A Life Given Is Never A Life Lost

Chapter Six

A/N: Scotty is off to the side--}}

Liam

My best friend doesn't look much different than he did the last time I saw him, granted I've been watching his family closely for years. He's rocking a little man beard of his own, not making him look completely different but mostly just making him look older. There's just something about him now that screams 'Help! I'm married and have three kids'.

One look at the guy and you can tell that he's happy. He's carrying himself much different than he used to back when we were teenagers. Although he always seemed to tower over anyone who tried to stand up against him, he would still always slouch. This, of course, wasn't from lack of confidence but more so just a lack of caring of what other people thought about him. Now he's still relaxed, but in a way that doesn't look like he's trying too hard to be something that he's not. 

 "Danny!" Scott shouts with his arm wrapped around his brother. He hasn't seemed to notice me yet so I stand still and watch the encounter. "Where have you been all night? Abby said that she let you in and then you just ran off without saying hi. I haven't seen you in a few months."

"Aw, you missed me? I can't believe it, I thought that you-"

"No Daniel, I didn't miss you, but I do miss that two hundred dollars that you still owe me."

"Really?" Daniel looks up at his brother like a kicked puppy. "Scott, we're both rich. You don't need the two hundred dollars."

"Almost forgot about that," Scott drops his arm from his brother's shoulder before looking over in my direction. "Who's this?"

His eyes narrow at me for a moment and I'm almost scared that he's going to recognize me just from looking at me. I can tell that he's trying to size me up, obviously trying to figure out where he's seen me from before. 

"Scott meet Randy Hardon," Miranda steps in to introduce me once again. I can see the humor flashing across Scott's face as soon my fake last name leaves her mouth. "Hardon meet my brother, Scott Rogers."

"Hard on," Scott puts his hand out for me to shake and grasps my own firmly. "Now that's something I'm familiar with. Pleasure to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too," I laugh lightly at how formal he's being with me, unknowing of who I actually am. "I take it you're the man of the hour? Happy anniversary."

"Thanks man," Scott and I pull our hands away, letting them drop back down to our sides. "But if you do happen to come across my wife, don't say anything to her about the anniversary. She gets a bit... exciteful."

"Exciteful?" I frown at his statement, wondering what he could mean by that. "Like what?"

"Like she'll try to track me down and jump my bones in the middle of the party," Scott says it like it's a bad thing. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not against it. But I don't need another incident where my parents find the two of us in a closet. That was awkward enough last time that it happened. Abby just gets really happy on any sort of holiday, and when she gets happy..."