Momo was leaning against the gas station wall, his skateboard at his feet and a backpack slung over one shoulder. When he saw Mal, he kicked off toward the SUV, tossing his board and bag into the backseat before sliding into the front. The bridge was right next to the freeway on-ramp, making it a tricky spot for a pickup, so the gas station had become the go-to meeting place since Mal could drive.

“What up, Foolio?” Momo grinned as he buckled his seatbelt.

“Same old,” Mal replied, nodding to him as he pulled away from the gas station and back onto the road.

“So what did you do after we finished gaming last night?” Momo asked, stretching out in his seat.

Mal kept his eyes on the road, shrugging casually. “Crashed out. Woke up this morning, and… Harper was back.”

Momo’s eyes widened, and he turned to Mal, grinning. “Oh, damn. Harper’s back?”

“Yeah, she showed up this morning,”

Momo chuckled, shaking his head. “Man, that means we’re about to have some parties, huh? The penthouse is about to be the spot again.”

Momo leaned forward in his seat, his enthusiasm barely contained. “Man, you gotta fill me in. How’d she look? Did she just show up all casual, like no big deal?”

Mal laughed lightly, shaking his head. “Yeah, pretty much. Just rolled in like she hadn’t been gone forever. I didn’t even have time to process it before heading out, felt different though.”

“Different how?” Momo asked.

Mal thought for a second, the words escaping him. “I don’t know. It’s hard to explain. There’s just this... vibe. Feels kinda off, maybe... melancholy?”

Momo gave him a sideways glance. “She’s still hot though, right?”

Mal let out a snorted laugh, though it was more out of embarrassment. “Yeah, no question there. But... I kinda made an idiot out of myself.”

“What? You? Nooooooo….” Momo dramatically teased.

Mal was pretty famous for saying and doing some pretty humiliating things… most of the time completely unintentional.

Mal hesitated a little. “So, she was cooking breakfast, right? Said something about a hug, and I—I don’t know, man, I just walked up and hugged her from behind. But... maybe held on a little too long, you know? There was this awkward pause.”

Momo burst out laughing, nearly doubling over. “Oh, man—That’s epic haha! But, you two were always tight. I always figured something was going on behind the scenes anyway.”

Mal rolled his eyes, letting out a dismissive snort. “Nah, nothing like that.”

“So, is she hotter-hotter? Or like... trouble hotter?”

“Honestly? Maybe both.”

Momo whistled and shook his head, still grinning. “Oh man, this is gonna be good.”

PG.3A

The duo arrived at The Tiller’s Kitchen, a timeless spot nestled in the heart of Old Town. The diner, with its faded red brick facade and neon sign buzzing faintly, had been a staple for years. Its wide windows, framed in peeling white paint, gave a glimpse of the cozy interior, where old-fashioned booths and round wooden tables sat beneath dim hanging lights.

The smell of sizzling bacon and freshly brewed coffee greeted them as they stepped inside. The diner's simple charm always felt welcoming—the checkered tile floors and vintage jukebox in the corner only added to the nostalgic atmosphere. The Tiller’s was known for serving up portions so large that even growing teenage boys struggled to finish them. Most people called it a truck stop diner (even though it was in the middle of town, far from most freeways), and the well-worn seats had seen countless breakfasts and late-night meals for as long as Mal could remember.

Ahead of them, at one of the larger round tables, sat a familiar group. Evan, Jay, Robbie, Mika, and Leanne were already there, chatting and laughing as they sipped on coffee and waited for their friends to arrive.

Evan, Leanne, Mika, and their friend Koda were all heading to PineCrest University together with Mal and Momo, continuing the close bond they’d formed through skateboarding in high school. Though Robbie didn’t live near them, he knew everyone through his father, who owned the only skate shop in town. It became a central hub where everyone involved in the local skating scene crossed paths.

Mika and Koda had known each other for years, growing up in the same waterfront condos downtown, just a short ride from Mal’s place. They met Mal and the others through their mutual love of skateboarding, often hanging out at the shop or at the park.

Mal and Momo were the last to arrive, as usual.

“Told you we’d be the late ones again.”

Mal smirked. “Better late than never,” he replied, making his way toward their friends.

As Mal and Momo approached the table, they pulled up chairs, settling in next to their friends seated around the large table.

Momo glanced around and asked, “Hey, where’s Koda? I thought he’d be with us today.”

Leanne sipping her coffee smiled, shaking her head. “Koda’s still around, but he decided to move into the dorms.”

“Seriously? He lives like ten minutes away!”

“Yeah, but he wanted some independence,” Mika explained. “Figured he’d get the full college experience, you know? Living on campus, meeting new people... all that stuff.”

“Exactly. He wants to see what it’s like to be on his own for a bit, even if it’s just a short ride down the road. Can’t blame him for wanting to branch out.”

Momo shook his head with a grin, glancing out the diner window. “Good for him. Bet he’ll be the first one skating down dorm hallways, though.”

Roxy, the waitress, approached with a warm smile that lit up the diner. Her brown and burgundy uniform, meant to blend in with the diner’s old-school vibe, only made her stand out more. With her black hair streaked with silver, she exuded a colorful, rebellious edge that contrasted sharply with the drab attire.

Roxy and Robbie had a brief, unsuccessful relationship in school, but they managed to stay friends. Working at The Tiller’s Kitchen since high school allowed her to connect with everyone, especially since they didn’t attend the same school as her and Robbie. She was more of an honorary member, but you could never tell.

With a coffee pot in hand and two menus tucked under her arm, she greeted Mal and Momo.

“Coffee?” she asked, already topping off their friends’ cups.

“Thanks, Rox,” Mal said, nodding as she poured the coffee.

“You guys start at PCU today, right?” she asked, handing over the menus with a smile.

“Yup yup”

"One of my girlfriends is starting there too. She's some kind of art prodigy."

Mal raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

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"Nezami," Roxy replied. "She's hard to miss—Hot girl, lavender hair… but she's always trying to downplay how hot she is with these huge, thick hoodies and beanies."

Robbie perked up. "Wait, Nez is going there too?"

"Hold up, you know a hot girl and haven’t introduced us?" Momo said in a fake offended tone.

"I wouldn’t introduce a girl like her to you idiots."

Roxy laughed, "Yeah, I was gonna say the same thing."

"Harsh," Momo said.

Robbie added, "For real though, she’s super sweet. We went to the same elementary and junior high. I've known her since like fourth or fifth grade, right Roxy?"

"Yeah, it's been a long time."

"It’s wild how we all live so close but still have totally different friend groups,” Evan said sitting back in his chair.

Roxy chuckled. "Well, it's not like we hang out much outside of here."

“Ya that’s cuz you don’t skate” Mal joked.

Momo grinned playfully. "So, you wanna go hang out sometime then?”

Roxy shook her head with a laugh. "In your dreams, bub."

“What about you, Roxy? Still taking night classes?”

“Yep, still at it. But I’m hoping I can join you guys next semester.”

“That’d be awesome,” Leanne chimed in, grinning.

Roxy brushed a lock of silver hair out of her face. “We’ll see. So, what’ll it be? The usual, or feeling brave today?”

Mal shook his head slightly. "I’m not gonna be brave today. My nerves are kind of on edge, and my stomach’s a little queasy."

“Why don’t I get you some oatmeal and toast? It’s easy on the stomach.”

"Yeah, that’d be perfect," he replied, grateful for the suggestion.

She gave him a playful wink as she jotted down Momo’s order before heading back to the kitchen.

“Mal, what’s going on with your nerves?” Leanne asked.

He sighed, glancing down at the table. “I don’t know… sometimes I feel like I make decisions to do these things, and if I can’t make it work, then I’ve screwed myself.”

“What do you mean?” Evan asked genuinely.

Mal shrugged. “It’s like when we play online together. I’m always switching out my characters, and in my head, I’m like, ‘This is gonna be my main for a while,’ but then I end up switching again… I do a lot of things in life like that too,”

He half laughed. “…almost like a curse”

Jay chuckled. “Yeah, but that’s just you. You’re always trying out different things. There’s nothing wrong with that and you take the shots and I swear that’s all that really matters in life sometimes.”

“You’re too hard on yourself, man. Remember, you’re not married to it.” Robbie said in agreement.

"Mal, have you ever heard of the story about the guy who made his own prison?"

Mika asked.

"No, what’s that about?"

Mika grinned.

"There was this guy, right? He believed that if he could just break out of prison, everything would be perfect. It was his only focus—every single day, all he could think about was getting out. He thought freedom would bring happiness, and that escaping would solve everything."

Mal nodded slowly, listening as Mika continued.

"But every time he found a way out, he’d just end up in another prison. Each one was bigger, more complicated, more impossible to escape from than the last. And the more he fixated on breaking out, the larger or harder these prisons got. He never stopped to think about the present and never found any joy where he was. He couldn’t see any possibilities beyond his obsession with escape."

"Wait, so he just kept getting trapped?" Evan asked.

"Exactly."

Momo quietly chuckled. "I don’t think it works like that in real prisons, Mika."

She laughed, shaking her head. "No, no, I’m talking about a self-made prison—the kind in your mind. It’s not that he did something bad to end up there, it’s that he had this ‘If I can just...’ complex. You know? 'If I can just break out, if I can just make it to the outside, I’ll be happy.'"

Mal frowned, still trying to piece it together. "So, what’s the moral of the story?"

Mika paused for effect, her expression more serious now. "The moral is that if you’re constantly focused on getting out of the prison, all you're doing is creating bigger prisons for yourself. Instead of seeing doors or new paths, you’re just building more walls. The guy was so fixated on escaping, on what life outside would be like, that he set these crazy expectations—so high that they became his new prison, over and over. What he never realized was that true freedom comes from not obsessing over escaping, but from just moving forward, not knowing exactly where it leads…”

He knew what Mika was getting at. He’d done the same thing—kept telling himself that if he could just get into art school… if he could just find some safe walls to tag where he could express himself…then he would be happy. If he could learn to draw real characters…then he’d be happy. Then he’d know he was good enough.

Mika wasn’t done. She tilted her head at him. "So, what about you?"

Mal looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You keep saying, ‘If I get out of this, I’m going to do XYZ...’ But all you're doing is building another wall around yourself. You wanted to get into art school, and you did. You wanted to learn how to draw and animate... and now you're doing it. But you're still looking backward, telling yourself, 'I’ll be happy once I make it out.'"

Mal ran a hand through his hair, leaning back in his chair. "I just... thought if I got into the school, it’d mean I made it, y'know? That I was good enough."

Mika leaned forward, locking eyes with him. "But you already are good enough. You don’t need to keep moving the goalposts. There are no rules here, Mal. You don’t need to 'escape' to prove anything. Just keep moving toward what you want."

"So, stop focusing on getting out and just... focus on where he’s going?" Robbie asked.

“Exactamundo,” Mika said with a soft smile. "No more walls, no more prisons. Just go toward whatever feels right."

“Yo these early morning breakfasts gonna always be this deep?” Momo commented.

“I think it’s a good idea, we can just rotate hyping each other up as we start our next adventures.” Jay offered.

Leanne laughed “Ya we can take turns, today is Mal’s day he is the only one right now with some imaginary goal…verse Momo who is just whatever.”

“Hey! I care, but I love music and I was born naturally talented so I’m chillin’.”

His friends didn’t know the full extent of what weighed on Mal—the expectations tied to his family, the unspoken pressure. It wasn’t that he couldn’t change his fate, but the more he learned and studied, the more he realized if he couldn’t prove it then… it was a waste of time. Yet, every time he tried to fully embrace it, his mind would shut down, overwhelmed.

This time… but this time… he was sticking to the thing he wanted more than anything.

Leanne snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Stay with us, Mal. Don’t let your mind run wild.”

“Yeah, bro, do we need to get you some freaking Xanax or something?” Evan said joking.

“You know, sometimes that would help. My brain’s an asshole.”

“Everyone’s brain can be an asshole at times, man. But seriously, we’re just starting. There’s so much time to figure things out, learn, and pursue what you want.” Robbie exuberantly.

Mal noted Robbie’s words and nodded, shifting in his seat. Wanting to steer the conversation in a different direction, he looked over at Jay and Robbie. “So, Jay, when do you start your new job?”

Jay grinned. “Next week. I’ll be a full-time salaryman... Well, entry-level,” he laughed.

Jay had landed a position as a desktop support technician for a company downtown. He’d always been great with computers, and after a summer internship during high school, the company offered him a full-time gig starting in September.

“Nice subject change, bro.”

Robbie winked at Mal who made a small tch sound with his mouth. “What about you, then fool? You gonna keep working for the old man?” Mal continued.

Robbie’s adopted father, Torah, was a well-known figure in the community, owning Skate Café right in the heart of PineCrest (A small shopping district close to the college, after which all of the surrounding areas were named). It was the perfect spot for skaters and students alike, and Robbie had been working there for years.

“Oh yeah,” Robbie said with a grin. “If he has anything to say about it, I’ll be taking over the place soon. He and my mom want to travel, so I’ll be running things.”

“As long as he’s been running that place, it’s a well-deserved break,” Leanne added.

“What about Nova? How’s he doing?” Momo asked.

“He’s living in the apartment above the shop.”

“Wait, with you guys?” Mika said surprised.

Robbie shook his head. “Nah, he’s up on the fifth floor. It used to be storage, but my dad converted it for him. Nova’s always traveling, so it gives him a dedicated space when he’s in town without worrying about the other stuff.”

Mika laughed softly. “It’s so wild that Nova’s this famous skateboarder now, traveling all over the world.”

“Yeah, thanks to your dad’s shop, for sure.” Mal added.

“Yeah, my Pop’s pretty much kick-started his whole career. And now Nova’s paying it back by making sure hulio is known worldwide.”

“Dude, Nova’s got it made. Skating, traveling, his own place. Living the dream, miss that dude.” Momo said.

“He’s back, he is running skateboard clinics for my pops so stop by and see him.”

“Oh yeah? That’s awesome, I will for sure swing in!”

Mal didn’t know that Nova was back and the idea of it and Harper also being back seemed strange. He couldn’t place the thought or the theory at this moment, but he was putting a mental pin in it for himself.

Mal glanced at his coffee, swirling it absently strange times he thought.

After some more conversation and laughter around the table, Roxy returned, with a large tray skillfully balancing all their meals. Placing the plates in front of everyone, she saved Mal's oatmeal for last. As she set it down in front of him, she smiled, and he noticed the brown sugar heart she'd drawn on top.

“For good luck,” she winked at him.

Mal grinned back, leaning into the banter. “Don’t get too lovey-dovey with me now. I’ll sweep you off your feet.”

Roxy chuckled as she slid the tray under her arm. “I’ll take you up on that offer any day,” she teased, before turning and walking back toward the kitchen.

As soon as she was out of earshot, both Momo and Robbie exchanged smirks, locking eyes with Mal.

“I swear, man, it’s because you’ve got sisters that the girls just fall into your lap.” Robbie joked.

Leanne gave him a playful, sarcastic look, nodding toward him with a teasing grin. “I mean, you are pretty feminine.”

Before Mal could respond, Momo jumped in to defend him. “Hey, leave him alone! He lives in a house full of women, it’s bound to rub off.”

The entire table erupted in laughter, with Mal going slightly red, though he couldn’t help but join in.

The group shared a few more laughs as they finished up their meals, the mood lightening as the conversation moved on. Eventually, after settling the bill and saying their goodbyes, Mal and Momo made their way out of the diner, heading back to Mal’s truck to start their first day at PineCrest .