He sits in the grocery store parking lot for a few minutes just questioning everything he just said to the (h/c)-haired woman. What does he mean, it was just the wind? How could he turn a blind eye to that? Because he's right, it's not his business. His life was a mess the past few years. He's just trying to play hero and make himself feel better.
  If she's not asking for help, then he's nothing but a pest. He's only making it worse. She seemed scared when he first offered her a ride. Then again, accepting a ride from a stranger is against anyone's common sense. Much less one that happened to have confronted you the night before and lied to point blank.
  She's clearly doing worse than when he left her the night before, and the only logical explanation was him. He beats his head on the steering wheel, he's such a major screw up. What was with his introduction? And the way she joked back? Why did he tell her that he's had a messed up past few years? It's so not like him to just... divulge personal information.
  He climbs out of the car, now semi-mentally prepared for dealing with the grocers. And only semi-prepared because sometimes, they can be really bitchy and uncooperative. Then again, everyone can be that way on any day... even him.
  The store is fairly busy, for the size of their town, not too packed, but he'll still have to wait in line when he's ready to check out. But until then, he walks around the store trying to figure out his meal plans for the next two weeks when he gets paid again. Being an adult is difficult. Can't he just go back to being a kid bandit?
  He shakes his head, grabbing a few bags of salad mix. Why is he suddenly so aware of one girl? Is it because, she reminds him of the phone call? What did she say her name was? Out of all the people in the world... why does he think about the one person he's never met?
"Ace? Is that you?" he turns around to come face to face with a pineapple. Until he moves it out of the way and sees a old friend he hasn't talked to since graduating. "It is you! Oh man I never imagined I'd be seeing you again so soon after coming back into town!"
He blinks a few times trying to make sense of what's happening. When did they leave town? What did they want to do as their job again? Why are they so excited to see Ace? Was he looking for him? He looks at his friend, making note of his bright pink hair color. He dyed it since the last time they saw each other.
He always dyed his hair, pretty frequently in high school. Cole, is his name, and everyone came up with the rumor that he dyed his hair as a way to escape things. To somehow, magically transform into someone new, a whole different person. His way of running away from something.
Most people talked about it as if it were his sexuality. But to Ace, he seemed to be the most straight one out of them all. Cole would sleep with just about every girl he laid eyes on. But what does he know? He was struggling to keep alive throughout high school. Making sure no one knew that he was his father's child.
People said that it was all a ruse. The whole, sleeping with every girl thing. One big whole coverup. He hurt a lot of girl's hearts doing what he did, but it's not like he was never transparent with him. He didn't want to date anyone, he wanted to live his life without the fear of someone telling him that he can't do something.
But one thing that never changed, was his eyes. The green hue always caught Ace off guard. Still does. It's surprising at how those eyes are always accented by his hair color. They're also always filled with happiness and joy, something that he's told Ace he needs more of constantly.
"Hey, Cole, when did you leave town?" he leans on the cart, careful not to push it away and fall flat on his face. "I didn't hear anything about that."
"About a month after graduation. I didn't really tell anyone," Cole nods, before he leans in close to the black-haired man. "I heard about Karissa. How are you doing? I'm sorry I wasn't here for that, man."
"Everyday is still a struggle," Ace shrugs his shoulder. "What have you been doing for all these years? Did you get into that college you wanted to go to?"
"Nah, I decided to travel the world a bit," he wraps his arm around Ace's neck and leans onto him. "Learn about other cultures and... figure myself out."
Ace stands there for a few seconds before realizing what the last words of Cole's sentence was, "What do you mean, figure-"
"Are you homophobic?" Cole tilts his head before he lets go of Ace and steps back. "Because what I sat next definitely depends on your answer."
"Why would I be homophobic?" Ace bites the inside of his cheek. So, all those rumors were true. "Are you-"
"Hey, it's my truth to tell," the pink-haired man places his hands on his hips, before smiling. "But I'm mearly bi-curious. Still."
"Still?" Ace pushes his cart towards an isle, he has work, it's not like he doesn't want to talk more, but he needs to hurry shopping along and put away the groceries. "Since when have you been struggling with this?"
"High school," he follows Ace, which is exactly what the man was hoping for. "I was just suppressing those feelings. I'm just happy I... went about it that way. People have various ways of trying to suppress it. And when I came out to my parents about it... my father went ballistic and practically disowned me. My mom went behind his back and gave me all this money to... do whatever I want as long as I live. If I marry a woman, I think my dad would accept me again. And since I don't even know... I'm stuck."
"Do you have a place to stay while you're here?" the black-haired man grabs a box of rice, because he needs more. "I don't have a big place, but-"
"Nah, I have a place. Thanks for the offer, but I met someone else from school on the plane back... and he offered me his pad," his cheeks turns a slight shade of pink as Ace raises his eyebrow. "It's nothing like that. Or... maybe it is."
"Well, good for you Cole," he places his hand on his shoulder and sends him a smile. "If you ever need anything though, you can come to me. I'd never abandon you, because you never gave up on me."
"That's what friends are for, Ace," he give him a hug before he walks backwards away from him and out of the aisle. "I'll see you around."
Ace lets out a sigh, what a coincidence. No. It's not a coincidence, it's fate. This exchange means something, doesn't it? But it's not like Ace has time to sit here and debate about what it means. He also hopes that Cole knows a way to contact him... unless he didn't change his number. Because Ace hasn't.
He checks out and drives home. Carrying the groceries back in doesn't take much effort, but putting them away in places he'll remember them in is a struggle to him. He also needs to remember to take his pills to work with him so he can take them on his lunch break.
After he finishes putting away the groceries, he has time to sit down and watch an episode of his favorite tv show. He sits there for a few minutes, staring at the show with a blanks stare before he checks his phone. Cole texted him, same number. Looks like they both don't do well with change.

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