"'Badassest' isn't a word,"
"It is from now,"
"You mustn't use 'most' and '-est' together."
"Just shut up and help me with this already!" AJ grew impatient.
"Okay," MRJ rolled his eyes. "Geez."
The Sun had set. The duo found themselves sprawled on the floor.
"Book, pen," MRJ reported. "Check!"
"Perfect!" AJ sounded enthusiastic. "Cue the montage!"
"Uh… that's not how this works. We're not in some movie."
"Just note down what I tell you," AJ sighed.
The evening passed slowly as the duo brainstormed over creating the most efficient guide to surviving a zombie apocalypse.
"How much more?!" MRJ complained. "I'm hungry!"
"Fine, let's go out," AJ said. "I gotta check up on some stuff too."
"Woah! Really?" MRJ was taken back.
"Yep," AJ nodded. "What's wrong?"
"That isn't like you, man," MRJ narrowed his eyes. "You are usually super against eating out."
"Usually," AJ sighed. "I wanna catch some fresh air. You never see how much you take things for granted until you lose 'em."
"Huh?" MRJ looked puzzled.
"Let's go!" AJ got up.
"Not gonna argue with that!"
The duo stepped out into the cool breeze of the night. Though it was pretty late, they found a few people walking about. They came across the park where the kids played.
"Man, I don't know," MRJ glanced at the people outside the park. "I miss my fam all of a sudden, and it's not been two days since I last saw them!"
AJ started walking in the direction of the mall. MRJ caught up with him.
"December is right around the corner," he pointed out. "Your parents coming to see you this time?"
"I don't know," AJ spoke nonchalantly.
"They didn't talk anything on it?" MRJ inquired.
AJ shrugged despondently.
"Hey, it's chill," MRJ patted him on the back. "Don't be a downer now."
"Uh-huh,"
"You can always come to my place, you know? Dad's been asking to see you,"
"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," AJ put on a small smile.
"Now cheer up," MRJ grinned. "You look like someone who broke up with the love of his life."
"That bad, huh?" AJ laughed. "Well, race you to the mall, you cheer-freak!"
AJ took off running.
"Hey!" MRJ chased after him. "Not fair!"
The duo stopped in front of the mall. They saw the place bustling with people. To AJ's amazement, he found the mall decorated with skeletons and jack-o'-lanterns and orange streamers. The sign 'Mooncourt Mall' had an orange glow instead of the usual blue. Guessing what was going through AJ's mind, MRJ burst out laughing.
"Please don't tell me you forgot Halloween!" MRJ guffawed.
"Shut up!" AJ was quick to refute. "Of course, I remember Halloween!"
"Yeah, right! You know what? This wasn't a bad idea. You could really use a break from anime-"
"Not a word about anime. It's the only thing that kept me sane during the break!"
"Yeah, sane enough to forget something like Halloween!"
"Whatever, man," AJ rolled his eyes. "Huh, why were there no trick-or-treaters in our street?"
"Dude, you really need to live in this world," MRJ laughed as he walked past the sliding doors.
AJ looked around.
"The mall's throwing a Halloween party. The rides in the Game-Corner are free for the evening. Who needs trick-or-treating when they can play Rambo on the arcade machines a dozen hundred times? I thought the party was the reason you decided to come here in the first place."
"Damn, bro!" AJ exclaimed. "I had no idea! Free food?!"
"You never change," MRJ sighed.
"What are we waiting for?" AJ grew impatient. "Let's go!"
"That's how it is now, huh?"
"C'mon!" AJ ran up the escalator, bumping into people.
"Wait up!" MRJ smiled awkwardly at the cold stares they received from the mallgoers.
MRJ pushed open the double doors to the main hall where the teenagers were partying. Loud music blasted through the speakers. Cold air rushed out to meet them.
"Ladies, first!" AJ appeared smug.
MRJ shook his head and entered the hall. AJ walked in after him. The air smelled of candy. The atmosphere was full of cheers and laughter. Glaring lights swayed with the beat of the music. It was enough to cause someone a seizure.
"Ow, my eyes!" AJ cried out. "This place is swarming with kids! Ugh, and they are doing the Forknife dances."
"The what dance?" MRJ looked confused.
AJ pointed to the dancing kids.
"Hey, I can do that too!" MRJ beamed. "What seems to be the problem?"
"Nothing," AJ rolled his eyes
"Oh," MRJ laughed. "You are just salty cos you can't disco."
"Really? Salty, over that?" AJ frowned.
MRJ grinned.
"Why did you bring me here anyways? The party on the second floor seemed more enticing than whatever crap this is. Or did you suddenly forget we're nineteen?"
"Well, sorry," MRJ rolled his eyes. "I thought you might wanna socialize instead of staring at tits all night."
"What?!" AJ scoffed. "I could have actually had fun socializing there!"
"Some of my friends from college are meeting up at the back," MRJ pointed. "And since we're here, might as well introduce you to them."
"Aw, c'mon, man," AJ sounded dispirited. "That wasn't part of the plan!"
MRJ ignored AJ and made his way to the back. AJ managed to catch up with him to find him facing one of their ex-classmates. AJ slowed down when he recognized Marvin.