"…and my mom says if you don't eat at least three pancakes, she's going to come find you herself," Kaiden finished, grinning as I walked up the porch steps. He was wearing jeans and a faded green t-shirt, his hair slightly messy like he'd just rolled out of bed – the way I'd always known him to look on lazy Saturday mornings.
"I'm not sure I can handle three of Mrs. Huston's pancakes," I said, returning his smile as he held the door open for me. "Last time I tried, I couldn't move for an hour."
"That's because you eat them too fast," he shot back, leading me into the kitchen where the smell of maple syrup and fresh pancakes filled the air. His mom was standing at the stove, flipping another batch with practiced ease, and she turned to greet me with a warm smile.
"Jaden, sweetheart! So good to see you," she said, wiping her hands on her apron before giving me a quick hug. "I was just telling Kaiden that you boys need to eat properly – not just burgers and video game snacks."
"Hey, we eat vegetables sometimes," Kaiden protested, pulling out a chair for me at the kitchen table where a stack of pancakes sat waiting, along with bowls of fruit and whipped cream.
"Once a month doesn't count, honey," his mom said with a laugh, setting a plate in front of me. "Now eat up – you're both too skinny for your own good."
We sat down and started eating, and for a while it felt like old times. Kaiden was talking animatedly about how he'd finally beaten the final boss in our favorite game, using a strategy he'd been working on for weeks. He gestured wildly with his fork as he explained every move, his eyes lighting up the way they always did when he was excited about something. His mom would glance over from the stove every so often, a soft smile on her face as she watched us.
"I still can't believe you managed to pull off that combo," I said, taking a bite of pancake. "I've been trying to get it right for months and I always mess up the timing."
"That's because you're too focused on attacking," he said, pointing his fork at me playfully. "Sometimes you have to know when to defend – patience is key, my friend."
"Since when are you giving me advice about patience?" I asked with a laugh. "I still remember when you broke your controller because you couldn't beat that one level in middle school."
His mom laughed out loud at that, setting down her own plate to join us at the table. "Oh, I remember that day well. He moped around the house for a week until you came over and helped him get through it."
Kaiden's cheeks turned slightly pink, but he was smiling. "In my defense, that level was impossible. And Jaden only helped me because I promised to share my entire stash of sour gummy worms with him."
"Best deal I ever made," I said, grinning.
We finished eating a little while later, and Kaiden led me upstairs to his room so he could show me his winning strategy on the game. We spent the next hour playing, taking turns trying out different moves and laughing when one of us made a mistake. It was easy, comfortable – exactly how being with Kaiden had always been.
Just as I was about to try his combo for myself, my phone buzzed on his desk. I paused the game and picked it up, smiling when I saw who it was.
From Kailee C.: hey u two!!! what r u guys up to??? me and some of the crew r heading to the park in like an hour – there's a food truck festival going on and they have that grilled cheese truck u both love!!! wanna come???
I showed the text to Kaiden, who read it over my shoulder before nodding slowly. "A food truck festival, huh? I haven't been to one of those in ages."
"Kailee said they have the grilled cheese truck," I repeated, knowing how much he loved their spicy jalapeño and bacon sandwich. "We could go if you want. Or we can stay here and keep playing – whatever you're in the mood for."
He leaned back in his chair, thinking for a moment. "No, it sounds fun. It might be good to get out and see people – normal people who aren't going to look at me like I'm made of glass."
I nodded in understanding. "Okay, then we'll go. I'll text Kailee back and tell her we'll meet them there."
To Kailee C.: count us in!!! save us a spot near the grilled cheese truck lol
From Kailee C.: YESSS!!! see u guys there in an hour!!! bring ur appetites 😉
I set my phone down and turned back to the game. "We've got an hour – want to play one more round before we get ready?"
"Absolutely," Kaiden said, picking up his controller with a grin. "But this time, I'm not going easy on you just because you're my friend."
An hour later, we were pulling into the parking lot at the park. The sound of music and laughter drifted through the air, and colorful tents and trucks lined the grassy area near the lake. Kailee was already there, waving enthusiastically when she saw us pull up – she was standing with a group of our friends from school: Marcus, who we'd talked about in physics class; Sofia, who'd been friends with us since freshman year; and Leo, Kaiden's lab partner in chemistry.
"Finally!" Kailee said as we walked over, throwing her arms around Kaiden first, then me. "I was starting to think you guys were going to bail on us."
"Never," Kaiden said, returning her hug with a smile. "We just had to make sure Jaden didn't get lost on the way here."
"Hey," I protested with a laugh. "I have a great sense of direction."
"Sure you do," Sofia said, grinning. "That's why you took us the wrong way to the beach last summer."
"One time," I said, rolling my eyes. "And we still got there eventually."
We all laughed and started walking toward the food trucks, the smell of grilled meat, fresh bread, and various spices filling the air. Kaiden immediately spotted the grilled cheese truck and pointed it out, his face lighting up with excitement.
"First stop," he said, already heading toward it. "I'm getting the jalapeño bacon one – who's with me?"
"I'm in," Kailee said, falling into step beside him. "I'll get the classic with tomato soup – perfect for this weather."
We joined the line, and while we waited, Marcus started telling us about his latest theory on time travel – something about how parallel universes might explain why some video game glitches happen. Kaiden was listening intently, asking questions and making jokes just like he always did, and for a while, everything felt completely normal.
When we reached the front of the line, Kaiden ordered his sandwich and I got the same one – we'd been sharing food since middle school, and it had become a habit we never broke. We found a spot at one of the picnic tables near the lake and sat down to eat, talking and laughing as we watched people walking by with their own food and drinks.
The festival was in full swing now – a band was setting up on a small stage near the center of the park, kids were playing frisbee and soccer on the grass, and families were spreading out blankets for picnics. It was lively and fun, exactly the kind of atmosphere that usually made Kaiden's face light up with joy.
But as the afternoon went on, I started to notice small things. Every time someone walked by who looked even remotely like Bhria, Kaiden would go quiet for a few seconds, his smile fading just enough that only someone who knew him well would notice. When Sofia mentioned the homecoming dance again, talking about which dress she was thinking of wearing, Kaiden's fork paused halfway to his mouth before he forced a smile and changed the subject. And when a couple walked by holding hands, laughing as they shared a milkshake, I saw his eyes follow them for a moment before he looked down at his plate.
He was still participating in the conversation, still laughing at our friends' jokes, still eating and drinking like he was having a good time. But the easy, carefree joy I'd always associated with him was missing – replaced by something quieter, more guarded. It was like watching a light that had been shining bright suddenly dim just a little, even though it was still lit.
As the sun started to sink lower in the sky, the band began playing – upbeat pop songs that made people want to dance. Kailee grabbed Leo's hand and pulled him onto the makeshift dance floor, and Sofia and Marcus soon followed, laughing as they tried to keep up with the music. Kaiden watched them for a moment, a small smile on his face, before turning his attention back to the lake.
"You okay?" I asked quietly, not wanting to draw attention to him in front of our friends.
He nodded, but didn't look at me. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just… thinking."
I leaned back in my chair, following his gaze out over the water. "You don't have to pretend to be okay, you know. Not with me."
He was quiet for a long moment before speaking again. "I know. It's just… I thought I was doing better. I was having fun earlier, really I was. But then every once in a while, something will happen – someone will say something, or I'll see something – and it's like I'm right back there again, watching her with him."
I nodded slowly, understanding exactly what he meant. "It's okay to feel that way, Kaiden. Healing doesn't happen in a straight line. You'll have good days and bad days, and sometimes even good days will have bad moments."
He finally looked over at me then, and I could see the weariness in his eyes. "I just want to be myself again. The way I was before all this happened. I want to be able to go out with our friends and have fun without feeling like… like there's a weight on my chest all the time."
"You will be," I said firmly. "It just takes time. You can't rush it – you have to let yourself feel everything, even the hard stuff. But eventually, it will get easier. You'll be able to move forward without her hanging over every moment."
He let out a long breath and leaned his head back, looking up at the sky where the first stars were starting to appear. "I know you're right. It's just hard to remember that sometimes."
"I know," I said, reaching over to give his shoulder a gentle squeeze – just a friend checking in on another friend. "But you don't have to do it alone. We're all here for you – me, Kailee, Sofia, Marcus, Leo… all of us. We'll help you carry that weight until it gets lighter."
He smiled slightly and looked back at me. "Thanks, Jay. For everything. I know I say that a lot, but I mean it."
"You don't have to thank me," I said with a small smile of my own. "That's what friends are for."
Just then, Kailee ran over to us, her face flushed from dancing. "You guys have to come dance with us!" she said, grabbing Kaiden's arm. "Marcus is trying to do the robot and it's hilarious – you have to see this."
Kaiden looked at me for a moment, and I could see the hesitation in his eyes. "Come on," I said, standing up. "It'll be fun. And I want to see Marcus do the robot – that sounds amazing."
Kaiden laughed and let Kailee pull him to his feet. "Okay, okay. But if I look stupid out there, it's your fault."
"Please," Kailee said with a grin. "You always look good – even when you're dancing like you have two left feet."
We joined our friends on the dance floor, and for a while, Kaiden seemed to forget about everything else. He was laughing and dancing, making silly moves with Marcus and teasing Sofia about her terrible dance steps. The weight on his shoulders seemed to lift just a little, and I could see glimpses of the carefree boy I'd known for years shining through.
As the band played their last song – a slower, more sentimental track – Kaiden stepped back from the group, leaning against a nearby tree as he watched the other couples dancing slowly together. I walked over and stood beside him, not saying anything – just letting him be.
"It's okay to miss her," I said quietly after a moment. "Missing someone doesn't mean you're not ready to move forward. It just means you cared about them – which isn't a bad thing."
He nodded slowly, still watching the dancers. "I do miss her sometimes. Not the person she turned out to be, but the person I thought she was. The person I fell for."
"That's normal," I said. "It's hard to let go of the idea of someone, even when you know the reality was different."
We stood there in silence until the song ended and the band started packing up their equipment. The festival was starting to wind down now, people gathering their things and heading for their cars. Kailee walked over to us, wiping sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.
"That was so much fun," she said with a wide smile. "We should do this more often – without the drama, of course."
"Definitely," Kaiden said, forcing a smile that looked a little more genuine this time. "Thanks for inviting us, Kailee. I needed this."
"Anytime, buddy," she said, giving him a quick hug. "We're all here for you – you know that, right?"
"I know," he said, returning her hug. "Thanks."
We said goodbye to our friends and headed back to my car, the park now quiet except for the sound of crickets and the gentle lapping of water against the shore. Kaiden leaned his head against the window as I drove, looking out at the passing streetlights.
"I'm glad we went," he said quietly after a while. "Even if it was hard sometimes. It was good to be with people who care about me."
"Of course they care about you," I said, glancing over at him. "You're one of the best people I know – anyone would be lucky to have you as a friend."
He smiled and didn't say anything else, just closed his eyes and rested his head against the window. I drove slowly, taking the long way back to his house so he could have a little more time to just be quiet and think.
When we pulled into his driveway, I turned off the engine and looked over at him. "You want me to come in for a bit? We could watch a movie or something – take your mind off things."
He shook his head slowly, opening his eyes and looking at me with a tired smile. "No, I think I'm just going to go to bed. I'm exhausted – emotionally and physically."
"That's okay," I said, unbuckling my seatbelt. "Get some rest. We can hang out again tomorrow if you want – maybe just stay in and play games."
"I'd like that," he said, opening the car door and stepping out. He turned back to me before heading up to the house, leaning against the door frame for a moment. "Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you," he said again, his voice quiet but sincere. "For everything today. For noticing when I was struggling, for not pushing me to talk when I didn't want to… for just being there."
"I told you – that's what friends do," I said with a small smile. "And hey – you'd do the same for me if our situations were reversed. I know you would."
He nodded and gave me a small wave before heading inside. I sat there for a few minutes watching his house, making sure the lights came on inside before I pulled out of the driveway and headed home.
The drive back was quiet, but my mind was busy. I was glad we'd gone to the festival – even though it had been hard for Kaiden at times, I knew it was good for him to get out and be with people who cared about him. Healing wasn't going to be easy or quick, but he was taking steps forward – small steps, but steps nonetheless.
When I got home, my mom was in the kitchen making tea. She looked up as I walked in and smiled, already knowing what I wanted to talk about.
"How was the festival?" she asked, pouring me a cup of tea and handing it to me.
"It was good," I said, sitting down at the table. "Kaiden had fun for the most part, but… it was clear he's still struggling. Every once in a while, something would remind him of her and he'd just go quiet."
She nodded slowly, taking a sip of her tea. "Healing takes time, Jaden. You can't rush it – you just have to be there for him when he needs you, and give him space when he doesn't."
"I know," I said quietly. "I just wish there was more I could do. I wish I could make it stop hurting."
"I know you do, sweetheart," she said, reaching over to pat my hand gently. "But sometimes the best thing you can do is just be present – be there to listen, be there to help carry the load, be there to remind him that he's not alone. That's more than enough."
I nodded, knowing she was right. Kaiden and I had been friends for years – we'd been through good times and bad, and we'd always come out stronger on the other side. This was just another challenge we'd have to face together, and I was determined to be there for him every step of the way.
I finished my tea and headed upstairs to my room, pulling out my phone to send Kaiden a quick text.
To Kaiden H.: made it home safe. get some rest – u need it. let me know when u wake up tomorrow and we can figure out what we want to do
I put my phone down and lay on my bed, looking up at the ceiling. I thought about Kaiden – about how hard he was trying to move forward, about how much he deserved to be happy. I knew it would take time, but I also knew that eventually, he'd be okay. He was strong, even if he didn't always realize it, and he had people who loved him and would do anything to see him smile again.
A little while later, my phone buzzed with a text from Kaiden.
From Kaiden H.: thanks jay. sleep