"You need to come in today." Geoff groaned and buried his head into his pillow.

"Come on man it's been two weeks. You can't take that long off." Otto was persistent and refused to back down.

"Two weeks." He repeated. Geoff sat up and folded his arms, looking at the wall behind his friend. "Yeah well Awsten means more than school. This hurts Otto," Geoff said, on the brink of tears. "You have no idea because Grace always loved you back. She never pushed you away or rejected you. I feel like he shoved his hand through my chest and ripped out my still beating heart, crushing it and laughing as the crimson blood slips through his fingers."

"Damn, I didn't ask for descriptive I just told you to get your ass out of bed." Otto replied. Geoff dropped his chin to his chest and flopped backwards.

"Fuck you Otto, I thought you cared."

"I do care and it's because I care that I'm being a dick. For God's sake Geoff it's not that bad."

"YOU HAVE NO IDEA!" Geoff roared. He got up and stood right in front of the smaller boy. "Until you feel the pain I feel and the hole in my chest where something is meant to be, then tell me that you care. Tell me you care when you find the thing that can fill it because right now I don't see it."

Otto leant back away from the flying spit. "Ok calm down."

Geoff sighed and moved back. "You're my best friend. We've known each other since we were two and we've been there for each other through everything. We've never abandoned each other, so why start now? Why don't you understand that I'm hurting? Why can't you see it? Why doesn't he care?" The taller boy finished, clearly asking about Awsten.

"I don't know." Otto whispered. Geoff scoffed and barged past him, slamming the door shut. Otto waited until he heard heavy footsteps down the stairs before exhaling a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Geoff thought the person he needed was Awsten but as he felt his heartbeat increase, the older boy realised the person he needed had been right in front of him.

-

"Dude you'll be fine. Ciara's moving into your class anyway so you'll be with her the whole time and you can show that jackass how you're supposed to be together." Awsten tried to contain his smile as he listened to his friend.

"I don't know, Geoff's pretty adamant we're supposed to be together. Can fate ever be wrong? Maybe it's a friends forever thing." Awsten bit his lip.

Patty raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "That's not possible. That's not what it means at all."

"Are you sure? Maybe some soulmates aren't meant to be together." The two friends walked in silence, processing Awsten's question.

"I'll Google it!" Patty shouted, his black hair falling into his eyes. Awsten stopped, blinked rapidly and flung his arms out, half crouching above the ground.

Slowly his head turned to look at Patty. "Warn me before you scream at me again!"

"Sorry dude."

The blue boy sighed and uncoiled, rising up to full height. As he rose he felt the joints in his knees shift and click. "Oh fuck did you hear that?" Patty asked, biting his lip and wincing.

Awsten rolled his eyes. "Nope, not at all. I was too busy feeling it."

The raven haired boy laughed. "Yeah, sorry." Still wincing at the memory of Awsten's joints cracking, both boys rounded the corner, skillfully dodging an avalanche of skater kids.

"Damn hooligans almost knocking me over!" Patty growled in an exaggerated voice, one hand on the small of his back and the over on his chest.

"Alright Grandad." Awsten laughed at his hunched over friend. The sea of pupils parted and Awsten spotted his new group of friends.

Scanning the cluster, Patty's eyes landed straight on Ciara. He lifted his hand to nudge Awsten but stopped, hand in mid-air.

The blue boy had already seen her.

Awsten watched as the beautiful blonde he fell in love with, attached her face to another's.

The heart that once beat for her stopped.

-

He hadn't cried. He hadn't spoken or eaten either - unless you call the few bites of Patty's vegan chocolate, food.

"...a week. We gotta go." Awsten blinked, he hadn't heard his partner arrive. "Aws?" He shook his head and looked up.

"Hmm?"

Geoff sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Awsten you haven't been to any classes in a week. You've sat here in the library just looking at the wall and only moved if Patty dragged you away."

"What's your point?" The smaller boy asked.

Geoff raised an eyebrow and folded his arms. "Music. Now."

"You're not my Mom. Or my Dad."

"No I'm not, I'm just incredibly pissed off."

A wave of emotion washed over Awsten and he bowed his head. "I'm sorry Geoff, I'm just hurting."

Geoff growled softly and plonked himself down opposite Awsten. "You're not the only one who's hurting ya' know." He spoke softly, "you never acknowledge or talk to me. I'm just here alone."

At that, Awsten raised his head. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm starting to give up hope. I feel like there's something attracting me towards you but there's something in the way, like a barrier. You're the barrier. You won't even try."

"I can't try Geoff! It's only been a week and I've bee- I had been with Ci for so long. It's not something I can get over that quickly."

"Awsten."

"Geoff."

"Ugh Awsten be serious! Please! It won't work if you refuse to talk to me." Trying to keep his voice low and calm, Geoff clenched his fists and looked away from Awsten. Awsten looked straight at the brunette.

"What won't work?" The blue boy questioned, cockily folding his arms.

"Us, Aws, we won't work." Geoff told him.

"There is no us Geoff. There never will be. Will you please accept that?" Awsten sighed and shook his head.

"How can I accept it when I have living proof following me around everyday?" Geoff stood up, pushing the chair back violently. It clattered to the ground with an air of anger hanging around it.

"Proof?" Awsten whispered, slightly afraid of the boy in front of him. He'd never seen Geoff look so angry...or attractive.

Geoff's eyes darkened. His hand shot out and grabbed Awsten's, twisting it over, palm facing t be ceiling.

"Look at it." The brunette demanded. Awsten flinched at his harsh tone; his gaze flickered down to his wrist.

Simply meant to be.

"A beautiful quote for beautiful minds." Geoff said. "Don't you think?"

He smiled sadly and let go, stuck his hands in his pockets and walked away leaving Awsten alone to gather the shards of his heart from the bottom of his ribcage.

For the first time in a week, one lone tear fell from dry eyes.

Sorry I've been away for so long. I haven't been feeling great and so much shit has been going on. I'll try and upload more but I can't make any promises. If you're still sticking around then thank you, love you all xox