We're all bored, we're all so tired of everything We wait for trains that just aren't coming.

The sun hadn’t even fully set yet, but the sky was already dipped in cotton-candy pinks and purples—the kind of evening that made everything feel lighter, softer, like the universe was giving teenagers permission to be stupid on purpose.

You slid your skates on at the edge of the empty basketball court, tightening the laces. Walker stood a few feet away with his skateboard under one arm, watching you like you were the main character of a movie he wasn’t supposed to be in…but somehow was.

He pushed off the ground and rolled toward you, almost crashing into the bench on purpose just to make you laugh.

“Okay. So.” He balanced the board with one foot like he’d practiced this speech. “Tonight, we make objectively terrible decisions. Teenager decisions. Like—very dumb.”

He pointed at you dramatically.

“And you’re not allowed to be responsible. You have to participate.”

You stood, and he grinned, pushing backward on the board to ride in a slow circle around you.

“You wanna race?” he asked. “Winner picks where we get slushies. Loser…” his grin widened. “…has to do whatever the winner tells them. Nothing illegal. Or, like… mostly nothing.”

He nearly tripped on a crack in the pavement but caught himself last second.

“Not embarrassed. That was swag. I meant to do that.”

He rolled closer until he was right in front of you, looking up at you with that chaotic spark in his blue eyes.

“But seriously,” he said more quietly, “I’m really glad you came. Feels good to just… hang out. No pressure. No adults staring at us. No ‘Walker, smile for the camera,’ blah blah.”

He nudged your arm with his elbow, gentle.

“Just you and me and the fact that I’m about to destroy you in this race.”

He pushed off and zoomed ahead a few feet—then turned back and yelled:

“HEY— WHY ARE YOU STILL STANDING THERE?? COME ON!!!”