“MAZZ!!” Carson waves me over enthusiastically from his car.” I practically trip over the bus stairs running to greet him. His arms wrap tightly around me to the point I start worrying about suffocating. “How have you been Mazz, haven’t seen you all summer. I missed you.”

“Ehhh I’ve been ok, you know, family stuff…..I missed you too.” A huge smile spreads across his face as he grabs the bag from my shoulder.

“Hey I’m not a kid you know! I can take care of my own bag.” He’s as doting as ever. Always taking care of me even when I don’t need it.

“I know, this just feels a little heavy.” He flips up the trunk shoving my bag inside. The sun beams down straight into my eyes. I have to squint just to see anything. “Hey I’m just as strong as you, don’t insult me.”

Carson pulls his old blue baseball cap out from the trunk, slamming it shut. “Oh yeah tough guy?” He ruffles my hair before plopping the hat over. “There, better?” My eyes feel like they’re going to fall out of my head from how hard I’m rolling them.

Carson seems amused judging by his hushed snort. “What?” He turns to open the door for me. “Nothing, nothing at all.” I grumble under my breath before getting in.

“Soooo-“ Carson slides in, starting up the car. “To your sisters?” I take his orange sunglasses off the dashboard and begin to examine them. “Yep.” He looks over at me for a while before moving the car. I can see out of the corner of my eye he’s smiling again.

“Stop smiling at me you’re creeping me out, fucking drive.” He salutes me and snatches his glasses from my hands. “Sir yes sir.” I almost forgot how annoying he can be.

“What did you do while I was away?” The orange glasses look horrendous on him.

“Not much, watched some shows, went to work, carried on the tradition of eating pizza every night.” Right so, absolutely nothing. “Not much to do when you aren’t around.”

“Aww were you waiting for me to return, you’re like a dog.”

“What kind of dog?” He retorts. “One of those….what do you call them, Yorkies?”

“A Yorkie? I thought I’d at least be a boxer.” He must think he’s so big and bad. “I take it back, you’re being downgraded to a chihuahua.”

“Chihuahua!!! Now look who’s insulting who. Honestly my feelings are hurt Mazz.” His attempts to make a pouty face almost work. Almost.

“Aww boo hoo cry me a river Carse.” He shoots me a narrowed glance for a split second before turning his attention back to the road.

“I really did miss you.” Of course he missed me, he has zero friends besides me. Maybe I should tell him that to piss him off.

“I know you did.”

After some time we arrive at my sisters. She’s graciously allowed me to stay with her until I can find another apartment around here. Which should be easy seeing as nobody wants to live in this ragged old town in the first place.

“Do you think she’s home?”

“Knowing her, probably not.” Dead plants line the sidewalk leading up to the porch. Looks like she’s failed again in her attempts to decorate. Carsons eyeing the plants too.

“What’s the matter, didn’t think you’d be coming to a grave yard so soon?”

“No not really.” He leans over me to knock on the door. I catch a scent of his cologne in the process. It smells like roses.

“Did you get a girlfriend Carse?” He looks at me strangely for a moment before replying.

“No why?”

“Your cologne is why.”

“I happen to like this scent very much. It’s very manly don’t you think, here indulge yourself further.” He sticks his shirt right in my face. I start to cough and gasp for air, the scent is too strong for my asthmatic lungs to handle.

“Stop you asshole.” I was wrong, he is stronger than me, my attempts to push him off are far from successful.

The door slowly creaks open. “Mazz?” Took you long enough.

“Hey Lina.” She stares at me for what feels like ages then leaps out from the door frame.

Lina’s halfway down the driveway before I’m able to process what just happened. “Not talking to me ey?” I shout to her.

“Nope.” She shouts back.

Carson wastes no time making his way inside and heading straight for the fridge. “Score!!! Blueberry watermelon!”

My brain try’s to process what that could be but I have no idea what he’s on about now. “Blueberry what?” He pulls out a colorful ice cream carton with weird designs all over it.

“Blueberry watermelon duh.”

“Obviously duh. I’ll be unpacking.” He’s not paying attention to me at this point, he’s too busy digging through the drawers trying to find a spoon.

Blueberry watermelon? What kind of crazy person…? Oh right it’s Carson. Somehow he comes up with new ways to surprise me every time.