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be. My eyes scan the room as I notice that everything is the same as when I left it. My articles still cover the walls, along with a couple of leftover drawings and paintings that JJ made me. Most of her work is kept at my condo in Florida. I spot a picture of us pinned to my bulletin board. We look happy; it was her graduation day. I close my eyes, trying to take it all in. My thoughts are interrupted by a knock on the door.
    ***
    (Mikey)
    “Come in.” Luke calls from the other side of the room.
    “Hey, how ya doin’?” I ask.
    “It’s crazy , ya know? I can’t believe I’m home. It sucks, man. I don’t want to go back.”
    “I know, it’ll be over soon… for good. Then you can get back to livin’ the life you planned before all of this.” I say, trying to reassure him.
    “I don’t know. I don’t know if I can ever get there… I’m different , ya know?”
    “You’re not different. You just feel different because you’ve been in that shithole for so long. You just need some time to adjust.”
    “Ya think?”
    “Yeah, I do . Let’s go back downstairs, your mom and dad would like to spend time with you.”
    “I know . I’m tryin’ not to be an asshole. I don’t want to put them through any more than I already have. I’m feelin’ overwhelmed, ya know?”
    “Don’t worry about it, they get it. They’re not goin’ to push.”
    We head downstairs and watch TV in the family room with his mom and dad. I’m trying my best to find the right words so that he doesn’t feel so bad. I know it wasn’t easy for him the last couple of years, but he’s got to believe that he can turn this around. Just as he’s about to get somewhat comfortable, he glances at the clock and realizes he’s once again faced with reality. I offer to drive him back to the halfway house in order to make his five o’clock curfew.
    “Who se car?” He asks nonchalantly, nodding his head in the direction of JJ’s house.
    “I think it ’s David’s,” I respond, glancing in his direction. He stares straight ahead. I take that as a hint that he doesn’t want me to make more out of it but, I ask anyway, in case there’s more that he wants to know.
    “Is that it?” I ask.
    “Is that what?” He replies playing dumb.
    “Is there anything else you want to know?”
    “No, I’m good. How long are you here for?” He asks, quickly changing the subject.
    “I’m flyin’ back tomorrow night, I got a six forty-five flight. I’m on a two day break, but I’ll come back as soon as I can.” I answer, letting him drop the subject. I’m hoping he’ll talk when he’s ready.
    “ You don’t have to keep runnin’ back and forth, it’s too much. You need to focus on what you’re doin’. Man, you must have dropped a boat load of money on me the last couple of years, flyin’ back and forth.”
    “You’re right, I did and I expect you to repay me. So, I need to keep checkin’ on my investment, making sure he’s workin’ hard to pay me back.” We both laugh. “Seriously though, how about tomorrow when you’re done work ing, we throw some balls around?” I ask.
    “Nah , man. I don’t think so. I probably don’t even remember how to throw a ball.”
    “I’m sure it’ll come back to you ,” I reply sarcastically, rolling my eyes at his negativity.
    ‘No, not yet. I’m not sure if I still want to.”
    “Like I said earlier, you just need to adjust.”
    “We’ll see ,” he answers flatly, hinting that the subject is closed as he exits the car.
    ***
    (Luke)
    I check in and retreat to my dreary room on the second floor. It’s disheartening to have to return to this crummy place after spending time in the comforts of my own home and breathing in the fresh air all day. The metal springs from the old mattress claw at my back as I lie staring up at the ceiling, trying to remind myself that this is almost over.
    “Well, it’s a lot less crap py than where I spent the last twenty months, but it’s still crappy none