eyes roughly before fumbling with the book. Inside the cover was sweet writing with a shitty ball point pen.
'Waiting for you at our overlook'
Overlook.
Gary reread the sentence again and again.
It took a moment to process it all. Before he knew it, he was putting on his scarf and jacket. This could have been the Constantinos incident all over again.
However, he didn't have the time to check.
He burst out of his dorm room and into the halls, struggling to slip into his combat boots. He licked his lips anxiously, finding his tongue drag slowly. And a taste on his buds.
He placed his fingers to his bottom lip, looking down at the red substance.
It was her, he just knew it.
The woman that lived in the front of his brain. The one he wished to have saw since she left. The voice that he heard in every room.
When the ice and snow clogged his vision he made it above the hill.
Gary could hardly believe his eyes. Was it really Lola back again? Or was it just his mind playing tricks on him? It was early in the morning, dark, and he was tired, it couldn't have been her, right? But he had to get closer and check, just to be sure. He crept off the noisy gravel road and into the powdery snow. Trying to remain hidden in the darkness as he approached the lot.
It couldn't have been... could it?
With a better view, he could see a color cutting through the darkness. Red. The hum of the bike echoing.
The scent of cigarette smoke emanating from the person made his stomach churn as he drew nearer. His initial nervousness in approaching her was immediately worsened by the feeling of familiarity that swept over him. The smoke, the view of the carnival, the sound of the vespa, and the slowly growing urge to throw up like he had all that time ago. Still, Gary stifled those feelings, and pushed on until he was within a stone's throw of the bike.
The woman turned her head slightly. Her eyes on him. She killed the engine. Sliding the helmet off. Hair failing. That familiar auburn haircut. And perfectly drawn red lips.
She placed her hands on her hips. Speaking. "You're late."
It was really her.
He'd heard what she said. Those two simple words. But he didn't answer, he couldn't. He stood there, dumbfounded, still trying to come to terms that Lola had reappeared out of the blue. "Hey, did you hear me?" she continued cooly. "You're late, do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"You." Is all he could bring himself to say. Feeling his body tremble.
She snorted at this. Coming closer and setting her hands on his shoulders. "Is that all your gonna say, baby boy? I was expecting a drawn out romantic speech."
The words wouldn't come. Gary's head hung. Like a small child, he avoided her gaze.
He felt Lola's leather gloved fingers on his chin as she pulled his head up. His eyes looking off in another direction. She let out a noise of irritation. "Look at me."
When his eyes finally had met hers, he could only attempt to squander away any feelings that showed on his face.
"You don't have to say anything. Although, it'd make me happy if you would. I'm glad to see you. Maybe even looking forward to it." The woman bent down, laying a kiss on his forehead, which was enough for Gary's heart to start beating out of his chest. "And don't worry baby," she continued, her voice returning to the sickly sweet tone he knew all too well. "I'm not mad you kept me waiting so long. I heard all about how you got tangled up on your way back, so we're all still peachy."
She moved her hands from his shoulders down to his arms and started to pull him towards her vespa, and towards the overlook. When they arrived at her scooter, she sat down on the driver's seat and patted the spot next to her, tugging the leather gloves off. Resting. "So, come take a seat and tell me what you've been up to." She smiled slyly. "Then I promise I'll tell you what I've been doing while I took my 'vacation'."
Still overcome with shock, he found himself unable to sit next to her.
"I waited for you to show up." He said honestly. Taking Lola aback. He felt his fist clench as he let out a growl. "Why did you have to run away like that? Why were you such an idiot? You can't just abandon me! That's what I do! Lola, you- you-" he found himself choking up. His words losing themselves in his throat. Dissipating."You're pathetic."
Lola's mouth turned into a frown. A sigh escaping her lips. It was too early to be so existential and mushy. She gestured to the the dim pink sky overhead. "You don't like looking at the sights anymore? Isn't that your thing? Come on, Gary."
The pink sky and the smell of salt. It didn't matter. He didn't wish to see the sights like the way he missed her. She was here. In a grasp. But yet acting like she didn't see him. "Why aren't you answering my questions?" he said, growing more and more impatient "I want some answe-"
"Gary, please." the sound of irritation more and more present in her voice. "I'd really prefer if you just relax and shut up. Not to be a bitch, but I really just want to enjoy this moment, alright?"
"How can everything just go back to the way it was? I can't just pretend that you weren't gone for months. That's stupid." Gary took a breath before letting it out loudly. "I..."
He itched back and forth. Unsteady. Fit of nervousness taking over.
In comparison to Lola, he felt as though he were two feet tall, trying to make the words appear. He was agitated and aggravated that they wouldn't come so naturally.
"Are you going to leave again?"
Lola puffed on her cigarette. The ash being discarded with a quick flick. She was supposed to answer his questions. There were so many. And his heart heavy with each one.
"Lola."
"Sure, I'll answer. But... What was your answer?" She said with a hum. Her eyes laying on him. Sharp. Devilish. "What would you have done that night? Would you have thrown everything away and ran away with me? Go with me wherever? Whenever?"
Shock ran through him. He wasn't sure how to respond. His jaw locking.
Gary expected the worst of people, but this was ridiculous.
"Just say it, Gary. You need me. You need me like air in your lungs. Tell me." A finger brushed against his bottom lip. "Gary Smith, maybe I need you too."
Gary's eyes darted from her to the trees. To the ground. To the sky. "You're gonna regret sayin' that."
"I know you wanted to baby, but I want to hear those words come out of your mouth." That night had seemed like a distant memory so, so long ago. Halloween night, the bike tires, her room, her invitation, and the greasers. It all came back so fast, his chest tightened with anxiety.
"I wanted to..." He started.
"Wanted?"
"I wanted to but I decided that this place is like my home. I don't want to run away from it. I worked hard to come back. I wanted to tell you that I wanted to stay. And I wanted to convince you to stay, too." Gary let out a noise. Ambivalent. "I know I wouldn't have been able to."
Lola's eyebrows knitted low for a moment. Before rising in disbelief. He could tell she didn't like what she heard. "You'd pick a school over me?"
He was silent for a moment.
"I can't go."
She stopped.
A wave came over him. Crashing down. The weight unbearble. "I couldn't have gone with you, you idiot."
When she didn't answer it made him uneasy.
Unsteady breaths and unusual feelings stirring. Like a melting pot of emotions he wasn't sure he possessed. He wiped at his eyes preemptively.
Lola stared at him for a little while in shock. The shoe seemed to be on the other foot now, as she was the one left speechless. Regaining her composure to the best of her ability, she spoke. "Come on, don't get so upset." She pulled him closer.
Something snapped. That rope inside his chest holding his puny heart broke. His heart becoming heavier than a boulder. His eyes hot. His face hot. His fingers twitching.
"Just don't leave me." He wrapped himself around her. Holding her tightly, as if she would evaporate from his arms. He dismissed the creeping feelings of regret. "I hate myself for missing you. And I really hated myself just thinking about you. I'm not supposed to. I'm not supposed to be like that." His fingers dug into her leather jacket. His legs trembling.
She was taken aback.
"I'm sorry."
Gary was never sorry.
Something was wrong.
Maybe he was still dreaming.
There were no exits. No escape. Just Gary. Just Lola. Cornered. Exposed.
"...Gary." the surprise in her voice mixed into a comforting one. "I-I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon." Though her confidence was slowly coming back, she was still caught off guard, and continued after a nervous chuckle. "All you had to say is that you missed me. Gosh, you're gonna leave stains in my cashmere." Gary could've sworn he felt just a hint of sincerity in her voice, but whether or not that was wishful thinking or not, he wasn't sure.
She tugged him off of her. Prying him away like a fly off of a sticky trap.
"Gary, Gary, Gary. I thought your heart rotted out of your chest. Now here you are. I'm flattered. Maybe a little too much." She wiped a stray tear with an immaculate red polished thumb.
Gary's hand cupped her own. He reached up, planting a kiss onto her lips.
Maybe she was right? He wondered if he mimicked the stupid feelings that Jimmy and Petey had. They were all fabricated. It put his mind at ease for the moment. At least before he felt himself gag. Instictively putting a hand to his mouth.
She held her hands up protectively as to not get sprayed by the teen.
Gary backed away from the scooter, doing his best to not vomit all over the place. He staggered over the ditch and took his hand off of his mouth, and threw up. As unpleasant as it felt coughing up his innards, in a sick kinda way it did make him feel better. Like all of the anxiety, stress, emotional bullshit, and everything was leaving him all at the same time. His throat still burned like hell, but at least his head and heart would stop pounding soon enough.
"Jesus Gary, you'd better not be making a habit out of this." he heard Lola chime in from behind him. "I swear, the next time I take you here and you get sick again, I'm gonna a throw you off the cliff, you understand?" Gary let out a weak chuckle to himself. As long as she didnt bring up that mushy shit again, he'd be just fine.