Hayden

When I got up, Ocean was already gone. The couch looked like it hadn't been touched at all. Except for the fact that the blanket was folded into a square not a rectangle.

I wondered downstairs to see Vira out here already. Without words, she held out a quiche for me. Taking one bite, I knew it was Oceans handy-work. We ate in silence before moving into the Livingroom to relax.

I hadn't seen Ocean all morning. By the time 12:30 hit, I got a little worried.

I excused myself to go find her.

As I expected, she was in her book room. Her head down, the light was off. I gently closed the door before crouching in front of her.

"Hey." I pulled out of her earbuds out of the ear. She shifted ever so slightly to look at me over her knees. Her eyes were red. They read pain. She must miss her parents.

"I - I just wanted to check that you were ok." I stuttered.

She gave me a thumbs up. An unbelievable thumbs up.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded. I let out a soft sigh as I rose to my feet. I couldn't help somebody who didn't want to be helped. I reached for the door handle but paused. "Um..." I struggled to formulate words. "They do want to see you before they leave." I swallowed. I wanted to see her. "So please come out and say goodbye at least."

Finally, I turned back to the door. I wish she would come and give me hug or ask for something. I closed the door behind me, resting my forehead against it. Taking a deep breath, I put a smile back on my face. Walking back into the Livingroom, I was greeted by Jayden.

"Dude it so weird to think that you're dating that kind of girl." Jayden grinned at me.

"Yeah I mean your so different from her." Nick nodded.

"She's kind of nerdy." Nicola grinned. "And its kind of funny you fell for her first."

"I did not."

"Dude how can you tell." Jayden ignored my words entirely.

"Yeah sis, how can you tell."

"Well, if she fell first then she wouldn't still be struggling to look him in the eye when he smiles at her."

"That's fair." Jayden grinned at her. Nicol scrunched her nose back at him.

I glanced at Nick to see him looking away, disgusted.

"So why would you go for her?" Jayden tuned the attention back the Ocean.

Vira entered with the cups of tea she had prepared. Handing them out as we spoke, she kept her head down.

"Yeah she's kind of strange." Nicola sipped her tea.

"I mean she hasn't said hi t us at all."

"Oh, but she's just shyyyyy."

Normally I would have let it slide off my back but today was different. Ocean just seemed so off today. I guess that celebrating without her family was something painful.

"Well, I mean I wife who can cook is nice. I would trade you but she's so shy." Jayden joked.

"Yeah its not normal."

I felt anger pulsing through me, my hands curled into fists.

"Is she like..."

"Would you just shut up." I shot to my feet. I took a deep breath my hands shaking.

They were all staring at me except for Vira who was looking behind me. She nodded her head slowly and I felt the anger drain from my body.

Shit.

I slowly spun around to see Ocean standing there. she looked worse than before. but that might be lighting.

"Hi baby." I reached out for her hand. I tried to stop my voice from cracking.

When she stepped up to me I wrapped my arms around her.

her body was shaking lightly. she seemed like her body was weak I could tell by the way she leaned on me.

"Why don't you head upstairs to rest for a bit ok?" The words slipped out of my lips before I could stop them.

I watched as she ascended the stairs till she was out od sight.

Turning back to my friends, my anger rekindled.

I sat down on the sofa, resting my arms across my body.

"So." I looked Nicola and Jayden up and down. "You were saying?"

The silence was all but comfortable.

"You want to talk about my girl like that?" I raised my brows at them. "You want to come in my house and disrespect Ocean?"

Nicola and Jayden exchanged embarrassed looks.

"Look man it was all for a joke, we didn't really..."

"Mean anything by it?" I finished for him as I leaned forward. I rested my elbows on my knees.

"Your goddam lucky I don't kick you out right." I kept my face dead.

Vira came around and collected the cups of tea from us and brought them back to the kitchen.

"You don't talk about people like that." I spoke with a monotone voice. the anger inside me wanted to scream and punch them but I kept my composure.

"Words have more meaning behind them then you can imagine." I watched their faces as the sorrow made its way on.

"Furthermore, you don't know Ocean very well so why you are trying to tell my what kind of person she is?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Vira begin climbing the stairs. I didn't stop. because nobody disrespects my girl and gets away with it.

"Some jokes are made in poor taste. and you both need to stop making them." I finished leaning back.

"Look man, I had no idea that it wasn't a topic to joke about. Really I'm sorry." Jayden looked like he was ready to cry.

"You don't understand how hard some people have it Jayden." I broke eye contact with him.

"I know." The regret resonated in his voice.

"I'm sorry too." Nicola spoke up. "I should never have said those things about her." Nicolas's voice cracked slightly. " She really is a wonderful person and I really like hanging out with her but..."

"But?" I prompted

"You've changed so much since well your engagement and everything." Jayden finished.

"Yeah." Nicola nodded.

"Its just hard to get used to, I guess." Jayden made eye contact with me.

"It's been the five of us so long." Nicola looked like she was ready to cry.

"But now you're really happy." Jayden grabbed Nicolas's hand.

"And maybe its better this way."

"And we're sorry."

I sat there, finally letting it hit me how much changed for my friends. Sure, my life got turned upside-down, but I hadn't thought about my friends. They had been there through the highs and the lows, but this was so different, and I had been too caught up in it all to really think about that.

"I'm sorry too." Finally, I spoke. "I should have told you guys earlier."