Humid, loud, and packed. My heart is squeezing in my chest, tight with panic. Too many people, too much noise. A drunk, slurring girl knocks into me. I'm drenched in cheap beer. Air, I need air.

The sound of the party roars like an amphitheater until the back door slams shut. Silence rings in my ears. The air is crisp, like a clean slap across my face.

I sit down on the backstairs with a deep sigh. The forest stretches out in front of me, daunting shadows painted on the night sky. Haunting, but pretty.

"I should've known I'd find you here."

I scream, a shrill embarrassing sound only the dogs can hear. Mark startles, screaming in response. When we both fall silent, only the crickets fill the space between us.

He looks... good. Healthy, just as blonde and cute as before, but healthier. Maybe I was making him sick.

"Sorry about that, my nerves are shot." My voice barely carries across the canyon between us.

He laughs. Mark is always laughing. "Well my ears are shot, too. Now we match."

Mark always had the sense of humor. I was the glum one, always the shadow on his sunshine. It's easier to see his shine when I'm not blotting it out.

"Yeah... I'm sorry-" my voice chokes out, like his eyes caught me in a chokehold. "I'm glad you're still you, Mark."

He doesn't laugh, just smiles. That smile use to bloom a thousand flowers in my chest, now it merely puts me at ease.

"I'm very glad you didn't change either, Kelly." He sounds genuine, which is new. Mark never use to sound genuine, everything was always a joke.

I laugh and hope it doesn't sound as hallow as it feels, "I really hope I've changed. No one wants Kelly from a year ago."

"Sure they did, I was just too busy getting in your way."

I blink, because it's the only thing my body will do. Anymore than blinking will send my nervous system into shock.

Mark's hair looks like a halo in the warm back porch light, small bugs flitting around him like sparks, "I use to hide you from people, unintentionally of course. I'd be big, you'd be small. I'd be loud, you'd be quiet."

I open my mouth... nothing comes out. He smiles again, gentle as a lapping wave after a storm.

"You deserve to be front and center, and I was hogging the limelight."

Oh. That's... something. I smile, and it feels real. It feels just as warm as Marks hugs use to be, how warm our bed was at night, how warm the sun was when I was a kid.

"You're not the villain, Mark." I nod, like I'm agreeing with myself, "Neither of us are. There's nothing to be sorry about."

He nods along with me, and laughs again. Good, he should always laugh. His laugh could cure a headache.

He hooks a finger over his shoulder, wiggling his brows like an old cartoon character, "Wanna' head back inside and find you a new man to lust after?"

And just like that, my heart doesn't ache when I look at him. Old wounds have healed, he's just a scar. A fun story to tell when someone asks.

"Oh shut up, I never lusted after you Mark." I shove past him, smiling at his burst of laughter.

Mark jumps inside, screaming right behind me, "Kelly Jones is looking for a hot blooded man, can anyone help her?"

A chorus of whoops and hollers ring out. I laugh along with Mark. The whole party feels endless, like tonight could be the start of the rest of my life.

Mark pats my back. feels good to have an old friend back.