Friday Night Pizza

Chapter 1 - A Long Awaited Reunion

Five minutes now. It was five minutes past mid-day on a Tuesday afternoon. Stirring a teaspoon in a decreasingly warm mug of hot chocolate, a figure in a Hawaiian shirt sat tensely at a round coffee table. Six minutes now. Lent on his fist, he stared, fixated on the door that had not moved in over half an hour.

Ten minutes. At this point, he figured that whoever it was, was not coming for lack of better words. Shooting the barista a look of hope, all he got in return was a solemn head shake. Letting out an exasperated sigh, it was obvious at this point what was happening; his friend wasn't coming. Just as he was about to stand and leave, the door let out a jolly ring as it opened with a grand SLAM. Wide-eyed, everyone looked to the wide open door with a tall, finely-dressed man in it. A small smile tugged at the stern-looking man's lips.

"Rookie!" he let out, half out of breath.

Rookie didn't hide his smile, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Guy!"

Guy hurriedly rushed over to Rookie, shooting the barista an apologetic look as the barista stood in awe looking at him.

Guy stood tall and looked incredibly smart. He wore a dark, smooth pea coat with golden buttons that shone like the sun in the light that refracted in the small coffee shop. A tie hung tightly underneath a collar of a white shirt. Polished black brogues sat smartly beneath a pair of perfect pants that matched his coat. Rookie eyed him with sudden nervousness as the only thing that hadn't really changed about him was his dark red dreadlocks; they had just grown longer and were now tied up neatly in a ponytail.

Rookie on the other hand hadn't really changed at all. His style was still the same as it was in high school.  Sporting a red Hawaiian shirt with white flowers, beige cargo shorts (they were originally full length but he decided to cut and roll the ends) and a pair of socks and sandals. He squirmed under the gaze of Guy as he came across the room at him. 

Sitting down parallel from Rookie, Guy sighed and started to apologize for being late to their meeting.

"Rookie I am so sorry that I'm late." He started abruptly, "I COMPLETELY underestimated how long it would take me to get here." Guy half-lied. For one, he had a jet pack at home but was not allowed to use it outside of work. Secondly, a suspicious character was spotted in the area and the people he worked with really weren't happy about it.

"It's fine." Rookie returned, still with a smile on his face, a quality that everyone adored from Rookie, "It's good to see you again. What did you do after high school? I haven't seen you in years, man!"

"Well.." Guy stalled as he began to make up a cover story. "I went into a police school. Made my way up the chain and now I am doing pretty well for myself." A general but convincing story.

"I can see," Rookie laughed, eyeing Guy's suit again. "Puts me to shame haha..."

"Speaking of which, what did you go on to do? Last I heard of you, you were interested in tourism right?"

Rookie nodded before sighing awkwardly "Okay, promise not to laugh, but... I ended up at an office job." He couldn't bare to look at Guy. "I was originally doing tours but got promoted into a.. less active job."

Guy still sat, stone-faced as ever but completely lost for words. Internally he was completely dumbfounded. The Rookie he knew from high school would never have stood for something like this. 

"So... how long have you been here waiting?" Guy asked, changing the subject as Rookie was visibly uncomfortable.

"Oh... not long.." He lied.

"Your drink is cold." Guy returned bluntly.

"Oh, haha" Rookie laughed nervously. In reality, he had been there ten minutes before their arranged meeting time. Guy was infamously known for his punctuality; he was never late to anything unless something more important stood in the way.