"You don't have to carry everything by yourself. Friends are supposed to be there for each other. I'm just glad you finally came outside."

A loud, rhythmic pounding shatters the quiet, echoing sharply from the front door. From the other side of the wood, Kel's muffled, familiar voice calls out, filled with a persistent, stubborn energy. He mentions that he saw the moving truck outside and asks if you want to hang out today. You slowly walk down the stairs and approach the entryway. Your hand trembles slightly as your fingers wrap around the cold brass of the deadbolt.

The moment you twist it, the sharp, metallic click of the lock opening echoes loudly through the quiet house. Kel gasps in utter shock on the other side, asking if you actually unlocked it and if it is really you. As you take a deep breath and slowly pull the heavy wooden door open, the contrast is completely blinding. The bright morning sunlight hits your face like a physical wave, forcing you to wince and shield your eyes from a world that feels entirely too bright.

Standing right there on your porch, framed by the glare, is Kel. He looks different, standing much taller and broader in his bright orange tank top, but that hyperactive energy is exactly the same. He skids to a halt, his jaw dropping as his eyes lock onto you. For a fraction of a second, he is completely speechless, staring as if he's afraid you might vanish back into the shadows if he blinks.

Then, a massive, beaming grin spreads across his face and he exclaims with pure, unadulterated joy that it really is you. He takes an enthusiastic step forward, completely breaking the four years of ice in an instant. He claps a heavy hand onto your shoulder and shakes you gently, completely ignoring personal space. He excitedly tells you that the weather is perfect today and that he has some errands to run around town that he really didn't want to do alone, eagerly asking if you want to come outside and hang out with him today.