There was laughter as I walked through the door. Who was here entertaining my mom? Was it one of my aunts? It could be one of my uncles as well, but the laugh sounded feminine. I stalked my way toward the kitchen where I spotted my mom laughing like no tomorrow as she had her hand on Button's shoulder. The scene was nice, she hasn't laughed like this in a while.

I wonder what they were talking about. Hopefully not me.

"Hey, what's so funny?" I questioned them as I made my presence known.

My mom calmed herself but kept a smile on her face. "Nothing, just recalling some things when you two were younger is all."

That scared me a bit. The amount of buffoonery I engaged in just couldn't be counted especially when I was a young child. I had my fair share of funny moments, but nothing to warrant this type of laughter that I could recall.

There was the box she had prior to me leaving was empty, and displayed on the table were different picture frames. Some were taken long ago when my grandparents were still around, others were copies of my time in elementary school. I focused on one that showed Ricky and me standing in our swim trunks in front of a pool. Honestly forgot that even happened until now.

"Oh yeah?" My interest was piqued, I had to know what was said.

Buttons grinned as she raised her brow in one swift motion. Oh, this was bad. Really bad. She only did that when she was truly enjoying herself at someone else's dismay. It was a cute habit of hers to watch when you weren't the one at the butt of whatever she was laughing at.

Seeing my reaction warranted another laugh from my mom. She just couldn't contain herself anymore.

While I was all the more thrilled to see her this happy, I wasn't so glad that she found whatever I did funny. Not when I wasn't clued in on what it was that I did.

"Alright, thanks for that I really needed it," She said as she wiped away a tear sliding down her cheek as she patted Buttons on the shoulder. "Now that he's back, I'll give you two your space."

"Anytime Mrs. Bishop," Buttons told her with a grin as she approached me. Twisting on her feet she did a full circle as she took a step backward so she stood next to me but was facing my mom. "I'll keep this one out of trouble while you finish up here."

"What trouble?" I asked, but the two women eyed one another and had another round of laughter.

Before we left the kitchen I placed the sack of groceries on the table. I did get some eggs, along with a six-pack of coke. Not already counting the one I was sipping on my entire walk back.

"Don't forget the floors are squeaky you two, so I'll know if somethings up." My mom just couldn't help herself.

"Ma! Really?"

"What? Just a little reminder, is all." She cracked a smile as she fanned us to leave her be.

Buttons found the comment hilarious. I just found it embarrassing. If my cheeks could turn red they would have at that moment.

"I can't, I just can't." I didn't even know what to say after that bit and walked towards the stairs. Buttons in tow with a flushed face.

"Ha, ha, ha, very funny. Now, what were the two of you talking about?" I wasn't going to drill the answer out of her, but it was bothering me. There's not one thing in the world that is that hilarious.

Buttons shrugged as I should have expected her to as she played innocent. Her smile could melt the coldest of hearts, but I wasn't buying what she was selling. I just had to know, so I resorted to the one thing I knew I could get her with.

"Ray, stop!" Buttons nearly missed a step as she leaned forward beginning to giggle like a little girl. My fingers were moving about her waist as I pinpointed all the spots she was weak at.

"You going to tell me?" I asked as I stopped tickling her.

She gave me a devilish grin before sprinting up the stairs. What were we five? I chased after her, but heard my mom yelling from down below. "Don't yall be running in my house!"

We didn't really listen, as Buttons dashed to the bedroom and shut the door. The door didn't close all the way leaving an opening for me to come through. Nearly hitting the wall I quickly caught the door handle preventing it from making a hole in the wall or any noise. This only halted my movements for a moment before I eyed the room but couldn't find Buttons. Taking a few steps forward, she pounced on me from the closet.

Laughing a stepped backward as her ticklish assault caused me to lose my footing. Getting tripped up along with me we both took a tumble landing on the black futon. It was laid out in a manner someone could sleep on, but I would call it anything but a soft landing.

"You're a bit heavier than you look," I commented as she had her weight on top of me.

Rolling her eyes, she got off top of me. Laying on her stomach I caught sight of her back, or a portion of it. The upper part was exposed due to the crisscross grey strings attached to her long sleeve crop tee. Her dragon tattoo was partially exposed, the colors still as vibrant as ever.

I ran my fingers across the design as I remembered the day she got it. It's been what, five years? Man, time really doesn't wait on anyone.

Turning her head, she looked at me in the eyes. "What do you think you're doing?" She asked me.

"Nothing," I responded. "Just recalling something."

"Uhuh, and what's that?"

I stopped tracing the design and moved my hand away. "That's a secret. I'll trade you though if you tell me what was so funny."

She seemed to give it some thought but opted not to cave in. "I think I'm good."

"Pity. So, what's up? Why'd you come here?"

Buttons flipped over to lay on her back. "You missed our appointment, so I decided to see what was going on with you."

You know, just got some news that I'll be dead soon if I don't do anything about it. I was so busy taking it all in that I don't know, just missed the time and you didn't reply to my message so there's that as well. Is what I wanted to say, but felt hard to.

"Well, I did message you. You could have replied," I said in defense.

"Oh, I could have replied?" She sounded amused by what I said as she leaned forward.

I raised my hands in surrender. "You aren't going to let that go are you?"

When I left the city I left behind everyone in it as well. I forwent contacting them thinking of putting that life behind me. Turns out that doing so also had some consequences.

"Damn right, I'm never letting this one go."

"I'm sorry it won't happen again promise." I raised my pinky to show I was serious about it.

It was childish to make a pinky promise at my age but I found myself doing it when I was serious. I've never broken a pinky promise, Buttons knew that, everyone I hung out with knew that. I'm not even sure when it started, maybe when I was a kid. My mom taught it to me and said something to the younger version of myself and it just stuck.

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"It's all in the past now, but don't do it again." She said as our pinky fingers crossed. "I'm serious Ray."

"Yeah, I know," I told her as I believed she was. "So, why'd you want to meet?"

Buttons laid back down next to me but this time closer with her head leaning on my chest. I was scared for a moment that she would notice the bulge but I seemed to be safe for now.

"I just... I just needed someone to lean on." She said it in a way that almost sounded as if she were sad.

My mind had questions, but my body refused to ask any of them. Such as why couldn't she lean on her sister? Jenny was three years younger than Buttons, but they were close to one another. She had a great relationship with her family and told Jenny everything. There was no way she couldn't tell her whatever was going on.

Instead of asking questions, my hand started playing with her hair. It was more calming for me than her, but then again I didn't know how she felt about it.

"So, what about you?" She asked me in a more upbeat tone.

"What do you mean?"

"What have you been up to? Don't say nothing either, Kiki already called and said you were into something."

Damn, I should not have contacted her. Who knew she'd run and go tell Buttons? I should have known but my mind was thinking about other things at that moment. Having this conversation was not one of them.

"Just dealing with something personal, I'll get through it," I explained to her without trying to have her worry about me.

She looked up at me and I felt her hand on top of mine. "You know I worry about you sometimes."

"Uhuh, so you're here to give me some advice or something?" I asked her as I grabbed her hand. It was small, soft, and warm to the touch. No hard calluses or scars, just perfect. I wasn't looking at it but just feeling around when I rummaged over her ring. I started to caress it and all the power this small ring held. Not to ring, but the gem that was embedded in it. A small gem held so much, and was worth a ton. No way was she able to afford this doing what we used to do. My mind drifted back to the image of her with that sack of drugs. Even with that, she might not be able to buy one.

"Yes, but not really. It's just one of the reasons I wanted to meet like this." She said as she interlocked her fingers with mine. "I just don't want you to do anything stupid and get yourself hurt or in trouble, you know?"

I chuckled at that. "Have you known me to do anything stupid?"

"You really want me to answer that?"

"Yeah, better not."

"You know you can talk to me if something is wrong, or come to me if you have a problem." Buttons told me.

I stopped playing around in her hair and sighed. I've known Buttons a long time and there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for me. She's been by my side for as long as I could remember, was there when Ricky came around. Sometimes I felt that she was my other half, always knew what I was up to or when something was bothering me. I don't know how she knew these things, but she did. It was nice.

"Yeah, and the same goes for me."

"So, what was it like? Outside the city?" She asked me.

Man, where could I even begin? New Dawn City is a place some people spend their entire lives in without ever seeing what the rest of the world has to offer. They only live in this one state, never venturing out of it. Me? I went three hours south from here to New Vegas but what I saw and experienced it was like a whole different world.

"I, I don't even know where to begin," I told her honestly.

"We've got time, so start from the beginning." She said.

I watched her close her eyes and her body relax as our fingers moved slowly in one another's grasp.

"Well, we left because of my dad's promotion and whatnot. More responsibility, more pay but a different location. I spent my entire life here within these borders, always thinking this was it for me. This was my life. Then, we left and I saw how beautiful this state truly is. New Vegas has this huge arc as you enter the city, lights always flashing even throughout the night. The streetlife is amazing, and the food to die for." I began rattling on and on about nothing that important. I slowly realized that this wasn't what she was asking me, this was just a vague summary.

Buttons might not ever leave this place, she wanted a vivid description, something she could envision in her mind so it was like she was there.

So, I gave her what she asked for. I spent minutes putting as many details as I could into just the sight beyond the border. What we did as we drove, the places and people I saw.

She chuckled as I was talking about a job I had in New Vegas. Nothing major, just being an employee at a shoe store. It wasn't my first real job, but it kept me from doing a lot of stupid stuff. I kept my head as low as I could but had a few side hustles going on here and there. That job also did not last very long.

"I can't picture you wearing something like that, do you have pictures?" She asked me.

"No! Trust me, it's nothing you'd want to see."

"It sounds like I do, and you sound like you liked it there. Maybe even loved it."

I thought it over, my time in New Vegas. It wasn't the greatest thing in the world, but compared to this place they were miles apart. Don't get me wrong, that place was still ass for what went on there, but it could be considered paradise when compared to here.

"I wouldn't take it that far."

"Did you miss us? Me?"

"A little." I teased her.

She opened her eyes on that. "Oh, just a little?"

With how I was currently feeling, I did miss her and the others. But, I wasn't willing to admit that out loud. I'm not making this easy for myself when I should.

Seeing as how I did not respond right away, she changed the topic. "You talk to Alisha since you've been back?"

Alisha? Why was she bringing her up all of a sudden? I had a feeling why but was not a thousand percent sure. Still, I just talked about her not that long ago with Adam.

She's my ex, someone I was with for a little more than a year. But like everyone else in New Dawn City, I never contacted her after I left. I didn't ghost her leaving her to believe we were still in a relationship. We talked about that after I found out I was leaving. But, I haven't seen or heard from her since then.

"No, I don't think we're on speaking terms."

"Well, at least you'll have your eyes open now."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked her.

"Just saying, when you two were dating it was hard to do anything with you, you know? You both were glued to one another like white on rice. You just weren't yourself when you were with her, it felt wrong." She told me.

I never knew that was how she felt. Did the others feel the same way, or was it just her? I mean, Alisha was something special but I didn't give her all of my attention. We just enjoyed one another's company. She was like Buttons in a way, kept me grounded and out of as much trouble as she possibly could.

"You know, my ma always liked you better. Pops did too, even admitted it once." I confessed.

She smiled at that. I thought it cheered her up a little knowing that my parents liked her more than my girlfriend at the time.

"Thanks," She said. "But it's kind of hard not to like me."

"A bit narcissist don't you think?"

"Just a bit," She agreed. "And how are you holding up, with him gone now?" She drove the conversation there. Buttons was never one to give up.

Sighing again, I thought back on a few things. They didn't seem to weigh me down as much as before, at least not at this moment.

"Not sure, just fine I guess. I've never dealt with this before, so I think it's taking me some time to figure it all out. My grandparents died when I was young so don't remember much about that, and some cousins and aunts too but I wasn't close to them. My dad is like the real closest person I've lost, so I think it just hasn't truly sunk all the way in."

"I don't know Ray, I think I'd cry, break down even. Losing family, real family is like a piece of you is torn out that you can never get back. Time won't fix it, time will only make it easier to take those next steps, but the pain is still there." Buttons sounded as if she were speaking from experience, but last I checked her family was still alive. Well even. Did something happen to one of them while I was away?

I don't know, but I do know that I squeezed her hand letting her know I was here with her. She shot me a sly grin but we didn't say anything about it.

"I think the hardest part is not seeing it. I never saw his body, only my mom did. We even had a closed casket for him, so none of it feels real to me."

"Yeah, I get that. There are a lot of things that won't feel real until you see or try it for yourself." She said.

"So, Ahri," I used Button's real name which any of us who knew her rarely ever did. "You got anyone special?"

She stayed silent on the question but had that look on her face. I used my free hand to tickle her causing Buttons to squirm about. She couldn't get free because we were still holding hands, so there was nothing but her laughter in the air. Soon after she began her attack on me and we let go of our hands as she tried to get away.

Not this time.

"You're a bit heavier than you look." Buttons told me as this time I was on top of her. I chuckled as my real weight wasn't even being used, so she was lying. I had her arms pinned down against the futon so she wasn't able to tickle me anymore, but we kept our eyes locked on one another.

"Ha, ha, funny."

"See what I did there?"

This time I rolled my eyes, such a terrible joke.

"You know Ray I'm going to start thinking you like me in another way if we continue to stay in this position."

I looked behind me and saw what she meant, but I didn't mind. "So you're saying I should move?"

"Well, I didn't say that exactly."

"You know Buttons-"

Her phone rang, it was a specific tune that I was used to hearing. A mood killer for what I was about to say. I removed myself from our current position and Buttons grabbed her phone that was in her jeans. She looked at it and showed me that Ricky was calling her, I just nodded. She did not answer the phone though, instead, she stood up.

"You know, next time we meet up like this you should let me do something to your hair."

Hearing that I grabbed my hair that was tied back by nothing but a rubber band. It did need some work done to it.

"Yeah, alright," I told her. "You know our lives like a cliche right?"

She laughed at that. "A bit yeah. Oh, I nearly forgot." Buttons pulled something out of her back pocket. It was a key, a black and red one at that.

"No, you didn't?" I couldn't contain the smile on my face seeing what was presented before me.

"I did. It's parked at Kiki's, I've ridden it a few times but now that you're back might as well take her."

"Buttons, you know I love you right?" I was so ecstatic at this moment. I gave my motorcycle to, well no one really. I left it at the hideout and the key along with it. Thought they'd give it away to someone or even sell it for cash. Never crossed my mind that they'd keep it.

She grinned as she tossed me the key. "Yeah, I know."