The stench of marihuana reeks and is permeating everything within a two meter radius of the marble top surface. Fanning his face, Adam steps back a bit.

"Aren't you gonna talk to me?" Marco says, widening his grin, "Or are you still mad at me?"

Adam pushes him back a bit. Marco's grin turns to a frown. "Adam?"

"What?" He adds, walking around to the other side.

He grabs Marco by the collar and drags him outside, not caring what the old man by the side window thinks. Roberto listens to their clattering in the yard and peaks his head around:

"Is everything okay?" He asks, smoking on a cigarette, joining them. "I put Lux on the till until you get everything sorted out."

"Do you mind if we have a moment of privacy? Thank you." Adam asks. Roberto nods, closing the door back behind him. "I'm sorry for dragging you here out here like that."

"Okay." Marco adds, staring at the pigeon flying towards him. "Talk away to me."

Adam sighs. "You're not really listening, are you?"

"I'm listening but not focusing. I haven't had my meds today. I forgot to take them with me this morning." Marco sits down on the steps. "I'm sorry."

"Are you really?"

"Yeah, I know I mess up a lot... but I don't have a good support system. That's not really my fault is it?"

"In a way yes, but in a way, no. You can be very careless and hurtful sometimes, especially when you're drunk but other times, you're actually lovely. I feel like you're veering on the careless side a little today."

Marco pulls out a cigarette and lights it. His eyes water a little bit. "...No..."

"I don't believe you..."

"I missed my exam to come here and apologise. It was worth a lot of my grade... and I've been smoking to try and forget about last night," Marco admits, wiping his eyes, "I care a lot about you, Dude."

"You didn't have to go that far—"

"—I'm changing my course at the end of the term anyway."

"To what?"

"The sports one. I want to pursue my dream of playing football or becoming a coach of sorts."

Adam smiles. "So, Dr. Gutierrez finally accepted your request?"

Marco nods. "And he is also gonna try and help me out with a scholarship. Or a sponsorship. I told him about my current financial situation."

"That's great news. I hope you get it."

"Thanks."

Adam joins him with a cigarette. Sitting on the step's nice. The cool breeze is more prevalent down there. Marco rests his head on Adam's lap. Adam chuckles slightly.

"Can I have a hug?" Marco asks, finishing the last few puffs of his cigarette, looking up into Adam's eyes. "I've had a hard day."

"When do you not?"

"I actually mean it. I need to release it all..."

Adam raises his eyebrow. "That's too much information, Marco."

"I mean emotionally. I feel like you're the only one who cares sometimes."

"What about Georgia?"

"She's away with that dude, Gorka or whatever you call him."

"Gaizka."

"Yeah, him. He seems like a jerk. A jerk with nice teeth."

Adam laughs. "Yeah, I know. I haven't met him or seen a picture yet but he seems like a sex doll, from what she's described of him; nice to look at but has zero personality, and a gaping hole in the middle of his face that a freight train could drive through."

Marco chuckles softly. "He called me a reject once. I dunno what Georgia sees in him, to be honest."

Adam shrugs back. "She'll get over him soon enough once she gets bored. She changes men like she changes clothes."

"That much?"

"Yeah. Maybe even more." Adam adds, relaxing his stiffened pose a bit more. "This job may be soul sucking, but once I make enough money, I'm outta here."

"Where would you go?"

"Probably down to the beach somewhere, rent a nice house and go chill. Get a job as an artist and commission my pieces to someone in Madrid or Barcelona. Or whoever wants them, really."

"Do you think you'll go back to school?"

"Yeah, since Uncle Amir's paying for everything and owns half the students, I might as well finish it or I'll never hear the end of it from him."

"What about your Papa?"

"He's just gonna have to live with everything for another while. Until I graduate."

"Sweet. I can't imagine having parents like yours."

"Can you even imagine having parents?" Adam teases, checking his phone and reading the newly received message. " Speaking of family, do you wanna come to my Uncle's?"

"When?"

"Tomorrow night."

Marco rubs his stomach excitedly. "Will there be loads of those cool snacks again?"

"Of course. My Aunt Aisha knows the best chefs."

"Will there we that nice Baba Ganoush stuff and the bread? That was amazing."

Adam laughs. "I know, right? It was so good, you ignored all the ladies that walked past you for most of the night."

"I can appreciate a good dish when I see one."

"Yes, you can. I dunno how you stay so skinny, considering the amount of food you eat."

Marco laughs. "It's this thing called exercise. Without it, I'd be a chubby bunny."

"Yeah, probably."

The door begins to creak open. In a flash, both him and Marco stand up. Marco moves to the other side of the wall and finishes up his cigarette as Luz walks over to Adam.

"My Dad told me to go and check on you." She adds with a smile. "Have you made up yet?"

Adam nods. "I was telling Marco about the Eid party tomorrow night and I wanted to know if you're coming too? My Uncle would like to meet you."

"Sorry, I can't."

"Why?"

"I have other plans, Adam," she sighs, "I'm sorry."

"Other plans like what?"

Luz sighs. "Spending the night with myself."

"Why?"

"Adam, I wanna take a break from us. It's nothing personal. I feel like we've been drifting apart for too long, and I want us to be good friends. I don't want any relationship drama getting in the way of what we've created," she admits, "I like you a lot as a person and I want to keep it that way and I want us to think things through. I know you feel the same way about me."

Adam sighs too. "How long for?"

"As long as it takes. I hope you understand that."

"Luz?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you come here for a moment?"

"Sure."

She walks over to him as he reaches his arms out to hug her. "Take as long as you need to."