“So, I have to stay up late cuz we’re sleeping in my backyard?”

If he was going to be stupid like that, Noah wouldn’t tell him anything. “Shut up.”

The tent lit up when Cooper turned on a flashlight. Noah felt eyes on him, but didn’t roll over to face Cooper.

“They fightin’ again?” Cooper whispered, and Noah wondered how his friend knew. It wasn’t like Cooper had witnessed it or anything. When things were calm, his parents got along awesome. The only thing Coop knew, was Noah’s stories. Still, he was right…kind of.

“No…not really fightin’ but I think she’s doing it again.”

Cooper didn’t have to ask what. “How come?”

“There was a cigarette on the side of the back porch when Dad made me clean the yard. It was half-smoked, but you could tell it wasn’t old.” Neither of Noah’s parents smoked.

“Maybe she had a friend over? Or maybe your dad did. Oh! I bet one of them smokes and they don’t want you to know.”

Noah didn’t reply because he knew it hadn’t been his Mom’s or Dad’s. He didn’t know how, but he knew his mom was messin’ with some guy again. Which meant, it wouldn’t be long until the fighting started. Until they’d decide to go—to get that fresh start that never came. Until Noah would be forced to leave his best friend.

He flinched when he felt Coop’s hand on his shoulder. “We’ll tell ’em you’re not going. I bet Uncle Vernon and Aunt Autumn will let you stay with us. Then we can hang out all the time. We’ll be like brothers.”

“Yeah?” Noah asked, knowing he shouldn’t believe it, but not having it in him not to trust Coop.

“Yep.”

Noah closed his eyes, suddenly feeling okay to go to sleep. Cooper was right. Autumn and Vernon let him stay at their house all the time. Plus, they took Cooper in when his parents died. They’d probably do the same for Noah so he could stay here.

“You’re my best friend. We’ll run away if we have to,” Cooper told him.

Noah wanted to tell him thank you, but he thought that would sound way too girlie. “Then we wouldn’t have to go to school anymore either.”

“Awesome. We could do whatever we wanted.” There was a pause and then, “I got your back, Noah. You and me? We’ll always be a team.”

Noah hoped so. “I got yours too.”

When he woke up in the morning, Cooper’s hand was still touching him.

***

“Hey, you in there, man?” Cooper kicked at Noah’s chair. “You’re spacing off.”

“If I wasn’t, I am now. Thanks for kicking me.” He said the words with a smile on his face, but he looked upset to Cooper. In a lot of ways, he felt like a fucking idiot for even thinking that. It wasn’t like he really knew Noah all that well anymore, but he also remembered seeing the same look on his face when they were kids. Remembered Noah kind of disappearing into his own head when he had too much shit on his mind.

That didn’t mean he knew what to say about it, so Coop said the only thing he could think of. “Wanna beer?”

Noah laughed. “Nope.”

“No? I’m not sure I understand.”

Noah laughed again, and it felt more real than the first one. Coop knew he was always good for a laugh. People came to him expecting a good time. Even, when he was younger. It was a hell of a lot easier to try to make people laugh than to deal with other shit.

Noah stood. Coop still couldn’t get over his old friend being back. He didn’t think anyone knew him as well as Noah used to.

“Let me rephrase. I want a beer, I just don’t want it here. I’m going stir crazy, man. I need out of the house tonight.”

Now, that was a language Cooper could understand. “That’s what I’m talkin’ about. I could use a few games of pool and a couple beers.”

It was obviously too early to do much of anything, so they hung around the house for a few hours. They watched Sports Center for a while. Cooper threw some burgers on the grill and they ate dinner, comfortably, as though years hadn’t separated them. Afterward, Cooper took a shower, and then Noah jumped in next.

Noah came out wearing a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt. Cooper hated admitting to himself that he noticed how the shirt stretched across his chest. Not because he dug men or anything. Hell, not because he ever really noticed them, but… “You cold or happy to see me?” he teased Noah.

“Fuck you. They’re piercings.”