Excerpt: BulletPROOF

On in the break of day, Sylva's lamp remained lit. The first spark of morning gleamed across the horizon, sizzling like the last bits of a cigarette. Sitting up, I rubbed the tire creased in my eyes. Sylva, sprawled across the couch, lay nuzzled against the My Little Pony pillow beneath her. Kolbe was strewn across my lap, his hot cheek on my knee. It must have been early; five.
   The night before consisted of our usual friday Movie Fright Nights, including some of our wildest collections of horror, mystery, and, even, Anime. The last movie I remembered watching was one of the goriest, most terribly freaky movies I had ever encountered-Pan's Labrynth- and in those hours, Sylva had been kissed for the first time. It was given to her as a simple gift from the summer Hot's List Sylvam herself, had created.
    At precisely seven o' eight, Donathon Andrews came knocking on Sylva's dark, oak front foor with an arrangement of movie tickets and her favorite bouquet of flowers-lilies. Of course it was only normal that this sort of thing might happen to Sylva. She was tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and flirty. And completely innocent. So, she practically stole every guy's heart naturally. But, she was picky. Only out of the most sensitive, athletic souls would she target. And last night, she had received that first kiss she had been waiting for her whole life. Being Daddy's little princess, she was indifferent to inappropriate manner. She only desired gentlemen.
   So at that hour, both Kolbe and I decided to let her go to the movies with Donathon Andrews. If, within any of the time she spent with him were odd or strange, she was to call us immediately. Sure, you could say that Kolbe and I were high-strung and protective of our childhood friend, but afterall, Sylva had always been a princess to us.
   While Sylva went out on her date with Donathon Andrews, Kolbe and I watched some High School of The Undead, Halloween(the new, updated versions), and lastly, Pan's Labrynth. All of which could entertain me greatly. Now, sitting here at five in the morning, Kolbe sleeping on my lap, Sylva sound asleep, I could do nothing but wait.
  A few moments passed and I listened to Kolbe's slow, rhythmic breaths. In the distance, a train sang off, most likely the very train we took to get to school. Kicking off the rest of the blankets, I pressed a pillow between my knees and carefully slid Kolbe's head onto it. I brought my legs toward me and remained in a squat, waiting for my escape. I stood up all of the way and made my way into the kitchen.
   The Pauls' kitchen was painted gold with stainless-steel appliances. Windows portraited the wondrous landscape outside the household. Rolling hills and birch circles lived on the land, decorating the perfect couple of acres on which my friend lived on. Stirring, the kitchen was perfectly silent, allowing sleep to be effortless.
  I helped myself to some brew and sat down at the dining table beside the window facing the Sun. The rise was a radiant one, painting the sky with vibrant pastels and neons. Sipping on the bitter coffee, I watched the morning bloom into a Day. Over the hills, the moutains glowed with the flamboyance shown off of the morning dew.
   In the living room, my best friends stirred. A few low moans erupted into the silence. I heard low voices, and in a matter of minutes, was joined by my favorite people. Sylva entered first, her blonde-gold locks pulled up into a high bun. The carribean irises she owned gleamed in the morning glow. She wore an over-sized shirt with sweats, and of course, her pink bunnie-slippers. From behind her, Kolbe entered, his cat-like green eyes popping like crackling fireworks. His dark chocolate, almost black, locks were short. He had recently cut it short. At the moment, he sported black jeans and the large Iron-Maiden tee-shirt I had given to him as a Christmas gift a little over a year ago.
   The smiling faces presented before me were the only things in the world that I truly desired, and I sure was glad to have them.