Before you start to read, understand that I am a terrible spelling and I lack the patienance to go back over my story. I have a habit of letting my mind work faster then my hands can type. Please keep that in mind as you read...

Ever had one of those nights where you laid on your bed and you can feel the tension's weight actually lift off your body? Your body then sinks into the mattress, into the warmth of the covers and your whole body relaxes. You are almost in the brick of the sleeping sensation when you here you are mother's voice pierce into that heavenly darkness.

"Tai, telephone," I heard my mother yell at me through the door.

"Got it, thanks!" I yelled back, slowly lifting myself off the bed and glancing at the clock. Pass twelve, why was I getting a phone call pass twelve. Mom and dad are really going to be pissed at me and it's not even my fault! "Hello?" I asked, "Hello!" I said more loudly after I received no answer from the first greeting.

"Tai?" the voice sounded a bit hoarse can confused from the other line.

"Yep, it's the number you called. I hope it's good because I was almost sleeping, do you know how it feels to be almost sleeping!" I asked.

"I didn't know who else to call," the voice mumbled.

"Matt?" I frowned, looking at the clock again, "You okay?"

"I can't find my keys Tai…" Matt sounded confused that time, "I left them over there but there not there." Of course, we are on the phone so I am not sure where "there" is exactly but I started to catch on.

"Matt, where are you?" I asked, putting my shoes on as I spoke to him, "Where is your cell phone?"

"I have a phone." Matt stated as realizing it for the first time, "Where is it?"

"I don't know…" I gave a deep sigh. "Where are you at?"

"Um…Where am I at?" I looked at the phone then shook my head as I heard another voice on the other end. "I am at 32 Siloam Road," the pronunciation of his two has begun to slur a little.

"Okay, I'm coming but you need to stay put," I told him. "Stay there!" I repeated and headed for the door.

"That's exactly what I told me keys!" Matt laughed on the other end.

"What's going on?" My mother stood by her bedroom door.

"I think Matt is at a party and a friend of his took his keys. He needs a lift," I shrugged my shoulders.

"Do you want me to get your father up?" She asked. "He could drive one car and you the other."

"Um," I looked at the door, there was going to be a lecture somewhere on the drive to pick up Matt, "I hate to get him up when he's sleeping and I don't know if Matt will stay there or not. I really need to hurry."

"I'm already up," My father came out from his room buttoning up his shirt, "that phone call woke me up and your mother wanted me to get him if you didn't."

"Oh," What else could I say? "Well…um."

"Where is he at?" My father asked as he grabbed his set of the keys. I told him as we were walking out the door and right on cue, he went on in one of his lectures about drinking. Which I don't understand why, I was not the one drinking, it was Matt and he called for someone to pick him up! Doesn't that show some kind of responsibility!

Finally, we reached house 32, which clearly had an out of control party dwelling at the home, and I know my father pitied the parent s that are unaware of the condition that their home is in.

"Please, stay here." I begged my father. There might be some of my other friends in there as well. I could not let them see me with my dad; I would never live it down! I walked pass half-naked people, a few necking and a few half stone I am sure they were unable to identify whom they were if asked. When I reached for the door, it flew open before I even had a chance to turn the handle. Some huge kid came barrelling out, covering his mouth and holding his stomach. I hurried to get out of his wayas he barely made it to the bushes before he started to puke up the contents in his stomach. The aroma was too much to bare so I rushed into the house. With music blaring loud enough to feel vibrations through the floor, Ididn't evenbother to try and ask anyone if they had seen Matt but I merely went on my way in search for my friend. It tooka few closet searching, strolling around the pool, bathroom invasions, bedroom peeking before I found him in a room with a girl I never seen before and I am sure he had no idea who she was. They were just starting to get in to their making out session when I interrupted them.She didn't even try to cover herself up, but boldly stuck out those perfect breast of hers. Her shirt somehow was drapped up on the ceiling fan that slowly moved, casting a weird shadow on the floor.

"Hate to do this but I'm here to collect Matt," I told the red head girl, she looked a little like Sora.

"But his' mine for tonight…" the girl pouted which I would have loved to fall for but the burp that escaped her mouth ruined it for me.

"Maybe next time," I told her as she sat on the bed, covering her mouth. I helped Matt off the bed. He mumbled something I did not understand but he was able to stumble out the door with me pushing against the middle of his back, his shoes in my other hand.

"Here's his keys," A black hair girl gave me Matt's car keys. I glanced upat the depressed gothic girl and could tell straight away that she wasn't enjoying the party.

"Long night?" I asked her, stuffing his keys into my pocket.

"You could say that," She gave a nod as she looked around the trashed out house.

"I take it this is your home?"

"Is until my parents come home and finds all of this, then I'll be looking for a new place! They are going to kick me out fur sure!" She started to cry. I wanted to comfort her but I didn't want to be stuck cleaning out a bathroom with a backed up toilet, after all, she got herself into this mess. Besides, how long would the party last, it was nearly daylight now...and I really needed to get Matt home.

"I'm sure they will understand, after all they were young once too! " I try to look at the bright side of everything.

"Hardly. I think they were born at the age of forty!" the girl sniffled, wiping away her tears.

"Lindsay," Matt leaned against her drunkenly, "I think Sam is pissing behind the sofa!"

"You think?" I looked at Matt and then at the kid he was pointing. It was obvious! The kid had his pants down around his angles, his dick in hand.

"I'm so dead!" Lindsay started whimpering

"It looks like your parents need to remodel anyhow," I looked around, "Some of this stuff is older then my grandmother." About that time, we heard a vase crash.

"Sorry!" Some kid yelled, "I thought I could catch that one…" another crash, "I really thought I could catch that one too!"

"Some of this is my grandmothers!" Lindsay started wailing, "I hate all of you!" Clearly, I wasn't making things any better so I collected Matt and took him outside. I almost tripped going down the walkway, remember that kid that had threw up behind the bushes? He decided to take a nap in the middle of the sidewalk which made walking for Matt even more difucult.

Dad helped me load my friend into his car, not wanting him to puke in our car. "I'll just stay over at his place," I told my father, "I don't' think his dad is home."

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Sure, Matt's only drunk." I gave a shrug. "I'll call if I need you. It might be late afternoon before I get home."

"He's lucky," my father looked at me then rubbed my head, "Not many people have a friend like you."

"It's hard to believe in the state he's in, but he's a pretty good friend to have around too." I shrugged.

"Well, I'm proud of you. I've done things wrong in raising you and I have doubted myself but some how you managed to turn out better then I had image." My dad slapped me on the back before getting into his car. "Call me if you need anything at all."

"Sure thing." I had to smile. He was proud of me! I felt like the greatest person in the world just then.

"I think you ought to lose a few pounds buddy," I grunted as Matt carelessly stumbled and bumped into me almost knocking me down.

"I'm fat!" Matt looked down at his flat stomach. I forgot how much he and Mimi cared about their appearances.

"Relax, you look fine," I lied. He looked like hell! Not only because of the effect of the alcohol but he looked as he hadn't slept for days.

"I can't find my keys," Matt looked confused and started to turn his pockets inside out.

"I've got them," I held them before my friend. "I have your shoes too."

"You have my shoes?" Matt looked down at his feet and for some odd reason, he started to laugh, "MY SHOES!"

"Shhh…you'll wake up your neighbours!" I started to look around wondering who was spying on us as Matt tried to plunged the key into the hole.

"Need a bit of help there?" I asked, really I was getting impatient; I was tired and cranky by now. I could have been having the best dream of my life for all I knew but instead I'm waiting outside my best friend's apartment door as he unsuccessfully tried to unlock the damn door.

"I've got it.." Matt muttered in his new slurred language. He grabbed both hands around the key to steady himself and fell against the door, the key slipped inside the whole easy enough and with a click, it became unlock. That only took five minutes!

"It only takes a turn of the hand to unlock a door Matt. No need in throwing your whole body into it." Matt only stared at me in confusion as the door creaked open. I pulled Matt into his apartment, "Is your dad home?" I asked, not really waiting for a reply, I just started to look around.

"Don't know," Matt laid on the floor. "I just got home."

"What are you doing?" I glanced down at the blonde head boy at my feet.

"What does it look like?" Matt asked, "I am going to go to sleep."

"You can't sleep on the floor." I tugged Matt up.

"What's wrong with the floor?" Matt asked as I pushed and pulled him to his bedroom. "It's clean!"

"If your dad isn't home yet, he'll trip over you." I told him.

"DAD YOU HOME!" Matt yelled and waited for a moment, "Hey Tai…"

"Hmmmm?"

"I don't think dad is home."

"You don't say!" I pushed Matt onto the bed.

"You know what Tai."

"What's that Matt?" I gave a deep sigh. I didn't realise how tired I was until I saw his clock and it's bright red numbers beside his bed. I could not wait to go to bed; even I would sleep on the floor right about now! Getting some sleep would be better then none at all.

"Caterpillars are lucky," Matt told me.

It took me a moment to realize what he had said and that he was serious, which made me smile, "And how are they lucky? Birds eat them and people step on them!"

"Yea but if they survive all that, then they built a little tiny cocoon," Matt held up his thumb and forefinger to illustrate how tiny, "This big and then they change and do you know what they change into?"

"Um..I'm just guessing here but I have to go with butterflies?" I scratched the back of my head and found a set on the chair next to Matt's bed.

"No more caterpillars. They change completely. Wouldn't it be cool to change completely and start all over again?" Matt sighed.

I glanced over at him with a serious look. "Do you wish you were someone else?"

"Don't you?" Matt asked.

"Well…yeah I guess so." I frowned and looked down at the top of my shoes. "I guess a lot of people wish they were someone else until they become that person. I know there are times in my life that I wish I could wipe the slate clean and start all over again."

"You know what else?" Matt asked.

"What's that?" I watched Matt unbutton his shirt and give it a toss to the far corner of the room.

"My room is spinning really fast," Matt laughed and pointed to a nail hook in his wall. "See the lady bug move!"

"That's not a lady bug, Matt."

"Then kill it!" Matt's blue eyes grew larger.

"It's a nail!" I told him. "Just a nail."Then I looked back down at Matt who slowly started to close his eyes, "Good night." I said softly and stood up to leave when Matt's cell phone went off.

"Damn it!He just started to go to sleep!" I shouted to his phone that was somewhere in the room, I tooka quick glanceat Matt only to find him searching for the ringing phone with his eyes close. I pushed myself off the chair and started to search around the room for the phone.

"Here phonie phone..." Matt slurred his words together as the phone kept on rining. "Ello?" Matt had picked up the alarm clock and started to speak to it.

"That's not your phone," I told him as I kept searching.

"I can't hear you!" Matt said softly still talking to the alarm clock. "The phone is ticking…you have to speak up!"

"It's not going to answer you,'" I warned him. "I found it!" I held up Matt's phone.

"Damn thing never works," Matt muttered and gave his alarm clock a toss that knocked me in the head.

"OW! God damn it Matt!" I rubbed his head, "If you weren't drunk I'd push you out the window! Hello! "I said sharply into the phone. "Do you know how late it is? Why would you be calling this early in the morning? Haven't you ever heard of people sleeping?" So I was being a bit rude but damn it, my head hurt! I know I'm going to be bruising in the morning..

"Gee's sorry I woke you up." A girl's voice said from the other line.

"Sora?" I frown, "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"Why do you have Matt's phone?"

"Because he's was using the alarm clock," I simple shrugged.

"What?"

"It's a long story."

"Oh," Sora was silent on the other end, "Well…did Matt make it home okay?"

"Yeah he gave me a call." I told her and sat down at the foot end of Matt's bed. "How did you know…"

"He left a message on my phone but I couldn't call him back at the moment."

"How comes?" I asked, "I thought your mom didn't mind you talking to us at work."

"Oh it wasn't her fault, it was mine. I left the phone in the car…along with the keys."

"Oi, but that burnt!" I had to laugh just seeing Sora peering into her car as the keys lay on the seat. It wouldn't be funny if she had not done it five times this month alone. All her friends carry an extra set just for her.

"I suppose you could say that." Sora sighed, "So how is he?"

"Passed out," I scratched my head again, not that I have lice or any other kind of parasite but when I'm feeling uncomfortable, I seem to scratch the back of my head. Like Sora when she tugs at her hair and Matt when he glares…well okay, he does that all the time.

"It was really good of you to get him and bring him home." Sora told me.

"I feel good about it too, as long as he doesn't puke and I have to clean up the mess… I will feel differently about this whole situation if it comes down to that!"

"Do you want me to come over?" Sora asked.

"No," I sighed, "He's resting now."

"Oh." Sora was silent on the other end of the phone. I could just vision her wrapping the telephone cord around her fingers, "Well, I guess good night."

"Yeah, night Sora." I said softly. "Hey Sora!"

"Yeah Tai?" Sora asked just as softly.

"Why don't we talk anymore? I mean really talk like we use too?"

"I don't know. I guess we kind of drifted apart." Sora whispered, "It's not just you and me either. God I have no idea when the last time I actually spoke to Mimi. We always instant mail each other. Joe I haven't even done that with."

"We should get together. I don't know, do something instead of just waiting for everyone to become strangers."

"For some of us, I think we are already strangers, Tai." Sora told me, "It's a great idea but it's been talked about before and so far…nothing changed."

"Yeah but this time it's MY idea."

"Oh, well then that settles it!" Sora laughed softly.

"Sora?" I leaned an arm on my knee.

"Hmmm?"

"It's nice to hear you laugh again," It has been longer then I thought, but to hear that laughter echoing in the phone made my night. "I can see you tug the little strain of hair near you neck."

Sora put her hand down and blushed, "I'm not Tai…"

"Good night Sora," I smiled, "Don't worry WE all will get together again. You'll see."

"If you say so," Sora shrugged her shoulders. Until there is a plan, she wasn't getting her hopes up," Tai?"

"Huh?"

"Would you give Matt a kiss for me?"

"HA! Would you like to see me with two black eyes?"

"Well how about telling him I checked up on him," Sora laughed just imaging Tai giving her boyfriend a kiss.

"Sure, I'll send your love his way." I smiled and looked down at the sleeping boy.

"Night Tai."

"Night again Sora." I said slowly before turning off the phone and laying it on the dresser's top. I gave another glance at Matt and my thoughts drifted back the party when I barged in on Matt and that girl. I doubt Matt would even remember her or remember that he was kissing her, but still I couldn't help the feeling of placing that pillow on Matt's face to suffocate him. He shouldn't be getting himself in those kinds of situations. He was dating my best friend after all. I don't know what I would do if they broke up. I hope they realise how tough this relationship is on me and thought about it before they started to date. "You're a lucky man, Matt. I hope you start realising it." I gave a deep sigh and made my way to Matt's couch.

"Time to get up Blondie!" I screamed three inches from Matt's face. He gave one of his cavemen grunts and turned onto his stomach. "Wake up sleeping beauty!" that time I felt a sharp sting against my jaw. I stood straight and touched my tender jaw. "You Fucker!" I muttered, I couldn't believe he punched me! There is another bruise to add to my face. I went out of his room and the other room Tk stayed when he was over. After a few minutes of searching, I found what I wanted and raced back to my friend's side. "WAKE UP!" and pulled the trigger of the blow horn.

An awful noise ascended out of the funnel mouth of the horn and echoed into Matt's ear. He sat straight up and gave me the worse stare I had even seen.

"I'm going to kill you!" Matt threw the covers off and jumped out of the bed. I was ready to take off but when I was at the doorway when I notice Matt was holding the bedpost. "I'm going to be sick…" he grumbled and pushed passed me to the bathroom.

"You want any eggs with that!" I yelled after him.

"Leave me alone!" Matt after a few gagging noises were made.

"They are freshly cracked open. Still snotty so if you like them scrampled..better let me know before I fry them!" I called to him. That comment started another gagging secession. I smiled and made my way to the small table with my breakfast, even though it was pass 1:00 in the afternoon. I just woke up twenty minutes ago. I picked my fork up and dug into the hot eggs when I noticed a letter on the table. I glanced at the bathroom; sure Matt was not coming out anytime soon, flipped over the paper and started to read. So you could say that I am a nosy person however, I like to look at it as knowing what is going on in my friend's life. Besides, if it were private, why would he leave it on the table where just anyone could break into his house and read the note?

"Dear Matt," Oh, I thought, it was a fan letter. I remember he would often share them with a few of us and we would all laugh and make wise cracks about it. As the year went by, like everything else, it grew old and he stopped bring them alone and for the most part, we stopped asking him too. I continued to feed my face while I skimmed over the letter, to me that was all it was…just a letter. I flipped it over once to see if anything was on the back, nothing. . A simple "You are a dream, love you, want to have your baby" letter Matt had gotten before. I shrugged and looked down at my eggs.

"What are you doing?" Matt asked me, taking the letter out of my hands. I looked up, a fork load of eggs near my lips. He had just taken a shower and his hair dripped yet but he looked fresh and smelt a hell of a lot better.

"Don't' know what you call it but I call this a feast!" I smiled at the eggs, which only won me a confused look from Matt.

"Not! Why are you reading my letter?" he asked me.

"Because it was there.." I simple said, "What difference does it make? I read them before and that's no different then any of the other millions." I studied Matt's face but I couldn't read anything. He always had a hard time showing his feelings and it is hard to understand what he is thinking. To be honest, I don't even know what keeps us together as friends. We are so much different from each other. I am cheerful, he is moody. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, he's intelligent. I love to shout and be heard, he would rather be quiet and overlooked.

"Sorry," Matt just shook his head and put the letter in the drawer. "Um…" he looked at the eggs, I smiled and held up a forkful towards him. "I'll be back…," he muttered and I heard the bathroom door shut as he started to the gagging noise again.

"That is what happens when you drink way too much!" I shouted and gobbled up my eggs before he came back out.

"Has Dad been home?" He asked coming out of the bathroom again.

"Not that I'm aware of," I shrugged. "Is he gone like this a lot?"

"Yeah, lately." Matt shrugged, "He has a new girlfriend he's been seeing."

"Who?" I asked with a smile.

"Your mom," Matt said with a serious look.

"That's not funny Matt," I glared. My parents went through this argument for a month where my father actually accused my mom of cheating on him. I thought for sure it was leading up to a divorce and I remember going to Matt's house a lot while I just talked, ranted, cried and kicked the wall. All that time, he listen, didn't say anything but listen and that was more then I could have asked for. He did not judge my parents or me; he just let me be angry.

"Sorry, I couldn't help it." Matt sat down across from me frowning into his coffee mug.

"So who is he dating?"

"I don't know. He hadn't told me.," he simple said.

"Maybe you have to ask."

"He'll tell me if he wants me to know." Matt gave me on of his "drop it" looks. We were quiet for a while, which is another difference between him. I fear the silent, Matt craves it.

"Hey Matt," I nudged his leg with my shoe, "Lets go camping."

"Camping? Just like that?" Matt frowned, "I have band and tours."

"I want to go camping!" I told him sternly, "I want you to come and I want Sora to be there, Izzy too and his damn computer, Joe and all of those books…you can even bring your bullet head brother too."

"Tai, you can't just drop everything for the moment." Matt looked over at me.

"Why not? We are still kids Matt. Why can't we drop what we are doing and live for the moment?" I asked.

"Because the moment is already pass Tai. We might be kids but we are on the verge of adulthood too. We have responsibility."

"Make time for me Matt." I told him. "I make time for you. I drop everything when one of you need me. I need to go camping and I need my friends with me."

"Why now? Why all the sudden?"

I thought for a moment, trying to get my words together, "I'm afraid of losing you all."

"To what?"

"To life. To growing up. To adulthood." I shrugged. "I want another carefree day with all my friends." I looked straight into those ocean blue eyes, "Make time for me Matt."