Disclaimer: I do not own AFI or anyone associated with them professionally or personally. This never happened. Their past is their own, nothing to be found on a fiction site.
Chapter 2
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Time has just been flung backward. Years and years ago, in the seemingly vast playground of an elementary school left unnamed, kids ran here and there, enjoying their twenty minutes of playtime. Focus now on a group of boys, none older than ten.
There are five of them. They are playing catch with the tallest boy�s new football. This boy is named Michael Dunn. The boy he tosses the ball to is named Andy Wilcock. To Michael�s left is a boy named Eric Madison. He tosses the fake pigskin to Adam Carson, who in turn tosses it to Jimmy Hernandez.
They talk as they toss, speaking of trivial things like who just joined karate class, who puked recently at Sunday school, who messed with the girls last. . . usual boy stuff. Today, however, was different. Today, stood a turning point in these boy�s lives. It was barely yesterday that Adam had done the impossible and hawked the biggest loogie any of them had ever hawked, and spit it at their ruthless enemies, the girls, causing them to shriek and run. This feat had even topped the one made by Derek Hans the year before for setting off a stink bomb under the assistant principal�s desk during a parent/teacher conference.
This, and many things after, would shift balance of favor in this group to upgrade Adam to that of Leader. Currently their leader was Michael, but even he was beginning to feel the change of tides.
Angrily, he caught the ball and tossed it a little too hard at Adam. The ball soared a foot over his reach but Adam still put his hand up. He looked back and saw it hit and bounce off the fence at the edge of the grass. Mad, Adam flipped Michael off before jogging off to go retrieve the ball.
�Why�d you do that?� Eric asked Michael.
Michael sneered and shrugged lazily. �The dumbass was getting on my nerves. Why else?� At this, Andy laughed, but no one else.
Adam heard none of this as he moved away. He was tall, but not as tall as Michael. He wouldn�t come to his full height until after puberty, anyway. But even now he was wiry and flexible, not giving much thought as he jogged to the fence. He came to the ball and felt his fingers touch the rough surface of the football. He straightened, frowning. Was that crying he heard?
He looked beyond the fence to the street, but it was empty. He looked back at his friends and felt a twinge of anger as he saw Michael leading them away, forgetting Adam and the ball. But. . . who was crying?
He heard sniffling and turned to his right. There was a building here, the cafeteria, to be exact. Between the fence and this building was a narrow walkway littered with trash. A few empty crates were stacked off to the side, alone and forgotten. On one of these crates, Adam saw, was a little girl. She wore a dark blue skirt with a matching dark blue bow in her long, honey blonde hair. As a breeze passed by, the girl gave a whimper and pushed her fluttering skirt back down with both hands as her hair flipped wildly behind her.
Adam watched her for several minutes before starting to walk forward. He didn�t know then that this was the little girl that would lead him to his future best friend, Davey.
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Adam snapped from his unfinished memory back to the present. He blinked several times. Davey stood before him, so very different from the boy Adam knew years ago. Yet, he could also see some of the qualities his old best friend used to have. The lip thing. . . the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. . . his smile. . . . Yeah, that was definitely Davey.
Before Davey could do more than smile (Adam�s flashback was actually only a split second long) he gave a yelp as he was suddenly pulled into a bear hug.
Adam yelled happily and swung Davey around, not having a problem with the thin man�s weight. Jade and Hunter had to take several steps back and Davey was sure his leg had connected with a barstool and toppled it, but Adam didn�t stop. And Davey didn�t pull back.
�DAVEY!� Adam cried out happily. �RRRRAAAAHH, ha ha ha!�
�Adam!� Davey laughed and spoke breathlessly into his ear. When he finally ran out of energy, Adam reluctantly put Davey down. But he didn�t let go. Davey�s hands rested on his forearms a little unsure. Jade and Hunter saw this but didn�t remark.
Adam, meanwhile, searched Davey�s face over and over. �Davey! Davey? That really you? Holy shit. . . damn! Davey!�
�Ha ha, I get that a lot!� Davey laughed, pushing the hair out of his face and looking at Adam just as closely. �Adam? Geez, I can�t believe it�s you! I mean, sure, I was going to look you up, but hell, I wasn�t expecting you to be here!�
�You were gonna look for me?� Adam smiled. �Yeah?�
�Yeah!� Davey nodded. �I just got into town and I thought I�d come see you!�
�Yeah?� Adam sounded like he didn�t believe Davey would want to see him again. �Oh, man, what the hell happened to you? You like, disappeared! Last time I saw you was. . .� he frowned.
Davey nodded seriously. �Yeah, that day they came for me. That was the last time I was here, as a matter of fact. I haven�t come back to this town since.� He paused, looking down.
Adam saw where he was looking and immediately let go of his waist. �Oh, uh, sorry.� he smiled sheepishly. �Just. . . damn good to see you, you know.�
Davey smiled up at him and nodded. �Likewise.�
Hunter cleared his throat. Adam looked at them and for a few seconds couldn�t remember who these two were, or why they had peculiar expressions.
�Oh!� Adam�s mind snapped back. �Oh, uh, hey, guys, this is an old friend of mine, Davey. This is Jade and Hunter.�
�Hi. Hello.� Davey shook hands with them, smiling widely.
�Davey?� Hunter asked, looking him up and down. �You don�t look like a Davey.�
�My name is Davey Havok.� He said, not taking offense but nodding in understanding. �Does that make it sound better?�
Hunter shrugged. �Dunno. . . I guess. . .� He looked away from those steady but kind brown eyes. Jade, however, was looking at Havok with scrutiny.
�You and Adam. . . old friends?� He asked with almost a faint sneer.
�Yes,� Adam stressed the word, �old friends. From Elementary.� He didn�t like the way Jade was acting. As a matter of fact. . . why was Jade acting like this?
Davey, meanwhile turned away from the two and looked back at Adam. �So, you guys are the ones who put this up?� he held up one of their flyers.
Adam flushed. �Er, yeah, uh, we�re sort of looking for a singer.� He looked at the flyer, then up at Davey in surprise. �You weren�t going to answer it, were you?�
Now Davey flushed. �Uh, well. . . yeah. I mean, before I knew it was you, I was going to. Unless, you�d feel it was weird having me in your band. . .�
Adam frowned. �Why would I think it was weird? Unless YOU think it was weird. . .�
�No, no.� Davey shook his head assuredly. �I wouldn�t think it was weird.�
�Good.� Adam nodded. ��cause I mean. . . it really wouldn�t be weird. . .� he trailed off.
Jade looked from one to the other and decided this nonsense had to end now or they�d be at it all night. He cut in where he could. �So!� he said brightly, smiling in his usual simpering way, �now that we all know it wouldn�t be weird in any way, how about we see that audition?�
Davey turned as pink as his pale complexion would allow him. �Oh, uh, right now?�He had been set to give his all, but now that he knew Adam was going to be watching him so critically. . .
Adam saw his uneasiness and hurried in. �Oh, no, we don�t have to right now. I mean, if you feel a little uncomfortable, what with all this happening and all. Look, come sit with us. Have a drink or two.� He took a hold of Davey�s arm and started leading him toward their table.
�Oh, I don�t drink.� Davey smiled apologetically to Adam as they walked away.
�Damn, he doesn�t drink?� Hunter scowled. �What the hell is his problem?�
�Dunno.� Jade said, jaw clenched a little too tightly. �But whoever he is, he�s kinda close to Adam, isn�t he? I mean, look at the way his hands keep going to Adam�s. Is he gay or something?�
�Aw, come on!� Hunter grinned. �You know Adam�s not like that! Besides, it doesn�t matter if he is or not. Adam said they were elementary friends. They probably have a lot to go over with each other. They probably need some space to talk together. By themselves.�
Hunter and Jade exchanged a quiet look, then nodded at the same time. �You get the beers and a soda for the girlie boy,� Jade said low, �And I�ll go make see what they�re talking about and let you know if it�s interesting.�
�Right.� Hunter agreed. �Save me a seat by him, okay.�
�No, that�s mine.� Jade said, expression solemn, �I�m going to find out just what this guy is to Adam.�
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�You know what just came to me?� Davey said, voice cheery and reminiscent. �The school. You remember. . . oh, what�s his name? Eric Madison? And Louis. . . er. . .�
�Louis De Lefleur?� Adam chuckled slightly. �Yeah, I remember those guys. God, it seems like just yesterday we were raging our wars against the girls. Damn, you remember that time Michael Dunn and Andy Wilcock got busted for raiding the girl�s bathroom?�
Davey chortled behind one hand, a sight quite familiar to Adam. �Yeah, I remember that! Ha ha ha! The dorks had the nerve to do that while the assistant principal was out on the yard, too.� He paused. �Hey, do you know where those guys are now? I mean, have you run into any of them?�
Adam nodded. �Yeah, uh, well, for a time Eric and Louis and I hung out, uh, after you left, y�know. We were friends until Sophomore year, then they decided I wasn�t really all that cool to hang out with. Uhm, let�s see. . . Last I heard, Eric went to Berkeley for a few years before dropping out and joining the navy full time.�
�Wow.� Davey said, eyes going wide.
�Yeah, who knew he had it in him? Heh. And uhm, ooh, uh, well, Louis didn�t have it so good. Got into a car accident when he was a senior. Didn�t make it.�
�Oh god, no!� Davey looked stricken. �What happened?�
Adam shook his head sadly. �What always happens on Prom night. Kids got too drunk, decide to go out to the river to make out and ended up crashing. It always happens here. But his friends made it out alive. One other girl died with him, I think. Yeah, just her. I don�t know if you remember her, but she was Andy Wilcock�s cousin, Marleen. . . uh, I forgot her last name.�
�Marleen Gunfrey?� Davey�s jaw dropped. �Oh, god, I knew her! She used to beat me up for my money. Then she got mad when she realized I didn�t have any and hit me more!�
�What? When?� Adam looked surprised and somewhat angry.
Davey�s hand went nervously to his hair. �Oh, uh, maybe a year before you started saving me. She stopped when she saw that I was hanging around you and Andy.�
�So Adam was your body guard?� A voice drawled. They both turned to see Jade sitting calmly in the chair beside Davey. They didn�t see him come.
�Oh, uh yeah.� Davey twisted the tip of a lock in his fingers and smiled. �Adam and I were best friends. He�d always protect me when the bigger kids would try and start stuff.�
�Heh, but we�d start stuff of our own, too!� Adam grinned. �You know what I just thought of? You remember the pool in old Mr. Laugherty�s back yard? You remember how we�d sneak in and. . .�
Davey started laughing so he didn�t see Adam�s expression. �Yeah, I remember! Then that one time I. . . got pneumonia. . .� he broke off, remembering what had happened that day. He glanced up at Adam, read his face and quickly looked away.
Jade looked at both of them. �So what happened?� Adam glared at him but Davey smiled sadly. �Just that. I got pneumonia. Served me right for going swimming on a rainy day with all my clothes on.�
�It wasn�t your fault, Davey.� Adam said quietly. �I talked you into it. If anyone�s to blame for that, it�s me.�
�You weren�t in total blame,� Davey whispered down at his hands. Jade frowned at seeing Adam�s blush. What was going on here? What was it they didn�t want to say? What happened?
But before Jade could ask, Hunter arrived with the drinks on a platter. �Here we are!� He said happily, unaware of the hidden tension at the table. �Three beers and, uhr, I didn�t know what you wanted so I just got you a water. That cool?�
Davey smiled. �That�s great, thanks!�
They each took their drinks and sipped thoughtfully. Davey turned and smiled at Adam. �So, tell me. What have you been up to?�
�Me?� Adam sounded surprised. �Well, uh, I went to college for a bit. Dropped out. Wasn�t what I thought it�d be. Uhm, been trying really hard to get a band together. Met Hunter at college and Jade at the music store downtown. We started talking and agreed to form our own band. Currently, we�re still working on a name. And a lead singer.�
�And new songs.� Hunter put in. When Jade glared at him, he shrugged. �What? I didn�t say chuck the old ones! I just said, we need more. Don�t get your panties in a bunch.�
�Ha! You�d like that, wouldn�t you?� Jade smirked.
�Hell yeah I would!� Hunter grinned, giving Davey, who was smiling, a wink.
�Enough you two,� Adam cut in, �or you�ll start fighting again.�
�Yes, father,� Jade snickered, earning a laugh from Hunter and Davey. But when Jade threw Davey an icey glance, the other stopped. Davey pressed his lips together nervously and looked away. Adam didn�t notice.
�Anyway, Davey,� Adam said, turning to him, �I�ll tell you about the others in a minute. Just tell me where the hell you�ve been all these years! I mean, I looked you up and everything! I never found you. And now you say you�re name is Havoc? When did that happen?�
Davey smiled faintly, shrugging. �Er. . . well, �bout my name. Uhm, well, see, it�s just my way of saying thank you to my aunt, Celeste. Her last name is Havok, spelled with a �K� instead of a �C�. She�s the one who took me in, if you remember.�
�I remember everything.� Adam said quietly. Davey looked away from his steady gaze, feeling his face burn. Hunter and Jade saw this and instantly thought, �Interesting,� at the same time.
�Uh, yeah, well, she sort of took me in for a while. I owe her for so much, really. If it wasn�t for her. . .� he trailed off, shaking his head. �But, anyway, where did I go? More like, where did I not go! Celeste has an international shipping business. She took me with her on most of her trips. I�ve been to a lot of places, Adam, a lot. But this was the only place I wanted to be. The only place I thought of as home.� He smiled, eyes unfocused slightly.
Adam smiled. �Man, I know what you mean. And this is your home. Welcome back.� Despite their uncomfortable silences with each other earlier, the two looked up and smiled widely, almost as if no time had passed since they had been best friends that long time ago.
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When Adam heard Davey didn�t have a place to stay, he immediately offered his house. True, his house was only a one bedroom, but there was space enough for the two of them.
�Thank you, Adam, I mean it.� Davey told them as they drove Jade and Hunter home. �And I promise I won�t bother you long. This is just until I find a place of my own.�
Adam grinned as he steered his car. �You�re not bothering, Davey. SO don�t think that.� He glanced over at his old friend. �So what were you going to do before you went looking for a band and me?�
Davey lost his faint smile. He was well aware of both Hunter and Jade listening carefully to everything they were saying. He sighed. �Uh, well, I actually came here for. . . to, uh, well, to see my parents.�
Adam was pulling to a stop at an intersection. His reaction was felt when he stopped a little too quickly. �Sorry.� he muttered.
�Geez, Adam, thanks for the whiplash.� Hunter said with a groan.
Adam ignored him. He looked at Davey who stared at his lap. �Davey. . . are you sure that�s what you want to. . . uh, I mean. . .�
Davey nodded. �I know, I know. I remember everything. I know it�ll just be dragging up the past. But I have to, see? I have to know that they at least regretted. . . no. that�s not it. I know they wouldn�t have regretted making me leave. I guess I just want to see if they turned out better off with me gone. I want to see if they�re happy now, or if they�re miserable. . . like I was miserable for leaving.�
Adam said nothing. He faced forward again and realized the light had turned green then yellow again without anyone noticing. No one complained so he just sat there, waiting for the next light.
Davey stopped wringing his hands together and looked over at Adam. �Ad? Have you seen them lately? How did they seem to you? Are they even there still?�
Adam swallowed and shifted gears, moving them forward once again. He waited as long as he could before answering. �Davey. . . after it happened. . . after you left, I mean, I had no reason to go down that street anymore. In fact, my mom ordered me never to go down there. I haven�t since. Sometimes, I�d get it in my head that you were still there. I�d make it all the way to that stupid store, then I�d stop and I�d realize you were gone. My dad told me why you would never come back. He told me why, but I would never believe it. I�d wait for you every day at school, hoping you were just late or something. But when the bell would ring and I saw everyone going into their classes, I knew you weren�t coming.�
Davey sat still as a stone. His lower lip trembled slightly. �What did your father say that made you finally believe I wasn�t coming back?� He whispered, unable to make himself go any higher.
Adam grimaced, knowing he was fueling Jade�s and Hunter�s gossiping natures. �He said. . . he said your aunt was wanted by the government for not paying taxes. That she took you with her out of the country. He said it was a lot of taxes and she couldn�t possibly pay it all so she had no choice but to leave and never come back.�
The silence lasted all the way until after they dropped off Hunter. He left reluctantly but Jade gave him a steady look to assure him he�d still get to know whatever else Jade heard.
It was just as they pulled up onto Jade�s street that Davey smiled and grunted. �Adam, just how are your parents? You�re mom doing good?�
Adam grinned. �Yeah, ha, they�re good. Mom�s still trying to get me to get married. She says I�ll end up like my spinster aunt on my dad�s side, old and alone.�
Davey chuckled. �Really? I could have sworn you and Tanisha would eventually hit it off!�
Adam laughed. �What?! I don�t believe you! Tanisha Bridges? Like I�d stay with her forever? �Sides, thought she had a thing for you!�
Davey laughed, flicking his hair back and behind his ears. �Oh, no you didn�t! She was all over YOU! �Oh, Adam, can I join you in your fort, too?� �Adam, why don�t you ever hold my hand when we�re together?� �Adam, if you tell little Davey to walk with someone else home, I�ll hold your hand and even KISS you!�� Davey sang in a mocking tone.
Adam and even Jade burst with laughter. �No fair!� Adam cried out, pulling to a stop in front of Jade�s apartment complex. �No fair, Davey! And she didn�t say any of that!�
�No,� Davey admitted. �But she was thinking it! Ha ha ha!� He defended himself as best he could as Adam threw fake punches at him.
Well, that settles the question about their relationship, Jade thought as he stepped out and started for his place. But he was still deathly curious as to exactly WHAT happened in their past that was just unspeakable.
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When they had calmed down again, Adam started the car again and drove them to his house. He pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. When he saw Davey was making no move to get out, he looked up.
Davey sat there, seat belt still hooked up, watching Adam with a strange smile. �You think Jade�s satisfied for now?�
Adam�s mouth twitched. �You. . . planned that?�
Davey smiled wider, eyes full of mischief. �You haven�t noticed how interested he was? He�s nice, I�m sure, but. . .�
�No, he�s not!� Adam laughed incrediously. �But he�s my friend.�
Davey nodded. �I know. That�s why I didn�t tell him to mind his own business. I think we can talk freely in front of them, but we�re just going to have to watch what we say, that�s all. And. . .� he paused to take a deep breathe, �and, we�re going to have to talk. Eventually. About what happened.�
Adam nodded. �I know. We will.� he clicked his belt. �Just, not yet, okay? I. . . I don�t know if all my thoughts are with me just yet. I mean, geez! You just showed up four hours ago! That�s a lot to get over, Davey.�
�I know. We�ll sleep on it, then.� He clicked his own belt, then leaned over and kissed Adam softly on the cheek. He pulled back to look directly into Adam�s wide eyes. �And don�t worry. It�s just sleep. That was your goodnight kiss.� Smiling, Davey got out and started getting his bags out of the trunk, leaving Adam to sit there in questioning silence.
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