It was hard to believe it was already sunset by the time they had arrived at the lake. The lake itself was a common date spot and a hard location to get reservations for in either the cabins or the little weird yurt things but there was never a time when you weren’t allowed to visit the lake. A small sigh left him as he climbed out of the car and the two started towards the lake. Half of him was excited to see his old friend back but the other half was disappointed to see her in such a state. She must hate it, and people probably assume that she couldn’t do anything because of the crutches but… well that’s not who she was.

When Gray was younger, he had very few friends; well, honest friends and that weren’t trying to get something from him. The closest one was Monica and she was always against his help. “Let me help.” Was a common phrase out of Gray’s mouth, which was met with Monica’s common phrase, “I can do it by myself.” Sometimes that phrase was said a lot louder than others; but they would always be met with the same response from Gray; a chuckle, hands held up in ‘surrender’ fashion and a small step back. Of course, as every true friend does, as soon as she fell on her face Gray was to her side chuckling and helping her back on her feet asking again if she wanted help, there’s never been a time when he pulled her off the ground that she had answered ‘no’.

“Yeah…  yeah it really is…” Gray responded when she mentioned how lovely it was. Though his attention wasn’t [i]exactly[/i] on the lake as he followed her down the path and to the shore line. Who would have thought that the little tom-boy rebel girl he grew up with would turn into such a beautiful woman. He would love to see her in something a little more… ‘girly’, a dress or a shirt or something. She had really become an adult and there was no denying the beauty in front of him. Pulling a hand from his pocket, he ran it along the back of his neck and shook his head slightly as if to move the thoughts from his skull. That’s kinda… weird; where did that come from?

When she sat down, he kept himself standing looking over the waters with a long soft sigh. The last time they were here was the day before prom. Neither of them had a date and that’s when he sucked it up and asked her to be his date. Not because he couldn’t find someone else but because he didn’t want to find someone else. Monica was one of the few people he could be his goofy, awkward, nerdy self around and not feel like he was getting judged. Why wouldn’t he ask her to prom?! However, someone else could have wanted to take her so he waited until the last minute to ask. Turns out it wasn’t such a bad idea, they had a wonderful time and it was something worth remembering… except her disappearing after that; that was a topic worth forgetting about now that she’s back.

“Pppppffffffftttttttttt.” Gray said, blowing air through his lips before giving a small chuckled, “You agreed to the title of ‘best friend’; you’re stuck with me.” Flopping down next to her he stretched his legs out in front of him and placing his hands behind him for more support before giving her a small nudge with his arm. “Call it a blessing, call it a curse; be grateful or hate it, I’m here until the end.”

“Though… I do have a question for you.” His chocolate gaze turned back to her. Leaning towards her, he spoke softly. “I can’t help but wonder…” His voice trailed off as he got closer to her and put his lips ever so gently against her ear. “Why… do you… have flowers in your hair?” With that he leaned back, in his motions he had put some of the flowers around them in her hair and gave her a cheeky cheese grin. “They look good on you.”