The boys fell asleep early after an exhausting day and woke up early, in time for classic network TV Saturday morning cartoons; a legacy block that was on its way out. There was nothing like a bowl of cereal and classic Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episodes, which they enjoyed from the couch and messy sleeping bags strewn about on the floor.

           It was around ten in the morning when Zach’s dad pulled up out front in his black Mercedes. Upon seeing it, the boys stopped their casual chats right away, and Zach stood up from the couch with a wistful moan and stretched.

           “That’s my ride,” he said and slid on his shades. He grabbed his backpack and looked at his friends after opening the front door. “See you guys in a month. Don’t miss me too much. Be excellent to each other. And Wes and Jared… Do what you can, okay?”

           “See ya, Z,” Arthur replied with a wave. “You ran The Dump with respect.”

           “Yeah, see if they have secret clubs in schools in Hawaii,” Colin added jokingly.

           “Bye, Zach,” Wessy said. “We’ll try to… keep things cool while you’re gone.”

           Jace and Jared simply waved, and after one last pair of finger guns and a tongue click, Zach left the house and headed off. And with his departure, summer returned.

           On Monday, the start of a week to fill before camp, the cottage phone rang. Wes answered it to find that he was being asked for Jace by his younger self, and he suddenly vaguely remembered how boring and uneventful the next few days would be.

           Just after he ate lunch, Jace biked and met Wessy at the Circle K. They grabbed ICEEs, which they slurped up under the hot sun outside the store. It was strange being alone with his young uncle, who was almost always seen with at least two of his friends.

           He actually felt the same way, as he revealed when he said the first significant sentence once half his drink was gone, “Sorry, Jason. I know it’s kinda awkward with it being just us. The only kid I ever feel ‘normal’ being around mano a mano is Colin. You know, because of our history and stuff. But I had to get out and do something. I thought I could just laze about in my room all day, but, like, when I picked up my Super Nintendo controller while sunlight was coming through my window, I just wasn’t feeling it.”

           “Nah, I get it. Sleeping until eleven was nice, but then I was all, ‘what now?’ But where is everyone? Usually, a few of them are always around.”

           Wessy shrugged. “I think Sadie’s summer-clothes-shopping at the mall with the twins and their folks. And Jared went with Colin’s parents on a day trip to San Fran to see a Giants game. I could’a gone, but I didn’t want to get up at seven.”

           “Could always see what Celeste’s up to,” Jace half-heartedly suggested.

           “Ugh, no thanks. It would be scary being around her without the others.”

           Jace hesitated before asking, “You worried she still has a thing for you?”

           “I wish everyone would just forget all about that. We were dumb kids and, I dunno, thought the other was ‘neat.’ We held hands a few times in kindergarten, so what? Jason, let’s bike somewhere. Doesn’t matter where. Ride, talk, drink. Keep moving.”

           “You never do like to stay still…” Jace said and began following Wessy back into the neighborhood, their cold drinks in one hand, the other on a handlebar.

           “Sitting still just means the world’s passin’ you by, Jace. I mean, I can do it, but I better be watching or playing something while I’m doing it, so I’m still having an experience. I never know what to do with myself during lonely summer days.”

           “Well, camp should help with that problem for a couple weeks.”

           “I guess. I mean, since my dad and… Becky are going on their gross adult trip, Lucy would’ve had to go alone, and I’d probably just sit around worrying about her.”

           “Do you worry about Lucy a lot?”

           “Uh, yeah! She doesn’t like to speak her mind, she has trouble making friends, and the ones she does have are horrible. And she has to be around Becky all the time.”

           “Maybe she’ll make a buddy at camp. It’s a good opportunity, right?”

           “So long as she doesn’t just cry in her cabin the entire time, yeah, maybe.”

           As the two rode by the entrance to Mansion Street on their bikes, Jace noticed Willa and Wright hanging out in the cul-de-sac at the end. Wright was playing games with another local neighbor boy, and it appeared that he was making a killing again.

           “What’s up, Jason?” Wessy asked after his bike skidded to a stop.

           “You know, I never got around to helping Wright or Willa.”

           Wessy chuckled. “You can stop doing that now, right? School’s out.”

           “Doesn’t mean it’s not worth seeing how they’re doing. Come on, let’s say hi.”

           Shrugging and turning his front wheel, Wessy replied, “All right, but I’ve never really said much to those two. Willa’s weird and Wright’s like Charlie used to be, but if he was doing crazy stunts and making bets for only his own entertainment.”

           “Willa’s ditched her cat ears. Maybe there’s something to that.”

           They both walked their bikes over, quickly-melting drinks still in hand. Willa was rather listlessly watching Wright win from the curb, while Wright’s victim—who looked to be a middle-schooler—was looking freaked out about being close to losing the Magic: The Gathering card game they played on a piece of cardboard, to keep the asphalt from scratching up valuable cards. Wessy and Jace arrived just as Wright tapped one of his wizard cards to deal the final bit of damage to his opponent, knocking him out.

           “Dang it, Wright,” the boy groaned and packed up his deck. “I am not playing with you anymore. You’re just going out and buying the best cards instead of taking a chance and getting booster packs like the rest of us. Where do you get the cash?”

           “One thing leads to another, my man,” Wright said with a grin. “Small wagers let you buy the goods that lead to bigger wagers. Speaking of, you owe me three bucks.”

           “Whatever, dude,” the boy grumbled and tossed three wadded-up one-dollar bills on the cardboard. “Some other player’s going to kick your ass at Cookton, you’ll see.”

           After the boy stormed off, Wessy remarked, “This looks a lot more advanced than Pogs or all the usual card games. Where’d you learn about it?”

           “It’s a trading card game system with monsters and magic,” Wright replied and carefully slid his pristine deck into an old playing card box. “Robby taught me how to play it. Cool part is, you can build your own deck and up your odds at winning with the good cards—and they increase in value, too, so you can just sell ‘em off later.”

           “Also, the art is pretty…” Willa remarked.

           “I keep telling you, Willa, ‘pretty’ isn’t important,” Wright scoffed. “You wanna learn how to play, Wes? I got a trainer deck I can let you borrow for a few bucks.”

           “No thanks, man. I don’t want to lose weeks of allowance to you.”

           “Right, right… You need that money to buy and keep video games that don’t give you anything in return. Life’s about investments, risks, and reward, my dude.”

           “How’s summer treating you so far?” Jace asked them.

           “It’s off to a bad start,” Willa sighed. “Gramps just got sent off to do a year at a ‘white collar prison.’ He never even wears white collars, so he’s gonna hate it.”

           “Willa, that’s not…” Wright muttered and shook his head. “Again, it’s barely a punishment. They got tennis courts at those places. And quit saying it’s your fault. He gambled and lost. It happens to the best of us. Well, not to me so much.”

           “Maybe not yet,” Jace replied. “But, Wright, I got a feeling that if you keep getting more intense with your stunts, you’re going to get yourself hurt one day. Or broke.”

           “Heh, Jason, is this your attempt to fix me? I know my limits, but I’m a thrill-seeker, man. I’m always going to look for the next big thing. Don’t worry about me.”

           “Just be kind to your eyes, okay? Don’t go sticking, or dripping anything in them.”

           “The heck’s that mean? Look, I’m not gonna end up like Willa’s pop-pop or go stabbing knives into my face. There’s nothing to help here. Willa on the other hand…”

           “Oh, I got this,” Wessy said, acting like he wanted a shot at Jace’s game. “They have some pretty good toy cats at KB that kind of look like the real thing. They even meow and purr and stuff when you press a button. No mom allergies to worry about.”

           “I don’t even really care about getting a cat anymore,” Willa huffed.

           “Oooh, so you want a dog now? Or maybe a lizard? No allergy stuff with those.”

           “Nah. I realized I need something that will listen to my problems, and talk back, and treat me real nice. That’s why, before middle school starts, I want a boyfriend.”

           “Oof, yikes.” Wessy got on his bike right away. “Good luck with that. See ya.”

           Wright shot up and rushed towards his house. “Not gonna be me, cat-girl.”

           “It wouldn’t have been either of you!” she exclaimed, arms crossed. “Buuut…”

           A shiver ran down Jace’s spine when Willa glanced up at him. After first taking a nervous sip of his drink, he also quickly got onto his bike and began pedaling away.

           Willa shouted, “I just think you’re kind of cute, Jason! It doesn’t mean anything!”

           “Bet that just put a dent in your ‘help everyone’ plan,” Wessy commented as he and Jace booked it out of Mansion Street. “Now I gotta stay away from Willa forever.”

           “Yeah, I’m not going to help her if it means…” Jace shook his head to keep away the intrusive thoughts. “Well, I guess I can’t solve every problem that’s out there.”

           After another few minutes of riding, they tossed their empty drinks into a house’s garbage bin waiting for pickup by the curb, and Jace took the lead, a destination in mind that he wanted to check up on. Wessy, just enjoying the ride, followed without question.

           The house where Jace would start living fourteen years in the future came into view in the shady part of the neighborhood, with a moving truck out front. The boys came to a stop and noticed that Felicity and her sister were watching their parents supervise two hunky college-aged moving guys as they carried a couch into the truck.

           “Oh, cool, Felicity’s moving,” Wessy remarked. “Cookton won’t be as creepy.”

           “Don’t get excited, Wes. They’re just going to a bigger place nearby.”

           I want to get a peek at my house sometime to see it empty, Jace thought.

           Wessy also appeared to be having some thoughts of his own as he observed the moving process. Felicity caught sight of both of them, but Wessy didn’t seem to notice. Jace gave her a timid half-wave from a distance, and she did the same back.

           “Jason, I want to bike by Vanni and Gavin’s,” Wessy said quietly.

           “You think they’re back home? We could hang out there a bit if they are.”

           “I don’t know. I want to see if… Let’s just go.”

           They got back to pedaling, Jace following close behind and trying to get a read on his uncle’s emotions. Jace had been wondering when the day might come that Wessy would find out that the Patiles were moving away, and he very well knew that it could be today. There was no changing or delaying it. All there was to do was see the reaction.

           They slowed down on final approach to the residence, and Wessy eventually just let his bike fall onto the curb grass upon seeing the “For Sale” sign out front.

           “They really are leaving…” he murmured. “And they’re still not home. I can tell. Vanni’s always playing her drums in the garage when I come over. They’re just… gone.”

           “I’m sorry, Wes. That sucks. B-but, you know…” Jace tried to think of a bright side to things, and got another look at the sign. “It doesn’t say ‘Sold’ yet. I don’t think they’re just going to leave town without telling you. You come here a lot, don’t you?”

           Wessy shook his head and let out a big sigh. “Forget it. Let’s go to my house and play some video games. I don’t want to think about this right now.”

           Wes remained pretty quiet the rest of the day as they gamed or watched a few shows up in his room, his window open and his fan running to help with the heat. As the sun went down later in the day, he paused Super Mario RPG after a long session—Jace had helped him by providing Nintendo Power tips—and eyed his open window.

           His adult uncle had never mentioned it, and Jace had never seen it happen, but Wessy took the screen off his window and guided him onto the part of the roof that was right outside his room. It was a little dangerous, but at least the roof wasn’t steep at all.

           “I come out here sometimes to look at the stars,” Wessy said as he and Jace sat down on the shingles. “But usually only when my mom’s asleep. So keep it down.”

           “You feeling all right, Wes? I’m used to watching you actually enjoy gaming.”

           “Yeah… I don’t know. The truth is, I’ve been going to Vanni’s place a lot more than the others think. If they’re too busy to hang out, I can head over there and just chill. Gavin gives me middle school survival tips and knows tons of video game history, and Vanni… She’s like my Obi-Wan, you know? Like, a sage? She gives me better life tips than my dad ever does. She’s all like, ‘here’s what can happen, but how you deal with it is up to you.’ But when my dad tells me that kind of stuff, he’s just… What’s the word Arty taught me? … Oh, yeah, he’s self-righteous about it. ‘This is what you have to do or say, kid. Be a grown-up,’” he mocked his dad’s voice. “And now… they’re leaving.”

           “… People come and go, Wes. Sometimes all you can do is remember them.”

           Wessy scrunched down and grumbled, “Growing up is going to suck.”

           As the sun set, Jace replied, “It’ll be hard. But it doesn’t have to be terrible.”

           “Now I can’t wait for camp. Two weeks of not thinking about any of this.”

           Jace sighed. “Let’s try to make it a good time. It always eventually runs out.”