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“Let it roll, baby, roll,” sang Charlie as he slid along the hardwood flooring of his living room. Cameron sighed dramatically, pinching the bridge of his nose as he watched the boy nearly trip. ‘Roadhouse Blues’ by The Doors filled the space, spilling into the hallway as Knox, Pitts, and Meeks filed in. The chilly November air followed them, Knox bundling into his jacket. He carried a cherry pie—the warm crust's smell was comforting and tempting.
Charlie had badgered the boys months prior about a so-called Friendsgiving. His parents were away, so he offered to host. He eyed the three figures as they appeared in his living room, Cameron rushing to turn the radio down.
“Where’s Neil and Todd?” asked the dark-haired boy, his arms at his sides.
“Late,” said Pitts. “Neil has no concept of time, we all know this.”
“We should get him a watch,” joked Knox as he stood by Charlie.
The dark-haired boy smiled at the pie in Knox’s hand, the smell of warm, sugary cherries filling his living room. “You can sit all the food in the kitchen—and don’t stand around here so awkwardly! God, you all act like you’ve never been here before.”
“In my defense, it has been a while,” answered Meeks.
Cameron led Pitts and Meeks into the connected hallway, leaving Knox and Charlie briefly alone in the living room. Knox sat his pie down against one of the side tables, pulling his scarf and coat off with his free hands. “Friendsgiving, eh?”
“Hm?” Charlie hummed. “Oh, yeah.”
“What gave you that idea?” Knox asked, throwing his coat onto the back of Charlie’s recliner.
“Uh, because we’re all friends? Besides, don’t holidays get boring with repetition? It’s good to have some variety around here,” answered Charlie. He eyed Knox intently, the cherry pie on the side table creating a soft aroma. “What do you think Neil and Todd are bringing?”
“Let me think,” answered Knox. “Neil will bring eggnog—as if we’d trust him near an oven. Hmm, and Todd might’ve made cookies? Those two pair well together.”
“They do,” Charlie agreed.
Cameron, Pitts, and Meeks eventually filed back into Charlie’s living room. Perfect timing, too—Todd muttering quietly to Neil as the boy pushed the front door open. It creaked, the hinges in desperate need of a good oiling.
“Finally,” voiced Cameron. “Was traffic bad?”
“No,” answered Todd. “Neil couldn’t find his coat.”
Knox chuckled, nudging Neil lightly with his elbow. “Coat - 1, Neil Perry - 0.”
“Laugh it up,” Neil rolled his eyes. “Where can I put this?” He held up the eggnog that resided comfortably in his left hand, looking around the room for an immediate answer.
Cameron perked up. “Here, I’ll take it. Todd, I can take yours, too.” He reached out to seize the eggnog from Neil, balancing Todd’s hefty tray of warm cookies in his other hand. “Classic pairing, might I add.”
Knox smirked, whispering to Charlie. “We should’ve placed bets.”
“Damn straight,” Charlie replied.
“Eggnog?!” Pitts exclaimed. “Score. Thanks, Neil.”
“Hey, don’t thank me!” Neil pulled his coat off, too. He hastily threw it atop Knox’s, Charlie narrowing his eyes as he did so.
“Who do we thank, then?” Meeks questioned.
“Well, Todd, of course,” said Neil. “It was his idea.”
“God, are you ever prepared for anything?” Pitts teased the boy.
“The stage,” Neil smirked, jokingly replying.
Once everyone was gathered at Charlie’s house, he ushered the boys into his dining room. The table was sat—proof that he’d taken this seriously, which impressed Knox and baffled the others. White, unscented candles were lit along the frosted windowpanes, providing a great deal to the already cozy atmosphere.
“What did everyone else bring?” Knox asked, stepping into the living room to retrieve his pie.
“Mashed potatoes,” answered Cameron as he took his seat. “Pitts made stuffing, Meeks brought cranberry sauce, Charlie cooked the turkey, and we all know what Neil and Todd contributed.”
“Delightful,” Neil exclaimed. He sat on the left side of Todd, Meeks on the right. Across from him was Pitts, who resided on Knox’s right side.
Charlie turned the radio back up—the volume just loud enough for the sound to spill into the dining room. ‘Drive’ by The Cars was on, a classic that enticed the boys sitting at the table.
Knox patted at the empty chair on his other side, Charlie eager to fill the space. He smiled over at the boy next to him as he spoke. “Dig in, already. God, did you all need permission or something?”
“Yes, actually,” answered Todd. “Thank you.” He reached for the dish of mashed potatoes, scooping a pile onto his plate.
Cameron eyed the plate of stuffing. “Pitts, did you bring gravy?”
“Are you crazy? That’s a food crime,” Pitts argued. “Who puts gravy on bread?”
“A lot of people,” said Neil. “It’s Thanksgiving, I think gravy is a must.”
“There’s some in the fridge,” Charlie butted in. “I can warm it up if it’s absolutely dire, Cameron.”
Cameron smiled at Charlie’s request. “Really? Wow, your heart must’ve grown three sizes or something. Yes, that’d be great.”
Charlie rolled his eyes at Cameron’s comment, pushing his chair out from underneath the table. He stepped into the kitchen, peering into the fridge for the gravy that his mother had prepared before skipping town.
Charlie could cook, sure, but the gravy was complicated.
Knox also found himself excused from the table, silently peering into the kitchen and opening one of Charlie’s cabinets. He filled two glasses with tap water—one for him, and one for Todd. “You know,” he started. “You’re nice for doing this.”
“What?” Charlie closed the door to his fridge, opened the foggy container, and placed the lid in his sink. “It’s nothin’.”
“No, Charlie, it isn’t,” Knox added. “It’s—it’s good, alright? I think we’ve all secretly needed it, anyway. Christmas is next on the list, and we know it’s bound to get messy.”
“Don’t remind me,” Charlie replied, shaking his head. “I’m not prepared for the chaos. I’d rather spend all my holidays like this—at least it’s quieter, yeah?”
“Yeah,” Knox agreed. “You’re right.”
Knox leaned against Charlie’s counter, taking small sips from his glass of water. He eyed the boy who stood solemnly next to him, a sense of admiration lingering in the air as they conversed. Charlie wasn’t usually for big gatherings like this, so the idea of him putting in this amount of effort was sweet. It united everyone, which created a feeling of pride within Knox. He was proud of his friends, their budding futures, and Charlie’s broadening compassion for the people he cared about most.
Eventually, the dark-haired boy strode back into the dining room, handing Cameron his gravy and rejoining the noisy table conversations. The sounds of laughter and music filled the room, which Knox smiled at as he lingered in Charlie’s kitchen alone.
He found himself rejoining everyone, too. He handed Todd his glass of water, proudly took his seat next to Charlie, and beamed as he pulled a turkey leg from the middle of the table.