Friday approached rather quickly and I had yet to decide if I was going to the game or not. I understood football fairly well, probably from years of hanging out with Ashton and Meg , I just didn't have the motivation to go.

I'd talked to Meg over it at lunch, ignoring Layla's invite to her table, and she was adamant she was not going. Chances were I would be the only one there. Except for James. According to Meg poor James had been forced into the water boy position by his brother. The former one had been injured during a late tackle in the game, it went over the sideline, and slammed right into the poor kid.

They apparently needed a new one, so Ashton decided James would be perfect for it. I had some concerns over it needless to say. Assuming he didn't mind the company I walked to his place with him after school Thursday.

"You sure you want to be the water boy? Meg told me what happened to the last one." Worry was hardly disguised in my tone.

"Yes I'm sure and besides he only injured his knee." James said with a shrug but he didn't sound too enthused.

"I just worry cause what if that happens to you?" He smiled lightly and looked at me.

"I'll be fine you always worried so much about us." James wrapped an arm around my shoulders reassuringly. "But it's fine now you don't need to."

"Okay I guess I'll go then. I'll try and enjoy being there." He laughed as I teasingly ruffled his hair.

"So Meg isn't going is she?" He asked as we crossed the road.

"Nope she's suddenly been very odd about public events." Jams nodded his eyes resting on the ground. "You wouldn't know why that is would you?"

"No." James shook his head and picked up the pace his house a little ways down. I had to walk faster than him to keep up with his long legs.

He waved at me as he bounded up the driveway to his front door. Just like that he disappeared inside. Sighing I shook my head. Something was being avoided here and I wasn't going to pry but it didn't ease my curiosity.

Lately Meg and James were the only people I had hung out with. Except the three of us were never together at one time. It was always Meg and I or James and I.

I'd gone to the movies with Meg on Tuesday which had been fun and she seemed a lot more like her normal self. Less urgent to talk to me then leave quickly like it had been the past few times we'd met. I still had yet to learn much more about anything that had happened while I was gone, she always seemed to skate around that topic rather easily.

On Wednesday James helped me at my Dad's work again and went into a lengthy explanation on his engineering project. Once he finished I told him about the writing assignment we were supposed to be working on. I had neglected to turn in my first paragraph having been caught up in other things.

Thankfully I was given another day to turn it in, granted I rushed it, and would probably receive a low grade.

"It's just I can't explain why I can't write it." I vented to James. "I've always been good with words but I can't explain a teenage life on paper you know?"

James nodded sitting on the check out counter.

"How am I supposed to explain something I don't even understand;,something I'm even experiencing. Besides, I have nothing interesting to say." I handed James the first paragraph I had drafted and his eyes skimmed it quickly. "It's an all year assignment though, so maybe I can figure it out."

"Well this certainly isn't your best work." James said handing the paper back to me. "But you're smart so you can do it. Just don't over think it. Talk to your teacher too, maybe he can help."

"Maybe." I sighed tucking it away in my pocket. The rest of the time was senseless talking. Even James neglected the topic of everything that happened while I had been gone. He,,just like Meg, avoided the subject.

And now here I was getting ready to go to the football game not knowing what to expect. At my old high school I never went to any of the sports events. I was alone there , almost as much as I was now, because despite having Meg and James back, it felt like they were gone entirely.

"Drive safe you know how sports events can be sometimes especially if you're playing the rivals." My Dad said tucking a piece of hair behind my ear as I stood in front of the door to leave.

"Sure thing dad." I smiled giving him a quick hug and opened the door.

"Oh, and tell James good job even if he is the water boy." I nodded giving him the thumbs up as I made my way to my car.

The drive was short but getting into the parking lot was difficult. Dozens of cars were trying to find parking spaces. At last I got one towards the back of the lot. People were making their way to the ticket booth. I recognized a few faces from my classes but otherwise I didn't know anyone.

The band was playing as I entered pushing my way through the obnoxiously packed stands. The football team was getting ready to take the field. I managed to find a spot towards the top of the stands and scanned for James. Heck maybe even Meg would show up anyways.

At last I spotted James helping one of the coaches lug a big Gatorade container of water to the benches. His arms had little muscle but what was there was strong and lithe.

A voice blared over the speakers announcing names as players ran onto the field. The crowd roared and cheered as their friends or significant other charged out onto the grass.

"Ashton Kurt!" The name came and I instinctively smiled clapping lightly though still less enthused than the others in the stands. I spotted him in his red jersey waving to the crowds as he jogged onto the field. He was number 13 his number since grade school.

After our team was on the field ready to start our rivals took the field to a chorus of booing from our section in the stands. Someone dumb enough to do so threw a drink on the field.

Immediately the teacher supervisors began to pick through the stands to find them. They thought it would be a peaceful environment but these types of things never were. Talk from last years game had floated around the halls. Apparently there had been an all out brawl last year between a group of students not to mention property damage from ruined cars in the parking lot. I figured I'd parked far enough away from the possible mayhem.

There were a few more announcements when the players got into position and the crowd went quiet in anticipation. I watched as Ashton who appeared to be the quarter back took his position. The ball was snapped and fit perfectly into his hands. The crowd erupted as the first movements of the game took place.

Even from afar I could imagine the look on his face the blue eyes studying the running and moving players, brow furrowed, just like in his flag football games. Just like when we were little. He threw the ball his arm a swift and efficient machine. It fit perfectly into the hands of a receiver for at least a ten yard gain.

Smiling I cheered for him knowing he'd never even be able to hear me. The offense was quick, and though Ashton was never extremely intelligent, football was his language. His brain was quick at deciding what to do.

I got lost in the game watching anxiously along with everyone else as our defense and offense switched on and off the field. We were behind by one touchdown. It was getting close to half time and already I could see the weariness in the other team. They packed a big punch to start out with but their stamina was obviously lower.

The ball was snapped and Ashton checked for an open pass. He tossed the ball to the sideline where his receiver was open. He was hit hard from behind and they crashed over the line smacking into the benched players. James bless him managed to scramble out of the way but backed up into the cooler.

It went crashing to the ground the lid slipped off and the water began to drain into a puddle on the field. From afar I could see his cheeks flare up in embarrassment but I couldn't blame him. Getting hit or taken out by one of those padded young men could hurt like hell.

The whistle blew signaling half time. The players jogged off the field while James managed to salvage as much of what remained of the water as he could by tilting the cooler upright and placing the lid back on.

It was clear that a good majority of the team was angry about the accident. A few tossed their empty cups on the ground crushing them beneath their cleats. Watching curiously I saw Ashton look at his brother and just shake his head, James looked humiliated beyond belief, and to make matters worse Ashton flipped him off before they headed back out on the field.

"Damn it James I knew this was a bad idea." Sighing I shook my head and made my way down the stands to the fence separating the field from spectators. James was carrying the cooler again off to get more water. As he walked by the stands a few people booed him. If I could've I would've slapped them so hard there heads would rotate three hundred and sixty degrees.

"James wait." I called running to catch up to him as he exited the field heading to the locker room. He didn't say anything but instead picked up the pace. Shaking my head I ran to catch up to him.

"Not now Reyna!" He snapped. Flinching I took a step backwards from him. He kept walking and disappeared inside where I couldn't follow. The crowd exploded in cheering and I glanced over my shoulder curious as to why but knowing James was more important.

"James come on talk to me." Knocking on the door I didn't receive a response. Furrowing my brow I knocked again louder this time. At last the door opened but it was so fast I was nearly smacked by it.

"What do you want?" James growled returning with the cooler his arms straining to hold the weight.

"Are you okay?" I asked gently. He rolled his eyes which looked to be holding back tears.

"Perfectly fine Reyna!" He said walking away quickly. Part of me wanted to follow. The other part of me knew it was useless.

"Yeah sure thing." My voice was so quiet I could hardly hear it. "Nice catching up with you James. Wouldn't want me to be concerned or anything."

Turning on my heel I walked away. No longer interested in the game I left walking to my car. I felt al little hurt, I mean James always talked to me, no matter what. That was obviously not the case anymore. My heart sank in my chest and I bit my lower lip feeling useless and even more lost than before.

"What's the point of coming back if your friends won't even treat you like they used to?" Fitting my key in the ignition I started up my car and made my way home and the more I drove the more I felt like crying. James didn't snap, James didn't yell.

When I got home I didn't reply to the greetings of my parents instead I climbed the stairs up to my room. Sure enough the ever familiar face of Meg was there waiting.

"Get out." I said closing the door. She looked at me oddly and stood getting off of my bed.

"What happened?" She asked.

"I said get out don't you have our own house?" I asked my voice wavering.

"I do but you know how much I hate that place." Meg said surprisingly calm, when people yelled at her she could get horribly defensive.

"Right how could I possibly forget?" Sitting down on the edge of my bed I pulled off my shoes tossing them on the floor.

"Okay I don't like the way you're talking." Meg frowned her eyes growing that cold steel color that I recognized so well. "What happened at the game?"

"You want to know what happened? Well let's just say James the new water boy dodged a tackle that was out of bounds and knocked over the water on accident." As I talked my voice got louder. "Ashton didn't even help he just glared at James and flipped him off. Then James wouldn't even talk to me he just yelled and James doesn't ever yell!"

"Take it easy." Meg said glancing around like someone might have heard other than my parents who by now had probably figured out what was going on. They'd never had a problem with Meg coming over when she wanted, then again my parents knew the situation of Meg's home life. "I'm sure things will be fine."

"That's the thing Meghan they aren't." I said looking at her. "Everything is different I thought it would all be like how it was when I left. But no it's not."

"I'm normal see?" She spun in a circle.

"No you aren't." I argued. "You don't go to any social events like you used to. You don't even talk to anyone anymore. James just seems to be avoiding anything to do with me and the rest of us when I left. I've only talked to Layla once and she seems to despise you. I haven't even talked to Ashton but he'd never ever have done that to James. The only person I have yet to see is Maxine and I'm sure we'll run into each other eventually."

"Well what did you expect to happen Reyna? It's been five years." Meg laughed and shook her head. "But you you haven't changed a bit."

"Exactly." My laugh was bitter.

"That's not necessarily good Rey." Meg said inching towards the window. "It's been five years after all."

"Your point?" I breathed starting to calm down.

"My point is that maybe you're too wrapped up in the past." Meg then slipped outside and before I could say anything else was gone.

"I'm not holding on too tightly and why would I even want to change?" I mumbled to myself grabbing my bag and setting out schoolwork. "It's been five years. Five years of me, myself, and I."

But even as I sat down in my bed with my knees tucked up to my chest I knew that there was a bit of truth to what she had said. But all I could picture was us all sitting on that one stupid bathroom roof and looking out at the playground thinking the world was ours. Now? Well it didn't seem like much of a world anymore.