my friend passed away unexpectedly, this is for him

we've been friends for nearly 16 years and I'm not okay but know I can find some solace in sunsets.

Back in secondary we would often go and sit on the roof of a car park after school and be around each other until dusk, just the two of us. Chatting, downing energy drinks, wondering what it might be like to turn 18, cause everything would sort itself out by then somehow.

"I can't wait until I'm an adult so I can protect you forever!" would be one of our favourite phrases to each other, in fact we would shout it from that exact car park roof top in the middle of the day. People would stop, glare and scold us but it didn't matter - he did.