2 An Old Friend

An old friend of Kents contacts Xtian to tell him some unexpected news

Almost instantly after Kent got his Blackberry fixed, Marcus Draper, a name Kent hadn't seen for quite a while flashed on his phone. Marcus Draper had been his best friend since grade school. They had gone to the same middle school, high school, and even college together, but after both guys began pursuing different careers, they had drifted apart like most friends do. At Kent's father's funeral he had been there, but being in a daze about the whole situation Kent really didn't get the chance to catch up with him.

"Well if it isn't Clark Kent," Marcus greeted excitedly.

"What's up Mr. Draper," Kent answered nonchalantly. He wasn't exactly the type to jump up and down for joy when he got a phone call. "What are you doing?" He asked wanting to get to the point.

"I'm in L.A. man that's what I'm doing!" Marcus replied like it was a great surprise.

"Wow what are you doing here?" Kent asked trying to sound enthusiastic.

"Just visiting my old stomping grounds, you know. I had to see how my old buddy was doing. Is everything okay over there? How are you coping with everything?"

"Fine, fine," Kent insisted making it clear it wasn't exactly his topic of choice. "What about you?"

"I just got engaged!" Marc announced.

"What? Why?" Kent switched his phone to the other ear to make sure he was hearing him right. Marcus, the fraternity brother who had the most girls racked up for having sex with, out of all of the other brothers in the house, was getting married? "You have to be kidding me," Kent thought out loud.

"No I'm not man. I met this great girl, everything just fell into place," Marc gushed with that annoying air of newly engaged excitement.

Kent couldn't help but half smile for his best friend.

"I'd really like you to meet her. She lives right around you, but we'll be moving in together soon. She's really great, so when is the soonest you can go?"

"Uh, I don't know-,"

"What about in a couple of days? Let's say Tuesday? We'll all meet for lunch. How does Spark Woodfire Grill sound? Who are you dating these days? I don't want you to be a third wheel."
"Don't worry about me, there are plenty of s***s in my phone I can dial up to go with," Kent replied dryly.

"Oh man, we have to get you out of that mind set. Wait till you meet this girl. She'll inspire you to get with it, find love. It would be good for you, especially after everything that happened-,"

"See you Tuesday," Kent quickly hung up and rolled his green eyes.

Was he going to mention "what happened" a thousand more times at lunch? Maybe he should take his Uncles advice, see a counselor and convince them to prescribe him drugs to get him through seeing people. He head into the front door, seeing his father's memorial photograph first thing, stared at it for a minute blankly. On second thought he felt drugged up enough since the only thing he wanted to do was sleep.

Not bothering to take off his shoes, he flopped onto the couch, not slightly bothered by the afternoon sunlight blazing through the multistory windows. He figured if he was lucky he'd sleep through lunch on Tuesday. If he had it his way he'd never wake up. What was the damn point of it anymore? It was better to just quit while he was ahead, instead staring at a photo, and trying to figure it all out. His heavy eyelids shut closed, denying him what he needed to do, what he would never allow himself to do. Not for someone he barely knew.