Chapter Text
Memorising each crack of faded paint, David stared at his ceiling. It would be a gruelling 10 more minutes before the euphoria hit. His mind was still spinning, finding new ways to make existence a struggle. Losing patience, he decided a walk would be best. He wouldn't want his parents to see him like this away, not that they would care.
Shutting the front door already made him breathe a bit easier. The cool wind motivated him to walk as far as he could. He focused on his steps, one foot in front of the other. It was really dark outside so it wasn't like he was missing the view, just committed to keep moving.
After a while, the step became slower. David was calm, looking between the shadows of the tree line. The crease between his eyebrows faded. As was he.
The breeze now felt liberating. His strolling was almost happy. He wasn't weighted down by the world and it was beautiful.
Gazing across the fields at the top of a hill, he noticed a figure. Sober David would have walked off. Someone out at this time is either a psychopath or high. But he wasn't sober David. There was something pulling at him to approach the stranger. A calm persistent intuition.
Continuing the stroll, the stranger's outline formed stronger. A guy slightly taller than him with broad shoulders hiding underneath a grey zip up hoodie. David wondered how he hasn't got hyperthermia yet. He walked slower as he approached the stranger, not wanting to look like a psychopath. The guy looked up with a blank expression then his eyes widened briefly.
"You alright mate?" The stranger called out to David, clearly wary of the circumstances.
"I'm doing not too bad, thanks. What are you doing out here?" David cheerful questioned.
"Ah it's nothing... Just something I do sometimes..." The stranger shifted uncomfortably. "What are you doing there?"
"Oh well I'm a bit faded and I don't want my parents seeing."
The stranger sighed with relief, the tension in his jaws loosening.
"Don't you wanna sit?" David gestured towards the patch of grass between them.
"Sure! I need a break anyway."
They sat awkwardly looking at each other on the cold grass.
"What's your name?" asked the stranger.
"David. What's yours?"
"Gabe. I mean my name is Gabriel but it's Gabe."
"Noted, Gabe."
The silence returned. It wasn't bad or uncomfortable, it just sat with them. Like they didn't know anything else to say.
"Why are you high?" Asked Gabe, interrupting the peaceful silence.
The question caught him off guard. Questions around this subject were mainly rhetorical jabs at his choices, never why.
"Idk..." David lied "I just wanted to."
That was a half truth.
He sat with the silence again, Gabe seemed to as well.
There was something puzzling David. Why was Gabe out here? He didn't seem like the type to just wander off in the middle of the night. Questions rolled around his head over and over again, until he became too impatient.
"But seriously, why are you out here?"
Gabe's body tensed then slouched as he sighed.
"You really want to know... Well my mum is in the hospital again." Gabe paused. "She doesn't always know what's going on..."
"Oh, okay." David didn't know what to say.
The silence came back. This time it was tense and cold.
"So are you at school, uni or something else?" David asked desperately trying to salvage the conversation.
"Well in a week I will be in Cambridge, studying chemistry and trying not to get lost. What about you?"
David's jaw dropped, the coincidence astounded him.
"No fucking way..." david chuckled . "I am off to Cambridge too! I wanna make sure I'm unpacked before my Philosophy professional bores me to death."
Gabe looks at him and smiles.
"Well at least I know someone there now." The boy is still looking at David, smiling.
David smiling back at him wonders whether Gabe is on something too.
"Well I'd better be heading back now mum should be home in the morning." Gabe stood up, zipping up his hoodie.
"Yeah of course, I hope she's alright... I guess I'll see you in Cambridge then." David said sincerely whilst trying to get his balance.
"For sure, see you around David."
David smiles and turns around, starting to walk back the way he came.
"See ya Gabriel!"
A smirk appeared on his face.
"It's Gabe!" Gabriel shouted over.
"Yeah, yeah." David giggles.