You and Ezra walk through main street. He tells you a little bit about the history of the street, which shops are new and which have been there longer than he can remember. Most fall into the latter category; Grey Springs hasn't changed much over the years, and most people who live there have lived there for several generations. You pass the bookshop.
Ezra
"My dad grew up in this town, so we're not really new here either. But the Kaminskis have been here forever. The bookstore is super old and has always been in their family. I know Robin plans to take it over once her dad retires, too."
He absentmindedly studies the shop's exterior as he mulls over his thoughts. Then he looks up at you. "Do you think you'll ever go back to your hometown?"
Ezra: "I can't imagine what that's like. I don't know where I'd go if I suddenly couldn't stay in Grey Springs anymore. I like going away on vacations but it's nice to know you always have a home base to return to. Somewhere you've known for a long time... And it knows you, too, if that makes sense."
Ezra: "Do you think wherever your parents are moving is gonna feel like home to you? Sixteen years is a long time, don't you feel like that old town will always have a small piece of you?" He sheepishly strokes the back of his head and averts his eyes for a second. "I guess maybe I'm kinda weird about this sort of thing."
Ezra: "That's so crazy. They just took your home from you. Even if you say you're not that attached to the place, it's where you grew up, right?"
Ezra
"I guess I wouldn't mind living somewhere else for a bit... But I think I'd come back to Grey Springs eventually. I think about graduation a lot, and I don't know what I want to do yet. I know it's still a year away, but still, it's a little scary. Julian says it'll all work out and I figure he's probably right. And there's nothing here, I gotta leave Grey Springs if I wanna make something of myself." He looks at the golden lettering on the window of the bookstore. "I envy Robin. She's got her future set. Ah, sorry, I didn't mean to bring the mood down."
The door of the bookstore opens, and Robin steps outside, a smile on her face. Seeing her seems to snap Ezra out of his melancholy, and he quickly fabricates a smile and greets her with a quick wave. You greet her as well; silently hoping you look more relaxed than he does.
Robin
"Hey! What's got you standing around out here? I thought you were gonna come in when I saw you through the window, but then you just kinda stood there talking." She smiles. "I thought I'd check what was up."
Ezra
"Oh, sorry! I didn't realize you were working today. Me and Yon are just hanging out. You're free to join us, if you want? I was just showing him around the town a bit."
Robin
"I just finished work, so that sounds great! Let's go to the cafe then, I haven't been there in a while and they just got the new seasonal drinks in. Have you been there before, Yon? Me and Ezra used to do our homework there sometimes while having iced sodas when we were kids. Let's go, let's go!"
Robin runs ahead of you two. You begin to follow her, but notice Ezra hesitating. Before you can ask him what's wrong, he speeds up to catch up with Robin; you get a feeling he's averting his eyes from you on purpose. You feel like spending time with him today brought you a little closer, though you think Ezra isn't fully comfortable around you yet.
You find yourself eating lunch with your new friends. Currently you and Ezra are following Julian, your lunches in hand, up to the top floor of the school.
Ezra: Where are we going? This seems like a lot of work just to eat lunch.
Julian: Where do you think we're going? Why would I be heading upstairs at lunchtime?
Ezra thinks for a moment. "...Do you want to eat in my classroom? Leander's gonna give you a death stare the whole half hour."
Julian lets out an exasperated sigh before heading up another flight of stairs, one that leads even higher than the third year's floor. "Of course not. We'd look like total losers sitting between a buncha older kids." You don't really understand how eating in a third year classroom would make you or Julian look bad, but before you can ask Julian turns around to you and Ezra and knocks on the door at the top of the stairs. "Let's have lunch on the roof. I've always wondered what that's like." He opens the door and you and Ezra follow him outside.
Ezra: "We'll be eating out in the open air, so I guess that'll be nice. But other than that I don't really see the benefit of eating up here." He looks around. "It's not exactly a nice roof. They didn't even set up fences at the edges."
Julian: "Cos nothing says fancy like wire fences."
Ezra: "You know what I mean. They don't want people to eat up here. I'm surprised the door isn't locked."
Julian: "Hey, at least give it a chance first!"
You sit down on what you think is an air duct sticking out of the rooftop from a small side building. It's low down, and not very comfortable, even Julian seems to struggle to find decent seating. Ezra doesn't even try; he sit down in front of the air duct, the duct itself giving his lower back some abysmal support. At least the roof is slightly warm from the late September sun; and Ezra was right, the fresh air is nice. Still you find yourself wishing you were inside of your classroom instead. You open up your lunchbox and start eating your lunch. The three of you spend a few quiet minutes together.
Ezra: "Ok, we've been up here for about ten minutes now. I think that counts as giving it a chance. What's the verdict, Julian?"
Julian: "It was worth giving a try." It's clear he's just saying this because it was his idea to come up here and he feels the need to defend it. "But I don't think this is worth doing again. This place is kind of depressing."
Ezra: "Yeah, they didn't build this roof for people to hang out on, it's no wonder. Plus my back hurts from sitting against this pipe."
Julian sighs and jumps up. He's holding a sandwich in his hand, his empty lunchbox carelessly tossed on the ground nearby. He looks around the roof, then seems to get an idea and turns back to you.
Julian: "We could sit on the edge of the roof." He walks over to the edge and looks down. "You can see the ground from up here. Definitely beats where we're sitting now!"
["I don't know, seems dangerous."]
Julian: "Dude it's fine! If you just sit on the edge nothing bad can happen."
Ezra: "It's pretty high up. You'd break a leg if you fell..."
Julian: "So don't fall then!"
["Hell yeah! I love endangering myself frivolously."]
Julian: "Yes!"
Julian: "You comin' Ez? Or do you want to sit alone against the loser pipe?"
Ezra: "...The loser pipe? Really?"
[Look at Ezra and shrug.]
Ezra: "Beats sitting here."
You get up and carefully sit down next to Julian at the edge of the rooftop. The school is three stories high; so the ground doesn't seem too far down at least. Anyone who would look up would see you three clear as day, but it doesn't look like anyone has. You see Leander and Robin sitting together, pouring over a pile of books they carried out with them.
Julian: "Wow, they're even reading those books during lunch. Why does Robin care so much about that stuff?" He takes a bite of his sandwich and continues talking with a full mouth. "It's not like there's any proof that stuff is real."
Ezra: He rolls his eyes. "Are you gonna say that to her face next club meeting?"
Julian: "You know I didn't join cos I'm interested in ghosts or demons or whatever. I feel no shame about my ulterior motives."
Ezra: "Have you ever considered the reason why you're still single is because you put together stupid schemes to try and get a girlfriend instead of, you know, just asking someone out?"
Julian: For a moment he seems shocked. His eyes widen as they meet Ezra's, as if he didn't expect to get called out so directly, but then he regains his composure. "I already explained to you why that wouldn't work."
Ezra: "I think you're just scared."
Julian: "Look man, we can't all just put it out there like you do," he says, sounding a little flustered. "I can't afford to get turned down. I need to really think things through before I set something in motion." He looks back at Robin, who's pointing something out in small book Leander is holding. His eyes narrow; you suspect he dissaproves of how close she is sitting to Leander.
Ezra: "Why are you so afraid of getting turned down? If you don't shoot your shot you'll never know. Just move on if they say no."
Julian: "I am not afraid! I just don't want my reputation ruined. If I get turned down, people might think-..." He seems to catch himself before he reveals something too close to his heart, and quickly changes tracks. "Besides, all your girlfriends were people you met on vacation! That shit only lasted a summer. Nobody in town would even know if you ever got rejected or messed up something. So you can't talk to me like you know better!"
Ezra: He shrugs. "I'd ask someone out here if I liked them. Besides, I got turned down plenty of times in the summer. I just move on, like I said."
Julian seems to need a moment to find a retort, but comes up empty. He takes three comically large bites of his sandwich and seems to use the excessive mouthful as an excuse not to answer.
Ezra: "It's not a big deal. You'll find someone you like and who likes you back, without one of your plans. Even if it doesn't happen soon, I wouldn't worry. You've got all the time in the world. What's the rush?"
Julian doesn't answer. You have a feeling there is a reason, and that he isn't comfortable with sharing it. It seems Ezra senses it too, and he turns is attention to you instead.
Ezra: "What about you, Yon? You had a girlfriend before you moved here?"
["If I meet someone I like, I'll see where it heads. I like to take things slow."]
Ezra nods, he seems relieved you think similarly to him.
Ezra: "Yeah, I think that's the best way to think of it. If you try to force it you're just gonna end up frustrated or disappointed."
Julian grumbles.
Julian: "Easy for you to say..."
Ezra shoots him a look, but doesn't say anything. At this point he knows he won't get a straight answer out of his friend.
["I did. I was dating all the time. I had multiple girlfriends."]
Julian: "...At the same time?"
Both boys are looking at you. Julian looks more curious than Ezra, who looks slightly exasperated, but from both of their expressions it is clear they don't believe you.
Ezra: "That's like, so cool man."
["My soul is white and pure. I am saving myself for marriage."]
Ezra cocks an eyebrow. Julian just rolls his eyes, not believing you for even a second. He claps his hands together to get the final crumbs of his sandwich off.
Ezra: "Maybe that's why Temperance took an interest in you. Cos your soul is all pure and stuff."
Julian: "That's BS! He just happened to walk by while she was in the ruins, that's all. He's not special."
Ezra: "Why do you get so defensive over her? I thought you were all about Robin now."
Julian: "I am a free agent right now. I am about whoever I want."
Ezra: "Alright then..."
It looks like the subject changed from your sanctity back to Julian's obsession with getting a date rather immediately. At least it seems it's cheered Julian up a little.
The lunch hour is almost over. Below people slowly make their way back into the building. Leander helps Robin pack the pile of books into a black tote she's carrying on her shoulders. Suddenly he looks up. It doesn't take him long to spot you, it's almost as if he felt three pairs of eyes on him. He stares coldly up at you, no particular emotion discernible on his stern face. Julian holds up his hand, sticking up his index- and pointer finger in a 'v' shape. It's difficult to be sure because of the distance, but you think you see something flicker in Leander's eyes for a moment.
Julian: "Freak." He gets up. "Come on, time to head in before he rats us out to a teacher."
You carefully get up, making sure you don't lose your balance so close to the edge. Ezra takes even more care by scooting backwards onto the roof before pulling in his knees and finally getting up. It looks a little silly, but better safe than sorry you suppose. Julian jumped up so fast it's a miracle he didn't trip, if anything. You head back in and tell Ezra goodbye as you and Julian head back to 2B for your afternoon classes.
