Disclaimer: I don't own them.
*Italic indicates thought
Chapter Forty-Four: Best Friend Duties
A/N: I know this chapter is short, but I'm still having trouble finding the storyline. at least I updated it.
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life. It goes on." -Robert Frost
Kevin stared at Antonio in concern. The last few months Antonio had been doing...moderately well moving on from Lauren. While he no longer moped around the apartment, he poured all his time and energy into his eventual move out of the country. When he wasn't working he would sit in his room; probably pouting was Kevin's guess. So, one afternoon as he was walking home, Kevin decided they needed some help. He waited patiently for the person on the other end to answer.
"Hey Kev, what's up?" Jayden asked as he leaned against the back wall of the pizza parlor.
"Are you busy this Saturday?"
"No, why?"
"Because we need to take Antonio out. He never goes out or does anything."
"And you think spending the night with us will fix that?"
"I'm hoping a guys' night out is exactly what he needs to get back in the swing of things."
Jayden considered it. "Alright I'm in."
"Awesome. Come by my place Saturday night and the three of us will paint the town red."
Jayden laughed. "I'm looking forward to it."
-Samurai Ranger Life-
Saturday night arrived, and Kevin knocked on Antonio's door. "Come in. What's going on Kev?"
"Get dressed in something...fun."
"Fun? Por que?"
"We're going out tonight. You, me, and Jayden are hitting the clubs, meeting some girls, and drinking a lot."
Antonio snorted. "If you'd have said that a year ago I would've laughed."
"Don't I know it. But this is true. So let's go!" Antonio smiled and shut his laptop. "If you're not ready in 10 minutes I'll be back."
"Got it."
Kevin left, shutting the door. Antonio stretched and made his way over to his closet. He searched his clothes, looking for something that would be suitable to wear. He knew why Kevin and Jayden were doing this. It wasn't that he wasn't over Lauren, because he was, but without her...it still felt empty. Like there was no fun or happiness. It really sucked all the life and energy out of him. Which is why I need tonight, he decided. I'm going to meet some lovely chicas and get my edge back. He eventually found a shirt that he hadn't worn in a while, but it was flashy and very classic Antonio. He got dressed, pairing his flashy gold and silver shirt with black pants and his latest pair of gold shoes; a pair of converse covered in gold sparkles. He put on a watch that looked far more expensive than it actually was. He left the solitary safety of his room and paced around the living room. Kevin joined him after a few minutes, wearing a blue button-down shirt with sleeves that only went to his elbows, jeans, and sneakers.
"How do I look?" Antonio asked, raising his hands and spinning around for effect. "Fantastico or what?"
Kevin smirked. "Very classic Antonio."
"What can I say, the ladies love Antonio."
There was a knock on the door, causing the two of them to stiffen. Kevin sighed. "We really should remember that Nighlocks wouldn't knock." Antonio nodded as Kevin went to go see who was knocking at the door. He opened it after checking through the peep-hole. "Hi Jayden."
"Hey Kev," Jayden replied. He was wearing a red t-shirt and jeans; not nearly as dressed up as Antonio or Kevin.
"Aye! Amigo!" Antonio yelled. "You're not really going out wearing that?!"
"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"
"It's muy boring. How do you expect to get any chicas dressed like that?"
"I have a girlfriend who expressly told me that if I hook up with anyone else, I'll be sleeping on the couch so long that our bed will be a distant memory."
Kevin snorted. "So you definitely won't be dancing with anyone."
"What's the point in going then?!" Antonio demanded.
"So we can find you a girl. Possibly get you drunk."
"You do realize I'm only 20, right?"
"So we won't get you drunk. Let's go." Jayden grabbed Antonio's hand and the tree of them set off for their night.
-Samurai Ranger Life-
The boys found one of the three under 21 clubs in Panorama and got in without any problems. They made their way over to the bar, their eyes still adjusting to the strange, darkish lighting and their ears getting used to the pounding music. They sat down at the bar and the bartender made her way over to them. "What can I get you boys?"
"Um...three of the blue ones," Kevin said.
"Actually two of the blue ones and one of the golds ones," Antonio said, noticing one of the pictures under the 'new' sign.
"Coming right up," she said. She smiled at Antonio after eyeing his shirt and winked at him. Once they had their drinks, they spun around and surveyed the room.
"See anyone you like?" Kevin asked Antonio. His friend shook his head.
"How about her?!" Jayden shouted in Antonio's ear. He nodded at a girl wo was sitting alone at a table. She smiled at Antonio and flipped her black hair casually over her shoulder. She stood up and started making her way over to the three of them. Once she reached them she put her arm around Antonio's shoulders. She leaned on him a little bit.
"Hey. I like your shirt!" she yelled so he could hear her over the thumping music.
"Gracias!" Antonio shouted back. "Can I buy you a drink?"
"Sure, but first let's dance!"
Antonio barely had time to set his drink down before she grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor. He followed to beat, trying to move with her. She grabbed his hands and put them on her hips; so he took this as a cue to move in closer. So he did. He had to admit, it was a lot of fun. He forgot about the stress of moving and taking over a company, he forgot about Lauren. He just let the music and the beautiful girl in front of him drown all the memories. He focused on her hands, her eyes, her lips. He'd never been that good with people. There was a reason that he'd only had one friend in his childhood. Said friend was watching him with an amused expression.
Jayden leaned closer to Kevin. "Do you think it's working?"
Kevin eyed Antonio, who at least looked like he was having a good time. "I hope so." He nodded his head in time with the music. Is this what high school partied were like? He wouldn't have known. Between tinning for the Olympics and training to become a samurai, and then actually being a samurai, he hadn't exactly been going out and partying. Guess I won't be doing this in a few moths ether. Oh well, I was never really into this sort of thing anyways. Jayden elbowed him.
"You gonna dance?"
"Are you going to?"
Jayden laughed. "You've seen me dance."
Kevin nodded. "That's true."
"So are you already seeing someone? Or just not interested?"
"I'm not in a place where I can have a relationship right now."
"Why?!"
Kevin smiled. Now was as good a time as any to tell him. "I'm going to have a kid. I'm not putting the baby up for adoption!"
"Really? That's great!"
Kevin snorted. "Brooke doesn't seem to think so!"
"She doesn't know anything! You'll be a great dad!"
"Thanks!" Kevin frowned as he looked over at the dance floor. "Where's Antonio?!"
Jayden followed his gaze. His eyes swept the dance floor with practiced efficiency. "I...don't know!"
Bliss traveled through Antonio as his lips worked one the lips of the girl. HIs hand grazed her jaw, traveling down her neck to her collarbone. He leaned against the wall, allowing her to fall against him more. His other hand traveled lazily up and down her back. Her hands made their way down his torso, but he queenly grabbed them.
"Something wrong?" she asked him, leaning in again. He pushed her away.
"Sorry...I just...sorry." He didn't say another word as he gently pushed her aside. He walked away, pushing away the guilt in his gut. He found Kevin and Jayden, grabbing them by the arms. "Let's go!" he shouted so they could hear.
"Why?!" Kevin asked as he and Jayden were dragged out. Once they were outside the were able to hear gain. "Where'd you disappear to?"
"Making out with some girl."
"That's good right?" Jayden asked. "Wasn't that the point of all this?"
"Was she a bad kisser?" Kevin asked him.
"No the kiss was fine," Antonio said. "It was...fun."
"So...what the problem."
"it wasn't...passion. Bliss and fun are all well and good. But without passion, without a burning desire, it's not the same. It's not...the same."
No one said a word for a minute. "You're never going to get over her, are you?" Kevin asked quietly.
Antonio shook his head sadly. "She's my soulmate." Kevin and Jayden stopped walking; Antonio stopped a few feet in front of them. "How can you get over losing a part of yourself? Of having an incomplete soul?"
Kevin put a hand on his shoulder. "We're going to help you get her back."
"How?! How can I win her back if we don't even know why she broke up with me in the first place?"
Jayden sighed. "But I do." Kevin and Antonio looked at him in shock. "You'd better sit down Antonio."
"Why?"
"Because there's something we never told you about being a samurai."
Kevin's eyes widened in realization. "I never thought about it like that. That makes so much sense."
"What's going on?" Antonio demanded. "What aren't you guys telling me?"
Jayden sighed. "The reason why Lauren broke up with you. And you aren't going to like it."
"
