"This is my favorite of them."

"Ma!"

"Scott Richard, shut it! Let me reminisce. This is Candice's first time here."

Mitch quietly excused himself outside. The talk was becoming too much for him. His mom followed him. She wanted a chance to talk to him.

"Mitchy? Every thing ok?"

"Hmm? Yeah, I'm ok. I just can't.....it's like every time I turn around there's some picture or someone there reminding me of those times. Walking into Avi's was like a huge smack in the face."

"I know. Shelly and Kirstie told him it was too much but he didn't listen. He's proud of you, hun, we all are."

"I've been running from this place for so long. Being back here is like a culture shock. It reminds me of what I missed. Makes me wonder why I really left."

"Mitchy, you left because you realized you were more than this place. You were always different. I remember when you were on kindergarten and you got wrote up for speaking your mind to the teacher. Seeing the words 'too sassy' tickled me to death. But that's always been you. Always head strong. But that was what people love about you."

"I love you momma"

"I love you too honey."

He placed his head on her shoulders as she held her son tight. Neither of them noticing the figure walking out of the house.

"Um Nel? My mom needs you."

Scott. Mitch didn't know whether to follow her or run the risk of an awkward conversation. He decided to follow, only to have a hand gently pull him back.

"We need to talk."

Mitch didn't want to talk. This was the reason he stayed away. He had no clue what was going on in the mind of the blonde standing in front of him. He sat back on the banister, Scott towered over him.

"I just wanted to I'm sorry for the attitude earlier. I wasn't expecting to ever see you again and honestly, seeing those eyes brought back a lot memories."

Why was he apologizing? Mitch fucked up, Mitch was the one who left without a word while on one knee.

"Don't. I know I'd feel the same way if I were you. I can't imagine how you feel."

"How I feel? Mitch I had no clue if you were alive or dead. No clue how we ended up like that.....one day I was at WalMart and I saw your face. It freaked me out because it was on the cover of a magazine. Then I knew you were okay."

"I am."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Go ahead."

"Why? If you wanted to follow your dreams, I would have stuck by your side."

"I had dreams to live out. I knew I couldn't do that here. Scott, you had dreams of taking your dad's place. This farm was your dream. I knew I couldn't take you with me. Do you really think I would have been okay knowing you were miserable? I had to do what I had to do. I'd be living a lie if I said it didn't hurt me too. I cried nightly at the thought of sleeping alone. I knew you'd move on soon, it would take some time but eventually you'd get there. You had them. They protected you. I found my way. I met Candice. She became my support."

"You wouldn't have needed her support if you let me go on the journey with you."
__________

"Mitchy!"

After dinner, they all decided to go back to the bar for drinks. Esther and Kevin were waiting. After work, Kevin brings the kids and he helps around the place. It was Esther's night to run everything.

"Kev! Essie!"

Nel told Mitch out of all his friends, Esther took it the hardest. While he and Kirstie were inseparable, Mitch was Esther's protector. She was smaller than her brother and sickly and even though he was younger, she clung to him. They ran to each other, embracing in a tight hug, Esther crying on his shoulder.

"Oh God! I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too."

Esther lets go as Kevin picks Mitch off his feet and twirls him around.

"You have no idea how much I missed your face."

Mitch laughs as Kevin jumps up and down. "Okay Kev! I missed you too, now put me down!"

He introduces them to Candice as the group sits at the bar.

"Kevin, a round for a old friends! On the house."

"Everything's 'on the house' when you own the alcohol and the restaurant serving it, Avi."
__________

"So Mitch told me the marathon story."

"Huh? Marathon story?"

"You know, Avi! We all decided to ditch Ms. Rueben's class? Walking around down town when we realized that 5k was going on and you started running beside them."

"Oh yeah! You know I almost got arrested for that."

Candice's phone rung. It was Jeremy calling to finalize the details of the interview Mitch still didn't want to do. She left, giving the old friends time to talk. Both Mitch and Scott suddenly wishing they were invisible. Kevin noticed the obvious tension.

"This feels like old times." He announced to the group.

"I have to go."

"Scott, please don't leave! All of us are finally together."

"No, honestly I don't want to be here anymore."

With that, he stormed off. Avi and Kevin running after him. Mitch wanted to curl in a ball.

"Mitchy, I'm sorry."

"No, it's ok. Trust me, I wasn't convinced when Kirstie said he had kinda moved on."

"Have you?"

That was a loaded and unfair question. He thought he was. There were really good days when the thought never crossed his mind. But then there were days where all he could think about was Scott. There was that one time he was walking for the new Gucci line were he swore Scott was in the audience. He refused to even go out. Preferring instead to hide in the bathroom sobbing.

"It's been 4 and half years, of course I have."

It may have been 4 and half years ago but Kirstie still could tell when he was lying. His left eye twitches and he grins.

"You're lying."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you a-"

"Hey! It was cute when we were kids but now it's annoying."

Kevin and Avi come back and sit down. They both look like they been through it.

"What did we miss?"

"How's Scott?"

"He's fine, Mitchy. He.....he needs time."