Zack sat on Olivers bed, frowning as he was taking notes while Oliver was playing a game on his PlayStation, while waiting for Zack to finish his homework. Zack had decided he wanted to do his best with the upcoming test, but he was having a hard time and Oliver was to no help, since he barely finished high school himself. Suddenly they got interrupted when someone knocked on the door. Oliver paused his game and got off the bed and went to open the door. Jake stood on the other side and looked forst Oliver then into the room, when he saw Zack sitting with books around him, and raised an eyebrow, getting distracted from why he was there.
“Are you studying?” he asked Zack slightly surprised, as he ignored Oliver who stood in front of him, annoyed that he was interrupted from his game.
Zack looked up from his books with a frown. “Yeah, not that I want to, but I do want to pass my tests,” he sighed almost sounding defeated.
“Well I don’t mind helping you later, if you need it,” he offered smiling, which surprised both Zack and Oliver.
“Sure, that sounds good,” Zack replied, still a bit stunned by the offer, “as long as you don’t mind.”
"It's no problem," Jake answered, smiling. Oliver looked between them before he let out a sigh, since he was getting annoyed that his brother had ignored him, and crossed his arm
“What do you want?” Oliver asked a bit harshly as his patience was getting thin.
“Oh, I was going to ask if you guys needed a ride to the mall, since I’m getting picked up by Casper,” Jake said, then looked at Zack, “but I can see you are busy, so I'm just gonna leave you guys alone,” Jake said and turned around to go down the stairs.
Oliver looked at Zack questioning. “What do you say, want to take a break? I can try and help you later, or maybe we can get Jake to help you,” Oliver wiggled his eyebrow, smiling at he tried to tempt Zack, hoping he would take the bait, since he wanted to something else then stay cooped in his room, playing games.
Zack looked at his books, wondering before he sighed and closed them, then looked at Oliver with a smile. “Sure, let’s take a break,” he said and got up from the bed.
They both headed downstairs and met Jake at the front door, he was waiting for Casper, while he was texting on his phone. When he heard them, he looked up. “So you decided to tag along anyway?” Jake asked, giving them a smile.
Oliver went over to put on his shoes and decided to take on a jacket over his hoodie before answering, “yeah we decided we could use a break,” he said then looked at Jake.
"How come Casper are picking you up?" Oliver asked as he put his hands into the pockets of his jacket, waiting with Jake while Zack got ready.
“Did you forget that my car is at the workshop?” Jake asked, staring blankly at Oliver, since he had complained earlier that day that he was annoyed the car was in the workshop, and that their dad wasn't home so Jake could't borrow it.
Oliver hit the heel of his palm against his temple, as he remembered it. "Right, I forgot," he said, just as a car horn honked outside. Jake opened the door and stepped out with the others, Oliver locking the door behind them and they went down to the car.
Casper rolled down the window on the passenger side and leaned over to look at all of them, his eyebrow raised.
“Didn’t know we were gonna have company,” he said but smiled, seemingly not bothered by it.
“Yeah, I offered they could tag along to the mall,” Jake said, and Casper nodded, accepting that answer.
They all got into the car, Jake in the passenger seat, Oliver took the seat behind Jake, even though he rather want to sit in the middle, and Zack sat behind Casper.
They drove off to the mall, and as they drove Zack mentioned he wanted to beat the high score and Jake wasn't sure he would be able to, so they decided to bet on it, losers had to pay for the winners milkshake and they shook hands on it. Oliver didn’t join in on the bet, since he knew Zack hadn’t gotten close to it for a long time, instead he looked through his pockets for his cigarettes. After he had given Casper all of his pills, he had become restless and had started to smoke some more, to take the edge off, not that it was working much.
It had only been a week, but he could feel the difference. He hadn’t realized how much he had gotten hooked on them before they were no longer there. He had been tempted many times to go look for more, and at one time he went searching through his room and found nothing, but for some reason, no matter how tempted he got he didn’t want to get more. It was like he didn’t want to disappoint Casper, after making the deal to give them to him. Casper never said that he couldn’t, Oliver thought, but quickly pushed that thought aside. For once someone wanted to help him, so all he could do was to at least try, right?
The moment they got out of the car, Oliver lit up a cigarette and Zack decided to do the same thing, and they stood there in the cold and smoked. Jake had already gone towards the mall as he didn't want to wait, but Casper looked at them. Oliver glanced back at him, wondering why he was waiting, then offered him his cigarette, knowing full well he wouldn’t take it, but Oliver wanted to test it. Casper gave him a tight lipped smile but shook his head before heading towards the entance. Oliver watching him with a smirk, but then Casper suddenly stopped beside a trashcan, and turned to look at Oliver. He pointed to the trashcan as he gave Oliver a knowing nod before he walked in.
“What was that about?” Zack asked, confused as he had watched everything. Oliver chuckled and shook his head.
“Nothing,” he sighed, the smile still on his lips, “just don’t throw your cigarette on the ground,” Oliver said and continued to smoke until there was only a little bit left, then he grounded it under his shoe before going to the trashcan and dump it in there. Zack watched him, clearly not understanding what was going on but did the same and they both went inside.
Inside the heat felt like a nice warm blanket and Oliver opened his jacket. They quickly found the others in the arcade area standing near the Pac-man machine.
“I have claimed the machine after they have finished,” Jake said, gesturing to the two kids playing on the machine, which made Zack grin and fist bump him.
“Sweet! Thanks,” Zack looked at the others who was playing, curious to see how they were doing.
It didn’t take long before Zack could take over, and Oliver wondered if he wanted to see Zack beat the high score or if he should try a different game, when he noticed Casper was playing on a pin-ball machine. Oliver left the others to join him, watching as he tried to keep the ball going without dropping it.
Oliver was surprised by how well it was going for Casper, and wondered just how far he could get, when the ball went right into the hole and ending the game.
“Nice try,” Oliver tried to encourage Casper, who smiled back.
“Thanks,” he said and looked over to where Zack and Jake were. “I wonder how far he is going to get,” he gestured to Zack, who were focusing very hard on the game.
“He won't make it, but he never gives up,” Oliver smiled as he shrugged, being used to it.
“Well, you never know,” Casper shrugged then looked around before he stopped at something. “Hey, wanna play air hockey?” Casper asked and pointed towards the air hockey that was free.
“Sure, just don’t get sad when I beat your ass,” he smirked as they walked over.
“Oh yeah, just like how you were going to beat my ass in bowling? Let’s see about that,” Casper grinned as he teased, and the game was on. Oliver was surprised at how good Casper was at defending, but Casper seemed just as surprised at Oliver's skills. As they played, they teased each other by saying thing or doing things as they tried to make the other lose focus and fail. It was a tight battle, but in the end Oliver won.
“Hah!” Oliver exclaimed tauntingly as he walked over to Casper, “never underestimate your opponent,” Oliver wrapped his arm around Casper’s neck, grinning triumphantly, pulling him slightly because of their height differences.
“Yeah, well, you’ve had many years of practice,” Casper laughed, leaning towards him.
“True, but for someone who didn’t live with an air hockey down the road, you were pretty good,” Oliver complimented Casper, who shook his head while grinning and removed Oliver's arm.
“Well thank you very much,” Casper said. Oliver smiled then saw it as an opportunity to go out and smoke.
“I need a cig. Wanna join?” Oliver asked. Casper looked surprised by the invite but smiled at Oliver and nodded.
"Sure."
They both walked by Zack and Jake to tell them they were stepping out for a moment. The look Jake gave them confused Oliver a bit, but he shrugged it off as they went outside.
Oliver took out his pack of cigarette and searched his pockets for his lighter when he felt something in his inner pockets. He reached inside and pulled out a small plastic ziplock bag with two pills inside. He froze as he stared at them, remembering he hadn’t washed his pants for some time, which he had dugged out form his dirty pile of clothes and chosen to wear since it was the cleanest, which meant these hadn't given the pills to Casper back then when he gave everything else. His whole body was aching and begged him to take it, like an itch he couldn’t get scratched, no matter what he did. His eyes was focused on it until he noticed Casper walk up to him, and for a moment he wanted to hide the pills, but there was something inside of him, that wanted so desperately to stop taking the pills that, when Casper stood next to him and looked at the pills too, he looked at Casper with a nervous smile.
“I… I guess I forgot I had more,” Oliver said, his voice faltering. Casper looked into Olivers eyes and they stared at each other for a few seconds before Oliver spoke again, “can… can you take them? Or else I might,” he said, his voice barely audible, almost sounding desperate. Casper didn’t say anything, but he nodded and reached for it, and when Oliver didn’t give it to him willingly, Casper had to take it from Oliver’s hand. He hid it away in his inner pocket, like he wanted to make sure Oliver couldn’t just take it from him, with Oliver following his every move. It took a minute before he moved again, letting out a shaking breath as he continued to look for his lighter, finding it after a few tries and then lit up his cigarette, his hands trembling.
“I know it’s hard, but you did good,” Casper said soothingly, so fondly that Oliver couldn’t look at him, afraid to see what kind of expression Casper was showing, afraid that if he did, Oliver wouldn’t be able to hold back the tear, threatening to escape the corner of his eyes. He hated the feeling of being weak, how easy it was for him to give in to temptation, that he wasn't strong enough to stop himself from taking it.
They stayed out a little longer, even though Oliver was done smoking, because he wasn't ready to face the others. He had calmed down after smoking, with them just standing in silence, that when they came back inside, Zack was still going at it, and for once Oliver was impressed and started to believe he could do it, that maybe he could actually beat the high score that had been there for a year. Oliver got excited about Zacks progress, that he barely notice Jake had pulled Casper aside to talk with him, until he was going to say something to them. He looked at them for a moment wondering what they were talking about, but he didn't say anything, though when they came back, Jake kept glancing between them, looking both confused and skeptical as he didn't believe what ever Casper had said to him, but Oliver didn't bothered asking any of them about it.
Just as Zack was about to reach the high score, he lost his last life on the pink ghost and the melody of Zack dying made him lean over the machine, to upset to say anything so Oliver gently rubbed his back. “You fought well, soldier” Oliver said, slightly teasingly, as he tried to comfort his very disappointed friend.
“I was so close,” Zack groaned as he stepped away, pouting as he typed in Zac in the machine, his highscore now on third place, close behind second.
“Close, but you didn’t beat it, so I’ll like my reward now,” Jake smirked, pleased with himself that he had won the bet.
“Fine, a vanilla milkshake, coming right up,” Zack said flatly and they all left the arcade, headeding towards the food court.
“Oh, and don’t forget to make it a large one,” Jake reminded Zack, with a grin.
“You are enjoying this, aren’t you?” Oliver observed and crossed his arms, shaking his head.
“Oh, very much,” Jake answered, his eyes twinkled as he smirked, not ashamed to admit it. Oliver shook his head again with a sigh, then looked at Casper.
"Since you won, let me get you something," Casper said with a smile. Oliver was about to argue, but then he though he wasn't going to say no to a free milkshake.
"Sure," he replied with a smile.
"Milkshake coming right up," Casper chuckled and left to buy him one. Jake raised an eyebrow at Oliver but shook his head and decided not to say anything. Oliver frowned a little but didn't say anything, whatever Jake’s problem was, Oliver didn’t care.
When both Casper and Zack came back with the milkshakes for Jake and Oliver, they had also bought themselves milkshakes. Casper handed Oliver his large chocolate milkshake. “Thanks,” he smiled as he took it before taking a sip of it.
They claimed a table at the edge of the food court and somehow Oliver ended up next to Casper, but he didn't really mind. It felt sort of soothing, like Casper was a rock Oliver could lean up against if he needed to find his balance. Though, as they sat there, Oliver felt restless, his leg bouncing as he looked around, not paying attention to the conversation the others were having. It wasn't until he felt Caspers leg push up against his own and he glanced at him. Casper was glancing back, he had a questioning look in his eyes, as if he was asking if he was all right. Oliver didn't know what to answer and he tried to move his leg away from Casper so it wouldn't annoy him, because he couldn't stop bouncing it, when Casper placed his hand on Olivers knee, forcing him to stop. He give his knee a gentle squeeze, which made Oliver's har stand up as he shivered softly. Casper didn't seem to notice but he removed his hand after a few seconds, as he joined in on the others conversation. Oliver looked away, cradling his head in his hand while he sipped his milkshake, but he could feel his cheeks slightly burning.
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