A bottle of root beer soda in between

Life is filled with crossroads. Will you stay or switch lanes? Will you know that you changed?

                It was normal for two friends, two very close friends, to sit back-to-back and have a bottle of root beer soda between the two. Everything was normal except the soda. Together, the two friends had enough loose change to buy one, just one, and the idea of swapping germs via soda bottle didn’t sound that appealing to one of the friends.

                “It’s an indirect kiss!” Castor hissed. As if he thought the bottle was for one, Fray unscrewed the cap and took a sip, sending Castor down into an emotional spin. “I’m not putting my mouth where yours was.” Castor crossed her arms. Pulling a straw out of nowhere, Fray dropped it into the root beer bottle and handed it over to her.

                Hesitating, she snatched the drink and sipped through the straw. Yes, there was nothing more normal than two friends sharing a root beer soda on an April afternoon. School was ending and life was just beginning. Pretty soon, Castor and Fray would have to face a crossroad and they would have to choose what path they were willing to take, separate or stay together?

                But for now, while the afternoon was still high and young, the two wanted to share a soda at their usual hangout spot, the oak tree by the general store. Tipping his head back, Fray noticed an old couple stare and point at him and Castor. Old people get away with too many things, he thought. He blinked.

                “We look homeless,” Fray sighed, folding his glasses and putting them into his pocket. Loosening his tie, he leaned back on Castor. Poor Castor sunk to the ground, blood boiling.

                “Get your back off of me!”

                “You didn’t say the magic word,” Fray drawled. He watched Castor squirm and struggle. Then, a splash of root beer soda fell on them both. Face red, Castor knocked Fray off of her and cursed him out, shaking her fist in the air like there was no tomorrow. By now, the locals in the store were staring at them, wondering how in the world Castor knew some of the words she was screaming. And all Fray did was laugh…until Castor smacked him in the head with the soda bottle.

                Since Castor’s house was closest, the two friends went there to clean up. While Castor washed and dried off in the house, Fray hosed himself in Castor’s backyard. Peeling off his uniform jacket and shirt, he tossed them aside and ran the hose water over his back and hair. It wasn’t until he looked up that he saw a beet-red Castor stare down at him from her window. Regaining her composure, Castor dropped a towel and Fray caught it with his head.

                “Jeez, do you always have to make things weird?” Castor asked, leading Fray, who was wearing her “I’m so fanzy” t-shirt, into the kitchen. Fray didn’t respond. He was busy watching Castor dig through the fridge for a couple cans of Sprite.

                “Expired, moldy, dead, blue cheese, a can of peas, some leftover cookies, mystery meat…” Castor sniffed the meat package and shuddered. Tossing it into the trashcan, Castor pulled out two bottles of water from the fridge. “Sorry BuzzKill, but water’s on me.”

                And that was the afternoon…NOT! There was a staring contest between Castor and Fray and Castor only won because Fray was looked away. Seeing her do her happy dance curved a smile over Fray’s lips.

                “What are you laughing at?”

                “Nothing.”

                Eyes narrowed, Castor unscrewed the cap off the water bottle. “Can water expire?” Before Fray answered, Castor took a sip and spat it right out. “Dang it…I answered my question,” she muttered, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. Fray pushed his water bottle away. “So…high school’s ending, huh?”

                “Yeah.”

                “Got any future plans?”

                “No.”

                “What?! With a brain like yours, you can be accepted anywhere. You can leave the country and still be accepted.”

                Fray clicked his tongue. “What if I don’t want to?”

                Castor wanted to slap Fray. “Then where do you want to go? What do you want to do?”

                “I’ll go wherever you go and do whatever you do.” Castor stared at Fray. Was this guy serious? He was going to waste his education on her? This was a whole new meaning to that “friends forever” nonsense.

                “I’ll be lucky if I can get into a community college,” Castor said, toying with the water bottle cap. “It’s too late for me.”

                “I’ll tutor you.” This was getting too weird for Castor and she’d heard Fray say weirder things. Why was he so persistent? As if he read her mind, Fray looked away. “Sorry,” he told her.

                The next day, a Saturday, the two friends were at their usual hangout spot, sitting back-to-back with a bottle of root beer soda between the two. Taking a swig of root beer, Castor noticed Fray staring at her.

                “What?”

                “Yesterday you were afraid of swapping germs.”

                “I really don’t care, Fray.” Handing him the soda, Castor leaned back on her friend. “Look, I don’t care what you do in the future or where you go. We’re friends for life. Don’t forget that!”

                “Idiot,” Fray breathed, ruffling up Castor’s hair. Taking a sip of the soda, Fray looked at the sky. Maybe it was the afternoon heat or the sweet taste of the root beer soda. Maybe it was because if felt so comfy to be under shade or to have a friend so close to you. Whatever the reason was, Fray and Castor didn’t hear the beeping noise.

Beep…beep…beep…

                It was all too calm, too quiet, and too peaceful for either of them to notice the looming crossroad ahead.

Author's Note

I really wanted to write a story about two friends, a girl and a boy. I didn't want romance to the center theme, but I wanted crossroads to be. Because through life, you believe that you're friends are always going to be there for you. But, there comes a crossroad and you'll have to decide if you want to stay or move on...

Reviews

[Marie]

This does seem to be about a crossroad. Nothing is orever, and we get so caught up in the moment, we don't realize it...