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“Huh?” She looked back at James.
“Where are you tonight?” He gave her a look.
“Oh, my god!” Archie walked outside with them.
Their other friend, Brian, was right behind him and laughing.
“What’s going on?” Archie glanced between Tabitha and James.
“Nothing.” James smirked.
Tabitha crossed her arms. “Are we doing this or what?”
“We know we’re the longest relationship you’ll ever have, man.” Brian slapped Archie on the back, then Archie playfully shoved him.
The four of them decided months ago that they needed to make graduation night a memorable one. It had been James’ idea. He would be joining the MC over the summer, as a prospect, of course. Archie would be leaving for the academy at the end of the summer. Brian had an internship and would be leaving in a few days. Tabitha would leave for college in the fall. They wanted to leave their mark behind. It had to be somewhere that would last longer after they’d gone.
The MC’s future clubhouse was just across the lake and Brian had suggested it. With it still being built and the cement still drying, it was the perfect place. They walked along the edge, the full moon reflecting off the water and lighting up the path.
They kept quiet and snuck in through a gap in the fence. The back porch area had cement poured at the end of the day. They knew because Archie’s dad was complaining when he came in late for the graduation. The four of them walked up to the edge of it and kneeled. Tabitha was between Archie and James, with Brian on the other side of James.
“Did you bring something?” Tabitha looked around.
Tyler reached back and grabbed a stick. “This will work.”
“Momentous.” James chuckled.
“Shhh, they’ve probably got cameras up already.” Archie teased.
It wouldn’t surprise her. They had to protect their property. It helped that three of them had dad’s in the club. Tabitha shook her head as they took turns carving their initials into the nearly dried cement. She couldn’t help but add a little extra flourish, so her letters nearly touched Archie’s. He was her best friend after all.
“To the best friends I could ask for.” Archie pulled a flask out of his back pocket.
“To the next step.” Brian tipped it back next.
“Cheers.” Tabitha made a face before taking a small sip of the whiskey.
“To the longest relationships Archie will ever have.” James teased. “To family.”
“Family.” They all said in unison before passing the flask back around a second time.
None of them had siblings, they naturally found each other as little kids and refused to not be in each other’s lives. Tabitha knew things would change after tonight. But for just this moment, she allowed herself to hope they would be close again. At some point in the future, they would be drawn back together again.
CHAPTER20
ARCHIE
It was like she knew what he was going to do before he did it. He would move to sit next to her, but she would get up seconds before. She’d maneuver before he could even put his arm around her. He wasthisclose to throwing her over his shoulder and taking her out of the room until she stopped putting distance between them.
They were friends too, and avoiding him wasn’t going to change anything.
“Dude.” James sat down next to him. He shook his hair out of his eyes.
Archie leaned back and crossed his arms.
“Aww, she’s not paying attention to him.” Brian chuckled across the table.
“Piss off.” Archie’s eyes found hers across the room.
