by GoozX
Sam Dawson walked down the darkened streets of Puerta Mibela.
Street lights and candles illuminated the beautiful brick pathways that stretched for miles along the roads, empty with cars but filled with people, a mix of late teens to families and older couples. Vendors and entertainers moved through the crowd, and people laughed and applauded.
A little boy sat on a chair, restless and excited, his parents only feet away. "Stay still, it's almost done!"
"It looks so much like him!"
A beautiful young woman, with light brown hair, stood behind a pad, sketching away with charcoal and chalk.
Sam smiled and made his way into the line behind the young boy's parents.
Within a few moments, she was done and gently blew the extra chalk dust off of the picture, which bore a striking resemblance to the young man, who smiled with glee and was finally able to jump to his feet and watch the nearby clown. The boy's parents gave the young woman a twenty dollar bill for her services and then an extra ten, just because.
"Next?" Her voice was sweet, with almost a dash of innocence for one her age.
"I guess that would be me, luv."
The young woman turned and was shocked to see there a two-year-lost friend. "Sam? My God!" Michelle Thomas wrapped her arms around him, almost taking him off his feet in her excitement.
"It's great to see you too--"
Before Sam could finish, she slapped him across the face.
"Yeah, I deserved that," he said with a smirk and raised brow.
"I can't believe that you would just go like that, no goodbye, no nothing!" Michelle closed her sketch pad and continued, "Two years, no calls nor letters. I thought you were dead."
"I wish I had been. Trust me, luv, the last two years have been anything but good." He turned away. "Never once thought that I would be back here. Never wanted to even think about... here. Ya know?"
"Yeah," she leaned in closer to him, her hand sliding gently across his cheek, "but you left so much behind."
"I'm back now, luv. Can't we just continue where we were?"
"I'm sorry, but too much has changed," said Michelle.
"Wha--?"
A figure moved toward them, a taller man, clean cut and tan.
"Michelle? I've been..." He paused at the sight of Sam. "No way! Sammy? How have you been, buddy?"
The large-built man, Clark Thomas, wrapped his arms around Sam in a bear hug, almost lifting him off the ground.
"It is good to see you, too, man. But I still need air."
"Welcome back! You moving back here, or on vacation, or--?"
"I'm back, man. Not sure for how long, but I'm back."
Michelle smiled. "When you do go, don't forget to say 'bye this time."
"Never again," Sam answered, and for a few seconds their eyes met.
"Michelle, the movie is gonna start any minute." Clark turned toward Sam a little uneasily. "You're welcome to come along, too, man. It's--"
Sam backed up. "Nah, I have some stuff to finish up back at the old place. And I..."
Michelle brushed Clark's arm, signing for him to go ahead, that she would catch up to him. After Clark had taken a few steps away, Michelle put her hand on Sam's shoulder.
"I'm sorry, but things have changed a great deal." Michelle's voice seemed softer, her own words almost hurting her. "Welcome back. You better keep in touch!"
She hugged Sam again, holding their bodies close together for a few moments. Upon releasing him, she quickly moved into the shadows in the direction Clark had gone. With a simple wave, she was gone.
"I'm sorry, things have changed a great deal."
Things would never be the same.