"Oh my god oh my god oh my god!"

It all happened so fast that they had no idea what to do. Marisa rushed to William's side, feeling his head and heart to make sure he was alright.

He was most certainly not alright.

"What happened?" Marisa asked.

William opened his mouth, which was completely stained in purple. He spoke in broken up sentences, gasps in between. "I'm...sorry...I...only...ate...a few."

Sparna's eyes went wide. The berries were poisonous. Then how come she didn't get poisoned when she ate one? And how come William's mouth was so purple when the berries were pink?

"We're not mad, William, just please don't die on me!" Marisa begged, tears starting to drip down her face. He was burning up, and Liam suddenly wished that they had brought water. Maybe if he could just run and get some-

No. It was too far away. He hated to admit it, but unless there was some plant that can be used as an antidote, William wasn't going to make it.

"Guys, come on!" Marisa cried, squeezing William's hand. "You need to help me!"

Sparna rushed around, as if she was looking for some miracle that could help him. William now coughed up foam, his hands shaking as he tried his hardest to make it stop and just get one deep breath. Marisa stayed by his side, sobbing on top of him.

"Jesus! Fucking! God!" She shouted between punches to the ground. Her knuckle became bloody, her fingers cutting open, but she didn't care. "Those! Evil! Fucking! Berries!"

Sparna turned leaf after leaf over, trying to find something, anything, that could possibly help William. She scrambled, running so quick that she almost fell down a few times. She grabbed a thick piece of bark and tossed it to the side, smiling once she saw what was behind it.

"Marisa, I got it!" She shouted. She grabbed the berries, sprinting towards William. The professional name for them was Grudomelous Hydonprotics, but most people just called them lifesavers since they were known to suck 79% of poison out of the body and makes the victim cough it up. The other bit of poison left will make you sick, but it's not enough to kill you. She had gotten extremely lucky to have found five growing beside the tree.

Liam rushed with Sparna, and once they got there, Marisa checked William's pulse. "He's not breathing!" She cried. "I need to give him rescue breaths!"

"No! That could kill you, too!" Liam yelled.

"I got some berries that will help-"

"No more berries!"

"Give him the goddamn berries, Sparna!" Liam ordered in panic.

"These will help him, I promise!" Sparna ignored Marisa's cries of resistance, shoving all of them into his mouth and forcing him to chew and swallow them.

They waited anxiously for two minutes before anything happened, Liam deciding to give him chest compressions after he still didn't respond to the berries.

He still didn't wake up.

"He's dead," Liam announced sadly. Marisa was the first one to say anything after that.

"You said those berries were going to work!" She screamed at Sparna. "I trusted you!"

"They do work! They saved my uncle before! I saw it!" She yelled back. But while Marisa was blaming everything on her, Sparna couldn't be mad. Marisa was devastated. She could see that, no matter how much she tried to cover it up with rage. She grabbed her, pulling her into her chest and brushing her hair.

Marisa started to sob into her shoulder, wrapping her arms around Sparna and squeezing. Nobody said anything.

***

Through everything that was going on, Orion couldn't help but smile. He wasn't sure why he suddenly had so much confidence, but it really did make him feel good all over. At least, better than he did before. He was happy with the decision he made, and he was sticking with it. He was not backing away now. 

"Come on, tell me!" Talon begged, shaking his shoulder to get him to answer. He was partly nervous, but he decided there was no better time to do what he was going to do than a time where everybody was extremely bored. "Tell me, Orion! What's your big news?"

I'm doing it, he signed, bouncing up and down. It was impossible to sit still. He had already done that for too long in the past hours.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, confused yet intrigued.

Telling Zeke. He needs to know. And so do I.

Talon gaped. "You're kidding, right?" Orion confidently shook his head. She smiled, mouth still wide open. "That's awesome! I'm so proud of you!" She pulled him into a quick, tight hug. Some people looked over at them, but they ignored them.

After a few seconds of smiling, it faded to a nervous look. His confidence was nearly gone. What if I don't want to know?

"Well, you have to try, right? If you don't, then you'll always wonder what would have happened if you did. He could be thinking the same thing right now. How long have you liked him?"

Orion hesitated before putting three of his fingers up. Three years of watching Zeke date, kiss, and talk about girls. It had been absolute torture.

"You've been holding this secret for three years, don't you want to lift the weight off of your shoulders?"

Orion bit his lip. I guess, he mouthed. He took a deep breath, holding it for a few seconds, then letting it all out. He nodded, but the butterflies stayed in his stomach. Talon smiled.

"Go get 'im, Tiger," She joked, hitting him on the back. He grinned nervously and stood up, starting to walk away. He turned around to look back, Talon giving him the thumbs up. He turned back, taking a few more deep breaths to regain his confidence.

It's fine, he thought. You'll be fine. It's just Zeke, that best friend that you've had since eighth grade. You can talk to him about anything. He'll understand. He always understands.

When he saw the back of the tall brunette talking to Eira, a mix of nerves and excitement overcame him, one half pushing him forward and the other one holding him back. Before he could change his mind, he went a little closer, tapping him on the shoulder.  

As he turned around, Orion's heart jumped. Zeke greeted him happily. "Hey, Rion!" He said. 

Hey.

"What's up? Any more people leaving the cave that I should know about?"

Orion wanted so badly to stall, to have a normal conversation with Zeke. To stay friends. Best friends. That's what his head wanted, but in his heart he knew he could never really live with himself if he kept that secret to himself for the rest of his life, no matter how long it was. He needed to know.

Now.

Can I talk to you for a minute? That was it. He was doing it.

Zeke nodded. "Sure. Not like we're going anywhere anyways." Orion started walking away from Eira, trying to ignore Talon, who he could see grinning out of the corner of his eye, and everyone else that was staring for a moment; especially Naya, the smart-ass observer that was sure to report her thoughts about the two of them going into the back of the cave together later. When he got to the back of the cave, he motioned for Zeke to sit down, doing the same himself.

Can we sign? I don't want anyone to hear. There really wasn't much privacy in that cave of theirs. Orion hadn't minded until that moment. Zeke nodded.

"Alright, but my signing's a little rusty."

It's fine.

There was a slight pause. So? What is it? Zeke asked. Orion took a deep breath. Here it goes.

There's something I want to tell you. Well, not want to. Need to. Just in case we don't make it another day. Not that we won't but... you know.

Okay, Zeke signed, obviously a little nervous. 

I... He trailed off, not sure he could finish.

Like someone. A lot. And you're my best friend, so I thought you should know.

There was silence between the two boys. Zeke looked confused, but then, out of nowhere, his expression changed. He laughed.  Orion, I already knew that.

Orion gaped. He did? What are you talking about? He asked, trying to play it cool, though he was panicking inside.

It's obvious! I'm pretty sure anyone with eyes can see it.

Shit. It was obvious? How many people knew? I'm sorry, Orion started, but Zeke stopped his hands.

Why? I think you and Talon would be a great couple. I bet she likes you back.

Orion gaped once more. He shook his head rapidly, shaking his hands. I don't like Talon! She's just a friend.

Really? Zeke signed, not convinced.

Yes really. I like someone else.

In his heart, Orion felt a little disappointed that Zeke didn't already know. Especially since he didn't even know he liked boys. It would have been so much easier if he already knew he liked him and they could have their happily ever after until they all died on the island. At least he would die happy.

But no, he had to go through the struggle of doing it himself.

Oh, I think I know.

Doubtful, Orion thought.

Marisa. That's why you've been avoiding her. 

No! Zeke, I don't like Marisa.

Is your name sign for her seriously bitch with an "m"?

Doesn't matter. 

Okay, then, if it's not Marisa and it's not Talon, then who is it? You're not that close to any other girls here. At least, not that I know of.

There was a moment of silence that was mostly filled with Orion deciding what to say. He wasn't sure what made him do it, but he did know that he didn't think that choice through and his body took over. Maybe it was good that he lost control, but that wasn't something going through his head at the time. Orion leaned over to Zeke, closed his eyes, and kissed him.

A jolt went through Orion's body right as soon as his lips hit Zeke's, cupping his face with his hands. He couldn't tell what emotion it was, but he did know that it felt amazing. He didn't want to stop, to let himself enjoy his long awaited kiss with someone he loved so much.

It took him a second to realize what he was doing, and when he did, he slowly backed away and opened his eyes. Orion couldn't tell what was going through Zeke's head, but he looked surprised. Shocked, even. And confused. And scared. All at the same time.

What had he done?

I'm sorry, Orion signed weakly, mouthing the words as well, trying to hold back his tears. I'm so sorry. He stood up and wiped his eyes, turning away from Zeke and running into the corner where Zeke couldn't see him. Why the fuck did that cave have to be so small?!

He could hear Zeke calling for him, but he couldn't stand to hear his voice. He wiped the tears from his eyes that were fogging his vision as he sat down, letting out a few heavy sobs. Zeke's face told him everything he needed to know. He messed up. He was too selfish to hold himself back, and now Zeke probably hated him for it.