Day 25

I told Lakeisha what occurred after I gave Kyle his twenty-fourth birthday card. After I told her, she laughed. "Ren, you really don't know?!"

"No, I don't. Tell me what's on your mind." I ripped open a cup of applesauce mom packed in my lunchbag for me. "You're my friend, I trust your judgement."

"The only reason a guy is happy a girl isn't related to him is because he wants to screw her." Lakeisha continues to eat like she just said she took a walk outside and loved it.

"That's so funny, Lake!" I tell her as I start eating my applesauce.

"Don't make it any less true," she replied.

"He's terminally ill and you think he's thinking about that. Isn't that ridiculous?!"

Lakeisha smirked as she said, "Of course he is. Wouldn't you become a horndog if you were about to meet your maker? None of us know about the afterlife so none of us knows if sex is even a thing on the other side of the veil."

"Shit, you're right!" I exclaimed. Shaking my head I add, "And that's so a Kyle thing to think of too."

Even though talking with Lakeisha was enlightening, it increased my awkwardness towards Kyle. I'm glad that his Birthday card was simple and to the point.

"Congratulations, you're a Quarter of a Century older," Kyle said aloud that day after school. He closes the card and asked me, "And that's supposed to be an achievement because....?"

"A Quarter Kyle, a Quarter! Take the win!" said his friend Polk. Tripoli dragged a chair from the lobby of the hospice center and placed it near the door. While her boyfriend and I were sitting right near Kyle's bedside. I didn't know they'd be there. I was just as surprised as Kyle was.

"How are things at the theater, man? Did you go for any big roles or are you still obsessively hung on the sound booth?" Polk frowned after Kyle said that.

"Sounds are just bits of music yet to be discovered and music is life!"

"Polk means he hasn't gone for any big roles yet and he'd like to build his own music studio one day," said Tripoli as she finished off a text. She looked up at Polk as she said in a sugary voice, "Isn't that right sweetie?"

"Yes it is, Tree!" he said loud enough for her to hear and gave her a two fingered salute.

"Somebody's whipped," Kyle whispered aloud.

"Shut up," whispered Polk back.