Chapter 10

An eternity seemed to pass as Mikey and I

stared each other down. That moment, more than any other before or

since, was the single second when I knew our friendship was

changing. I was moving on, coming into my own, becoming myself and

no longer a part of him.

Then RC slapped me on the back and laughed.

“You boys have fun,” he said, heading into the dining room after

Mr. Pierce. He didn’t look back, didn’t invite me to join him, and

the moment was lost.

“Come on,” Mikey said again. When I

took a step toward him, he turned and hurried to the stairs. “Jeez,

these bottles are damn cold, I’m telling you.”

And I was eighteen again, on the cusp of

manhood, snickering with my best friend as we stole some bottles of

beer right out from under the watchful eye of his dad without

anyone knowing. I had the rest of my life to grow up. I didn’t have

to do it tonight.

* * * *

Upstairs Mikey showed me what he had snagged.

Two bottles of dark Killian’s Red beer were tucked into the