fall back ... sapnap

eight.

"so she didn't answer you like, at all?" karl asked the upset boy,

"no! she literally left me on read."

karl cringed at the amount of attitude sapnap was giving him, though he understood, "well what did you say?"

"i told her i didn't regret kissing her."

"i mean, respect for telling the truth but- on the first conversation? you don't gotta speedrun it." karl giggled,

"you're right. do you think i should text her again?"

"give it time, don't worry so much! you guys are made for each other, it's like- fate! you have to get together sometime." karl spoke, and sapnap furrowed his eyebrows,

"i mean, for right now i just want my best friend back."

"sure you do, sapnap." the older boy laughed again, spinning his chair around in circles.

their conversation ended shortly after that, sapnap practically jumping out of his seat to go find some food,

"hey mom! what's for dinner- oh, hey audey." the boy spoke as he saw his old best friends mom in his kitchen,

he used to call her mrs. audra, but over time the families became so close, that it felt more informal to call her something like that.

"my boy, how are you?" audra asked, stepping away from sapnap's mother and going to pull the boy into a hug,

he smiled into the hug, the familiar feeling washing over him. anna hugged just like that. "i'm okay, how are you?"

"i'm lovely." she spoke, pulling away from the boy she saw as a son, and going to take a seat next to her friend, "your mother and i were planning the christmas party for this year, would you like to help?"

sapnap's heart dropped at her words. he had completely forgotten about the christmas eve party that the two families shared every year. he'd have to see anna.

"um, is anna coming home for christmas?"

his mother sighed, "yes, my love. i thought you two were getting along again?"

he shrugged, "kinda. we haven't talked much."

audra frowned, "i know she misses you. she's just scared."

"but i'm scared, nick!" the young girl laughed as they stood by the doors of the haunted house, they had just turned thirteen and they'd wanted to go to this haunted house for years, finally able to go once they convinced their parents.

"anna, come on! we've been planning this for like- twenty years!"

she scoffed, "twenty years, my ass!"

"anna!"

"fine, fine! i know! no cussing! you'll get over that little cussing thing one day i swear to-" anna rambled before nick elbowed her,

"we gotta go inside, dude! we're holding up the line!"

she sighed, "okay, just-" the girl looked around for a sort of reassurance, before grabbing his hand tightly, "don't let go. okay?"

nick's cheeks burned at the feeling of his best friends hand in his, thankful for the darkness around them to cover the embarrassment, "okay."

"you promise you won't leave me?"

he giggled at her words, "i promise."

"i miss her too." sapnap spoke, "and i'm scared."

"nicholas, that girl is not something you have to worry about, you two are best friends!" his mother spoke, putting a hand on his cheeks as he leaned into it,