The next day, Len laid on his bed unmotivated. He didn't feel like going to school, and even if he did, he wouldn't be able to get his minds off of everything at that moment.

Why do bad things keep happening to me one after the other?

First, I lost my sister, then I lost a girlfriend, then my best friend.

Len cried on his sheets. No, I mustn't cry! That makes me weak. He wiped his tears with his arms in an attempt to stop them. But it kept flowing, he continued to cry all morning, curled up into a ball of despair.

Once he had finally stopped, he looked at the time. It was past nine, school had started half an hour ago. Disevented, Len stared blankly at his school bag, Is there any point in staying here either?

He lazily stood up and threw his bag over his shoulder. I guess there's no point in staying if I have nothing to do anyways.

Len arrived quarter to ten. He stood in-front of the locked metal gates, gazing into the seemingly lifeless school-grounds through the bars of steel. "How am I supposed to get in?"

"Well, the others have done it before so there must be a way." Len pondered, looking around for anything to climb.

"Len!" He heard a lady-like voice call.

Len immediately turned his head, "Luka?" How convenient.

"What are you doing outside school grounds?" She asked sternly.

"Err, well, I just got here..." Len told her.

Luka looked to her watch — which I had never noticed till then — and raised her visibly-upset face. "You're very late."

"I'm very sorry." Len bowed, "This will not happen again."

Luka sighed, "I'm not responsible for late students so normally I'd have to call the principal for this." She paused and looked intently at Len, "But I'll let you go this time," She said, bringing out her keys and unlocking the gate.

Len shivered, he didn't know Luka could ever be so frightening. As the gate creaked open, he walked in and gratefully thanked the nurse.

"Remember, it's only this time." She said in a lecturing manner, pointing her finger up.

"Yes." Len nodded, bowed, and ran off to his class.

He slid the classroom door open and shocked, he stood face to face with his science teacher.

"Len? Where were you?" His deep voice threatened, "You weren't... trying to skip class, were you?" He glared.

"No, I, I wasn't feeling well this morning." Len reasoned.

"That better not be a lie," He said, staring even more intently than he had before.

"N-No, sir!"

His voice suddenly changed to that of a normal one, "Alright then, come in."

"Yessir!" Len spoke, walking in and getting to his table.

The class quieted down as the teacher walked back to the centre of the board. He then grabbed his chalk and started drawing, "The planets in order are Mercury —not to be confused with the liquid metal— Venus, Earth, Mars..."

***

Len walked quietly to the mess hall; he had almost gotten used to walking there, meeting *her*, then spend the lunch with her group. But after what had happened, could he really face her...'now?'

Len stopped as he entered the hall and looked up inside and saw him, the blonde British boy, Oliver, cornered by a few girls he knew well — to not be.

"Why are you still here?" The teal one asked, disgust resonating in her voice.

"Hmph, did you expect me to give you another chance?" The blonde one teased, visibly swelling in her own imaginary power, puffing herself up to assert her dominance.

Oliver stammered, stuttered, his mouth shut, he skipped words, backing away the few inches he had left. With a clenched heart, Len took a step forward and shouted at them, "Stop bothering him!" Oliver's face was flustered; shocked, surprised Len had even come — even more so that he had voiced to help him.

"and what—are you going to do about it if we don't? She challenged, her brows uneven as she made a weird look.

"We'll see." Len answered menacingly, showing no frames of weaknesses in his attempt to intimidate.

"Come on, let's go." Another girl finally cracked, cocked her head towards their right, "and stop wasting time on that brat."

SeeU lightened her glare and walked to leave. I'd done it! I felt myself fill with pride, I'd driven them off without anyone's help!

"Len..." Oliver squeaked a whisper.

Len closed their distance in response, he walked towards him, stopping only when they were face to face.

"Are you okay?" Len asked worriedly. Oliver replied with a simple nod, his gaze still fixed below.

It's now or never...

"Oliver, I'm sorry I left you with no-one when she came to me. I left you alone when you needed help the most. I know you won't forg-"

"Len, I forgive you." Oliver said, looking up with his tear-filled eyes. Len took this with a look of surprise, nevertheless, he stayed quiet to listen, "you helped me, you've saved me. I shouldn't have expected too much from you, it was my fault."

"Then can we still be—?"

"Yes," Oliver answered with a smile.

Len felt at that moment, like an innocent child given a pocket-full of candies: ecstatic. The two closed their distance, hugged each other tightly as if they had never separated. It had only been a common, friendly gesture, but why do I feel something indescribable building up inside me?