Porter pulls his lunchbox out of his bag before slowly trudging to the cafeteria, Oakley and Scott joining him silently on their way.

Lachlan lifts a hand once the trio enters the cafeteria, seated at a table across the room from the one they usually sit at.

"Porter?" Oakley calls quietly, watching Kieran's best friend sit in his normal seat at their usual table, setting his lunchbox on the tabletop in front of him.

"Do you want one of us to sit with you?" Scott rests a hand on one of Porter's shoulders, heart falling when Porter shakes his head.

Miles looks over at Porter as soon as he enters the cafeteria, then glances over at his three other friends, who all shake their heads.

Porter doesn't touch his lunchbox for five minutes. When he finally unzips it he pulls out a wrapped brownie and shakily places it on the table in front of the spot across from him.

He clutches his lunchbox, bouncing his left leg, eyes locked on the brownie.

"Thanks Port." He can see Kieran unwrapping the brownie, smirking as he takes a bite of it. "How'd you know chocolate is my favorite?"

"You ask for my brownies and chocolate chip cookies on a daily basis," Porter whispers. "Wasn't hard to figure out seeing as we've been friends for eight years."

"Right." Kieran nods and tosses the remaining half of the brownie into his mouth. "Hey, did I tell you about the pigeon that performed?"

"Can't say you did."

"No one heard anything because a coo sticks."

Porter smiles, hot tears rolling slowly down his cheeks. "That was a terrible joke."

Lachlan's at his side, wrapping his arms around Porter. Porter tightens his grip on his lunchbox, smile falling as his eyes drop to the table.

Oakley's on his other side, pulling Porter's lunchbox from his hands. Miles sits across from Lachlan and grabs Porter's hands as Scott takes Oakley's place and pulls Porter from Lachlan's arms to his.

He cradles Porter's head to his chest and the four of them stay silent, listening to Porter sob.

Porter looks up at the empty space between Miles and Oakley, wishing Kieran was right there, right where he's supposed to be, making them laugh.