The Pack Is Too Packed

Sassara and Zyra sat against each other's backs on the sidewalk. The three guys stood in front of Conan's door.

"Come on man," said Ali expressionless. "If I don't eat soon, I'll eat all of you."

"God would frown on that," said Zyra.

Conan groaned. He was emptying his whole duffel bag. "I never lose my keys. Lance, if this is a prank I will kill you. Understand?"

Lance rolled his eyes. "I want to get inside as much as you, ok?" 

That's right. He never lost them. There was nothing in the changing room. He always made sure. He could not understand. The changing room. The Training. Sassara.

Her ex.

He could not shake the thought that had crawled in his mind.

"Have you checked the inside of your kimono," Sassara said.

Conan jerked his head. "What?" He thought she was still with Zyra.

"Once my ID slid inside it." She smiled at him.

If she smiled, then she must feel better.

Maybe he had imagined the whole thing.

Lance snickered.

Conan stoped searching. He turned around to look at Lance. Palm extended. "Give it to me."

Lance stared at him. "Oh alright alright Conan. You won." Lance placed his hand, palm down in his. "I will marry you, Conan Galli."

Ali and Lance laughed. Conan still waited, palm up. Lance gauged him.

I'm not bluffing.

"Oh you're such a drag sometimes." He gave him his keys.

Conan did not even answer. He was tired. He wanted to sit on the couch for a second. 

They entered the large doors which led inside the apartment's courtyard. It was an old building. The elevator was small, its door made of undulating metal bars. Conan's place was on the last floor. The fifth floor.

Ali and Lance looked at each other.

They rushed inside the elevator. Zyra ran after them with difficulty. "Wait! Wait!"

"Yeah come, come," said Lance. "You're small so it's fine." She got in, Lance closed the old elevator door. 

"See you latah suckahh" Ali said. Zyra waved. 

And they whooshed up.

"Conan," Ali's voice echoed. "Can I cook myself som' chicken or something?"

Conan gave Sassara a tired look. "Do you see what I have to put up with everyday? I mean these idiots forgot I had the keys."

She laughed. "I'm glad you didn't lose them," Sassara said. "Otherwise it would have been a real pain."

He smiled and hit the elevator's button. "Yeah. I would've been homeless for a short while.

"Don't worry. You could have always come to mine."

"I could've?"

The elevator arrived.

"Of course." Conan let her enter the elevator first. "Thank you."

"You welcome."

They started going up. Faced each other. A mirror hung on the back wall. It reflected them. Together. Conan gazed at it a second. Sassara turned her head to look at him in the mirror. They chuckled.

"But I'm basically a stranger. You've got some guts. I gotta hold it to you."

"Well you're not a stranger. You saved my boogie. And I wouldn't host any guy..."

"Lance? Marco? Ali?"

"No, except if there was real danger, you know? I still have to keep them alive. But no. Also, wouldn't that be your job, Mister Student Rep."

"Wilson demoted me, so I'm just a bad boy now. " He paused to sort out his thoughts. "So are you saying I'm special then?"

"Well." She opened her mouth, and closed it.

"Boogie, you're doing the fish again."

She laughed. "I like when you call me Boogie."

He smirked. "Yeah? It suits you."

She paused to think. They arrived at the fifth floor.

"But yes. I don't know why, but it's easy to trust you."

The door unlocked.

She looked at him. "And yes. You are special to Boogie." And she opened the door. His face was still confused. How could she be so honest about all this? 

Wasn't she scared that he would think she was pushy? 

She pumped her hands up in the air with energy as the three idiots sat on the ground. "Hey Conan! What's with this party? Did you invite the elderlies?"

"Since when did you develop good humour, Sassara," said Lance.

"I always had. You just weren't invited." She raised her hand and waited. Ali smirked. Checked her. She did not fumble this time. Everyone's moods were up again.

She was too busy entertaining the crowd to realise Conan was a little lost. What should he do? Why did he feel so lost with her? He had flirted with many girls. But with Sassara, he sometimes lost his footing.

There was plenty in the fridge, and all sorts of snacks. They talked a while, and then Marco arrived. He told them all about the progress he made on building his castle in Minecraft. Apparently Sassara played it with her brother, and offered him their help if he ever needed it.

The night awoke. The temperature outside was still warm. Conan opened a window to let out the smell of Thai food marinating in the living room. They ate and watched the first Lord of the Rings. 

On the couch, and in that order, there was Lance, Zyra, Sassara and Conan. Ali and Marco were forced to take the two big armchairs on either side. There were plenty of covers and plaids to go around.

Conan could feel Sassara's heat. She smelled so good. A weird, tantalising mix. There was her perfume, and all those other products you smelled on girls. But she helped her mom with the garden a lot, and always arrived at school with new perfumes stuck to her. Once it was lavender, or thyme, or oranges...

"I'm sure that Sam and Frodo are gay for each other," said Ali.

"Yeah I don't like Frodo," said Marco. "I always want to shake him. It's like he's never fully awake."

"Well I think Legolas is the sexiest," Zyra said.

"Basic girl be like," said Lance, and whipped his imaginary wig. Zyra slapped his shoulder.

 Sassara tucked her blanket closer to her chin.

"Meh. I prefer Gimli."

Zyra jerked her head. "What," she said. Sassara laughed and Zyra pushed her. "You're so genuine all the time I lag when you pull out sarcastic comments." She looked at her. "What's up with you this afternoon?"

Conan watched Sassara. She wiggled under her cover. Shrugged, and smiled. "I'm just getting more comfortable with you guys..."

"Ohhhh," Zyra tilted her head to the side. Swooned. She grabbed Sassara and hugged her tight. "You're so cute! I'm so happy you're part of us now."

Conan saw Ali and Lance looking at each other. And at the seating arrangements. Lance, Zyra, Sassara, and Conan on the couch all huddled up together. Conan knew what they were thinking. If the girls weren't here, the four boys would be on the couch, gaming all night, cracking up joke after joke.

When one of them had a girlfriend, she didn't hang out with the group much. They had always maintained a sort of separation between who they were as a boyfriend, and as a best friend.

When Zyra was the only girl hanging around with them, they could still tell themselves that it was 'The boys' and Zyra. Like an alien had decided to inhabit their peaceful planet. But without anyone noticing, Sassara had made her own space in this group. And it changed things. That they wanted to or not.

After the movie, Ali and Marco decided to head home.

“Conan," Ali said. "Can you come down a second?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“I’ll come too,” said Lance, and he closed the door, leaving the two girls alone in the apartment.

The four boys went downstairs.

Ali crossed his arms, and spoke first. "Listen Conan. Not that we don't enjoy movies. But I was wondering where we were headed with all this."

"What do you mean by all this?"

"I really like Sassara, alright? But if she's here, then obviously so is Zyra. And then if they're always with us, then when can the four of us hang out?

"Ali, it's the first week back. It's always a little hectic. But we'll find our routine again. You guys can come over tomorrow night. What do you think?

"Yeah, that's fine I guess." Ali went up to Conan and clapped his back. "Thank you man."

"Of course. You guys will always be the G."

"Amen," said Marco, who was already wheeling around on his electric scooter. 

Once Ali and Marco left, the two guys went back up. And that's when the atmosphere changed. It was heavier. Filled with complicated thoughts and feelings. He thought the others must feel the same way. They needed to find an activity, and fast. Or else an awkward mist would settle.

Think.

"Guys," he said. "Do you want to go on an expedition?"

They all turned to him.

"Hell yeah," said Lance, and the girls high fived.