"Good morning, beautiful."
John Bender opened his tired eyes. They were still adjusting to the florescent garage light above, but he could make out the colours of Travis's face as it leaned in dangerously close to his own. He shoved him out of the way with his hand as he sat up.
John had made it to his friend's house some time in the early hours of the morning and recalled being alone when he fell asleep, using his jacket as a pillow. Now his friends surrounded him, spaced out on the floor, all awake apart from Ronnie, who was curled up on the armchair.
"What time is it?" he said, his voice textured with last night's cigarettes and alcohol.
"Eight A.M, the start of a wonderful day," Travis replied in the voice he put on whenever he imitated suburban fathers, sitting with his legs bent and elbows rested on his knees. Bender groaned and fell back onto the ground.
"Wake me in the afternoon."
"Can't," Jev said, laying on his side to look at both of them. He was shirtless, having gotten too warm sleeping in the muggy garage, but that wasn't anything uncommon. Ronnie always said that Jev sweated like an animal in heat. "My mom said you all need to clear out soon so she can use the garage."
"No fair," Bender rolled over again, burying his face into his jacket.
"What time did you leave last night?" Travis asked.
"I dunno," Jev replied, "I'm not actually sure what happened last night."
John reminded everything, though. He lifted his head up.
"I helped some kid ruin Ms Stubby's lawn arrangement by letting him puke all over it."
"Nice!"
"Then some girl asked me to walk her home."
"Who?"
"Claire, I think her name was. Not sure."
"What did she look like?"
Bender thought for a moment, then stifled a laugh at the memory of her suit covered in specks of vomit.
"Not good."
"Oh, Bender, did you give her the hot beef injection?" Travis asked, nudging him with his foot. John's hand quickly shot up and smacked it, causing Travis to recoil quickly. "Touchy, touchy."
Bender then proceeded to get up, properly now, picking his jacket up from the floor and putting it back on. He ran his hands through his hair, slicking it back, then looked down at the two other boys still sitting on the floor.
"I'm off now anyway. Things to do, and all that. I'll see you dildos tomorrow."
Travis and Jev thought nothing of the exchange about Claire Standish once John had left. By Monday morning, they'd forgotten it ever happened. It was insignificant. Ronnie had slept through it, so he didn't even know about it anyway.