At Hunter’s odd question, Ashley simply stood there, his gaze fixed on the blond for a second longer before he finally broke the silence.

“Why are you asking me that?” Ashley said, his signature monotone betraying his moment of hesitation.

“Just come on. Unless you're scared I'm still gonna beat the shit out of you.”

“Aren't you?”

“No.”

Ashley tilted his head a little more, like a puppy.

“...I don't lie. I promise.”

“Unless you're lying about that.”

“And I'm not.” Hunter scoffed before glancing around. They were still standing on Ashley’s front porch, and the sun was beginning to set. The neighborhood was uncharacteristically quiet right at that moment, and Hunter knew he had to take advantage of that. He began walking towards the backyard of his own home, and waved Ashley over. He hesitated for a second, but ultimately approached.

Then, Hunter pulled a pocketknife out of his pants and grabbed the kid's free hand. He pressed the knife into his palm and closed it. “If I'm lying, you can stab me in the dick with that, for all I care.”

Ashley's eyes flicked right down to the aforementioned dick, but there was a tiny little smile peeking at the edges of his mouth. “Tempting.” He then pocketed the knife. “Where are we going?”

“To the best place in this entire shithole.”

“Do you not have homework or something more important to do?” Ashley commented, his tone retaining its usual flatness.

“Like hell.” The blond sneered. “Even if I did, I’d just get my guys to do it for me.”

“Get my guys.” Ashley shook his head. “You sound like a mafia man.”

“Might as well be. I get into more fights than most people ever will in a lifetime. Been that way since I was a kid.”

“Right.”

Hunter looked at Ashley with a frown. “What does that mean?”

“Nothing in particular. You just don’t seem like the type to broadcast your business to someone like me.”

“Yeah, and what’s that, exactly?”

“A nerd with glasses and overly expensive clothes.”

Hunter couldn’t help but chuckle. “So, that’s how you see yourself?”

“Perhaps.”

Even more silence. He was so straightforward, it was jarring. Hunter tucked his hands into his pockets and waited for Ashley to say the first word. Somehow, he knew he shouldn't be that surprised when he didn't. “...I can tell that you are, though. A smart rich guy or whatever, I mean. So why the hell are you in Meadowbrook? Did you get on someone's bad list?”

Ashley almost wanted to snort, but held back. “A little close to home there?”

“Seriously. Cut the shit. I really wanna know.”

Studying the ground as they walked over it, Ashley dipped his chin. He swallowed. “It doesn’t matter.”

Hunter blinked. “Well, now I’m way more curious.”

Ashley continued to stare at the grassy terrain beneath him, wordlessly. With clearly no answer coming his way, Hunter sighed.

“Fine, fine. You don’t have to talk about it.” He said, lazily waving his hand up and down at Ashley, as he walked past him.

“…thank you.” The other replied after a moment, almost in a whisper.  

Before he could say anything about that unexpected response, Hunter glanced back up at the slowly dimming sky, suddenly filled with a sense of urgency.

“Dude, hurry up! We’re running out of time!”

“Where are we going, exactly? I still don’t know.”

“The roof!”

“The roof?”

“Seriously, just follow me, alright?” Hunter said, confidently.

The ladder sitting against the wall of Hunter’s home was older than a dinosaur, but reliable. Thanks to its services, it had been his best friend on more than one occasion. As the boys got within a few feet of it, Hunter decided to let Ashley go first. The kid looked like he’d never climbed anything in his life after all, so might as well spot him. “Go ahead.”

Ashley hesitated for only a second before he started climbing, with Hunter in tow a second later.

It was a long way up. Hunter’s home was shoddy at best, but it was still two stories, and with every step that they ascended, the ladder felt a little shakier. It always got Hunter's heart pumping a little faster, and he loved that. It made him feel like he was disappearing into a world where only he existed.

Well. He and this kid Ashley now.

When Ashley finished climbing and got to standing on the roof, he froze, and Hunter knew why. He finished getting up there himself, smirking a little, close enough that his chest was almost brushing against Ashley's back as he stared over the boy’s shoulder. “Wow.”

“Nice, huh?”

From his rooftop, you could see clearly over some of the other houses in the neighborhood, and even into a small part of the city in the distance. You could see straight toward the giant fountain in the middle of Main Street, and with the way the sun hovered almost directly overhead, the water sparkled madly. Flowers were wrapped around the circular path, and with the way the breeze was blowing, the trees almost seemed to be waving. It was a nice escape. A nice thing to look at to remind Hunter that not quite everything was fucked.

Hunter brushed against Ashley, who was still frozen in place, to get around him, and headed straight for his preferred spot. Just at the very edge of the roof, where he could sit comfortably but let his feet dangle off. The tiles were littered with cigarette butts and a couple of empty glass bottles placed at an angle where the wind couldn't get to them. Felt like home. Hunter settled down and whistled to catch Ashley's attention, to draw him over.

After they were both sitting – Hunter's legs stretched in front of him, Ashley's curled up to his chest – Hunter pulled out a Pepsi he’d been carrying in his shirt pocket and popped it open, taking a long drink from it. Ashley's the one that broke the silence.

“Why'd you bring me up here?”

Hunter shrugged. “You don't bore me.”

“Is that so?”

“Not yet, anyway. That can still change.”

Ashley's lips twitched, and Hunter started to recognize that it was him trying not to smile, trying to maintain that stoic expression he always seemed to wear. “I'm your jester, then.”

“Maybe.” Hunter nodded back toward the ladder. “Exit's over there if you want.”

Ashley stared at the ladder behind him. His mind was working; Hunter could see that much. But he didn't move. Instead, he just leaned his head back and looked up at the impossibly beautiful sky above them.

“So…since you’re here, I’m guessing you’re probably gonna start at Meadowbrook High.”

Ashley nodded, eyes never moving. Hunter laughed.

“Well, can’t say I’ll see you around there. I barely show up. All just a big waste of time. I mean, I went yesterday for the first time in almost a week, and it sucked so much ass.”

As Hunter took another nonchalant swig of his soda, Ashley just observed him.

“So…let me get this straight. You get involved in many fights, you smoke, judging by all the cigarette remnants up here…and you barely attend classes?” Ashley was still trying not to smile. “What a cliché you are.”  

“Shut up, sweater vest.” Hunter grumbled. “I can still punt you off this roof.”

“Is that so? You should consider adding ‘failed attempts at intimidation’ to your resume.”

Trying to hide his own unwanted grin, Hunter rolled his eyes and looked away. This kid next to him was as sarcastic as he was mysterious.

With a strange, ever-so-slight shift in the air between them for just that moment, the two teens continued to stare up at the sky and down at the cityscape before them. Hunter contemplated, and soon began again.

“...hey.”

“Yes?”

“Are you the kind of person...that doesn't give someone anything unless they ask for it?”

Ashley paused for a second, but then turned his head, looking Hunter right in the eyes. “You don't lie. And I don't tell the whole truth.” He shrugged. “Not unless someone asks.”

“Why?”

“Because that's my life. I don't do anything unless it's necessary.”

“...I get that.”

They sunk back into silence. They stared at the clouds drifting across the sky for what felt like limitless minutes. Hunter let his feet continue to dangle off the edge and he closed his eyes, breathing in the cool evening air. Ashley’s gaze slowly went from the clouds to the blond next to him, no particular thoughts entering his mind.

But eventually a loud alarm from another neighbor’s truck went off, jostling the boys from the separate world, and Ashley immediately straightened up. “I should go. My parents will be worried.”

Hunter huffed a sigh, but nodded. “Yeah.” He watched as Ashley gathered himself back onto his feet, taking careful steps towards the old ladder. The scarred teen frowned. “...guess I'll see you around sometime?”

Ashley immediately looked at him and blinked. But he also nodded. “Sure.” And then his eyes flicked around the roof as his fingers tightened at his sides.

“...goodbye.”

“Later.”

Hunter watched as Ashley descended out of view, moving so quickly that it looked like he was trying to win some kind of competition. Hunter slouched a little more in place, kicking his feet. He pulled out his last cigarette and lit it, taking a long and heavy drag.

Well, that happened. And he didn’t hate it.