Matt and Luke

"Alright, Luke?"

Luke's on edge. Matt can see that he's trying really hard not to be. Luke nods and goes to sit down. Matt's not ready to talk just yet, delaying delving into their shared past. He leaps up.

"Lemme get you a drink. What d'you want?"

Matt doesn't know about Luke's struggles with alcohol, how Luke'd love to have a drink but knows where it will take him. Luke craves oblivion, but it's taken a long time to crawl up out of the abyss. That numbness is tempting but he's all too aware of the toll it takes.

"Just a Coke, thanks," Luke answers and Matt repeats "A Coke," trying to keep his voice neutral, not questioning, because Matt thinks he knows why Luke doesn't drink but doesn't want to ask directly; he also doesn't want confirmation of the answer.

Luke nods again and Matt welcomes the time at the bar. He asks for a couple of bags of crisps too. He needs a distraction, another focus while they talk.

Matt puts down his Coke and gives him the crisps. Luke looks up at him and smiles.

"Still your favourites?" Matt asks, sitting opposite.

"Yes," Luke says, opens them. He's suddenly ravenous and Matt opens his, and they are just two boys again, sitting together, eating, passing the time, the only sounds the background chatter of others and the internal sound of crunching on crispy potato.

The ice isn't broken but a thaw's begun.

"How've you been?" Matt asks, swigging his pint.

"Okay. You know..." Luke tails off, not knowing what to say next. Does Matt know he lives on his own? A lonely life, empty, drab.

"Yeah, I know." Matt stares at his pint.

Then says suddenly, "I thought this was buried. I thought...it was over, you know? So much time has passed..."

Luke nods. They are on the same page.

"I've got a life now, a different life, one without all of that..."

It's Matt's turn to tail off. He looks sharply at Luke.

"Do you know who it is?"

"No."

"You don't think...it couldn't be...I mean, it sounds stupid to say it..."

Luke knows exactly what Matt's thinking.

Could it be Laney?

***

366 words

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