Hi! This chapter is really long but it's really, really important that you read it all until the end, please! Thank you!

Maxon entered the Theatre Room, all eyes on him.

"Dude, where have been?", asked Darius.

"Yeah we needed you for the scene", said Eli.

"I know we're all in a high school Theatre Club but you'd think the people that willingly joined would be more involved than someone who was forced into it", said Amethyst.

"I thought you and Maxon were friends", said Kennedy.

"Friend isn't a term I like to use. I tolerate him but that doesn't mean I won't call him out on his cr*p", said Amethyst.

"Can we just get on with the rehearsal please?", asked an agitated Maxon.

"Maxon is everything ok?", asked Miss Laine.

"I'm fine. Can we hurry?"

Taken aback, Miss Laine just nodded. "Uh, y-yeah. From the top guys. Maxon start here", she said, before pointing.

The rehearsal went well, though Maxon wasn't performing his best. Everyone picked up on this, but Kennedy decided to confront him about it. "Hey, Maxon... are you ok?"

Maxon sighed. "Not now, Kennedy. I can't deal with this."

"Deal with what?

"You. And the way you think."

Kennedy's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to speak but Maxon had already left.

Camryn, Eli and Isaac approached her. "What was that all about?", asked Eli.

Kennedy shrugged. "I-I have no idea."

"Well since we get a break for half an hour, we're going to get some drinks", said Isaac. "Would you like to come?"

Kennedy shook her head. "Maybe another time. I want to find out what's wrong with Maxon."

Isaac nodded and looked at Eli and Camryn. "Shall we go?"

Camryn nodded. "Yeah. My brother texted saying he's there so he'll get us some seats."

"Cool. I can see if Esther's free?"

"He'd like that", said Camryn. She turned to Eli. "Do you want to invite anyone?"

Before Eli could answer, his phone vibrated. He checked the messages.

Dad: We need to talk when you get home. It's important. Come straight home when you can.

"Eli?", questioned Camryn.

Eli looked up from his phone. "Uh, no. I have to go somewhere first. I'll be back before the break's over though."

"Shall we bring your usual order?", asked Isaac.

Eli nodded. "Yeah, that'd be great. Thanks."

-

Kennedy found Maxon sitting under the tree, in Camryn's usual spot. Kennedy approached him, quite apprehensive. "Hey..."

When Maxon didn't reply, Kennedy walked closer. "Room for one more?"

Maxon didn't reply, but he did move over a little. Kennedy sat down beside him, their shoulders touching. "I feel so protected under this tree."

"Same", replied Maxon, surprising Kennedy. "Look, I didn't mean to be rude earlier. Just problems at home."

"Well, maybe I can help?", suggested Kennedy.

Maxon shook his head. "You can't. My Mum feels like she's hopeless in her job. She feels like it's a never-ending spiral of pain. And I don't know how to help."

"But... so many people value the work the Hospital staff do! Billy Jones has had more broken bones than first dates, and that kid is a serial dater."

"She doesn't see it that way", said Maxon. "She gets really attached to her patients. I used to think that was bad, but now I know it makes her a better nurse and person. But it causes her so much pain. You know, some nights... I hear her crying. And I hear her begging for someone not to take her patients away."

Kennedy's eyes filled with tears as she pictured Maxon's Mum, someone so helpful, feel so helpless. "Sometimes doing things doesn't take away the pain. Maybe what she needs right now... is someone to listen. Hear her stories. Be with her when she cries."

Maxon nodded, biting his lip when he felt tears form in his eyes. "Yeah. Yeah you're right", he said, before looking into Kennedy's eyes. "Thanks, Kennedy."

Kennedy gave him a small smile. "You're welcome."

Kennedy definitely felt like this could be the moment between them she had wanted for so long. But she knew that right now, he needed a friend.

-
Whilst Camryn and Isaac ordered the drinks, Nico and Esther found a table. "Fancy seeing you here again", joked Esther.

Nico grinned. "Yeah bet you were well excited to see me."

Esther rolled her eyes. "Yeah I brought out the red hair extensions for you", she joked, pointing to the red streaks in her hair. "What do you think of them? I can't decide if I like them or not."

Truthfully, Nico thought she still looked pretty. Different colours in her hair wouldn't change that. "You uh, yeah they're cool."

Esther laughed. "Deacon Blue said the same thing when Savannah Milroy flicked paint on my hair."

Deacon Blue. The boy who was most known for being very persistent when it came to asking out girls. He was the school heartthrob, so he didn't have to try very hard.

"Deacon Blue? That wasteman probably said it cos he were trying to get with ya."

"So you didn't think it looked nice back then?", asked Esther.

"You could've come to school in a potato sack and I still would've thought you were pretty", said Nico. His eyes widened when he realised what he had said, and the pair stared at each other in silence.

Esther smirked, then it turned into a smile. "Aww, Nico DeRosa just complemented me? Someone alert the scientists about this miracle!"

Nico playfully rolled his eyes and laughed. "I was only being nice."

Esther raised her eyebrows.

Nico laughed at this. "Wait, please don't tell me you still can't raise one eyebrow on its own."

"I can!", lied a defensive Esther.

"Go on then."

Esther tried to raise one eyebrow up, straining so hard it looked like she was in deep concentration. When she realised she couldn't do it, she started to laugh with Nico.

"Ahh, you're trying so hard!", laughed Nico. "You look like that Martin kid from History when Mr. Evans said he couldn't go to the toilet."

Esther burst out laughing, throwing her head back and slapping her hand on the table. Nico felt a warm and fuzzy feeling in his stomach as he watched her. "It's funny cos... it was... every... every lesson!", she said, in between laughs.

Isaac and Camryn watched as their siblings laughed together. "Do you think they know they're in love?", asked Isaac.

"They're not in love", said Camryn. "But they'd be cute together."

Isaac nodded. "True. But this is probably something we should let them figure out on their own."

Camryn nodded in agreement and the pair got the drinks.

-

Maxon and his Mum were at home, when Maxon got a text.

Kennedy: Come to the Theatre Hall now. Bring your Mum.

A curious Maxon grabbed his coat. "Mum, we need to go somewhere."

Upon arrival, Maxon and his Mum saw Kennedy standing beside the laptop. "Hey Mrs Martin."

Eva smiled. "Hello, Kennedy. Glad to see you're doing better."

"What's all this?", questioned Maxon.

Kennedy grinned and pressed a button on the laptop. A PowerPoint presentation filled with pictures of patients Eva helped treat appeared on the screen.

Maxon watched as his Mum's eyes filled with tears. A small video played at the end, featuring little messages from the people in the presentation.

A girl with jet black hair appeared on the screen. "Hey, Nurse Eva! You made me feel better about being the only person in my school with prosopagnosia. I only went in because of a broken arm but you listened to me when I thought no one wanted to. Thank you.

A little boy with one green eye and one blue eye appeared on the screen. "Hi, Nurse Eva! I remembered what you said about my different eye colours being my superhero disguise. Everyone in school thinks I'm so cool!"

An older man appeared on the screen. "Hello there, Eva. Nick here. I'll never forget how you helped my wife during her final stages of Huntington's. She called you her guiding light. She was rarely ever wrong... and this time was no exception."

When the video finished, Kennedy turned to Eva and Maxon. "These are just the people that couldn't be here today. There are still a few more people I want you to meet."

One by one, others started to enter the room. Some were familiar faces such as Darius and Eli, and one was someone Maxon had seen around but never spoken to.

Darius stepped forward. "Hey, Mrs Martin! Remember when I had to get stitches?"

Eva nodded. "I remember. You were chasing Stanley with a dirty sock. You fell, cut your hand and had to get stitches."

"That could only happen to Darius", said Maxon.

"True", said Eli. "Nurse Martin, I remember when you stayed with me the first few nights I was in hospital for my leg injury. Then you checked in on me every day when I was in hospital after the fire. I felt... really alone. But you made me feel like I had someone in my corner."

Darius smiled. "And I know I only got stitches but... I joked around a lot to hide the fact I was scared. You picked up on that and joked around with me to make me feel comfortable."

The unknown girl stepped forward. "You probably don't remember me-"

"- Annalise Murphy. I do remember you! Did you manage to try the cookie recipe I suggested?", asked Eva.

Annalise's face lit up. "You remembered! Yes, I-I did! It tasted, amazing. "

Kennedy smiled. "Mrs Martin, you comforted me when I was worried about Leonie and when I couldn't get the thought of being trapped out of my head. "

Eva smiled warmly at everyone.

"None of us know what it's like to have your job. To go through what you do. But even though you unfortunately can't save everyone, you have still helped so many lives, just by being there. By caring."

"And that man from the video sees you as helpful and even though his wife died, you still made her last few weeks great", said Darius.

The tears rolled down Eva's face and Maxon felt tears brimming in his own eyes.

"So you see, unfortunately, not everyone can be saved. But your job is about so much more than that. Yes, you can save lives by using your medical knowledge, but you're more than that. You're a friend, a mother, a sister to so many of your patients. It's not just surgeons who save lives, Mrs Martin. Nurses do to", said Kennedy.

Eva was speechless. Hearing how many lives she had impacted made all the late nights, workload and budget cuts worth it. All she ever wanted to do was help people.

Overcome with emotion, Eva just opened her arms, gesturing for everyone to come in for a hug.

-

After everyone had left, Maxon took Kennedy to the tree from earlier. "So you planned it all?"

"I planned it but it was a team effort", said Kennedy. She furrowed her eyebrows when Maxon continued to look at her. "What is it?"

Maxon shook his head, a smile on his face. "You're amazing, do you know that?"

Kennedy blushed and looked down. "Oh I don't know about th-"

Kennedy cut herself off when Maxon gently cupped her face, staring into her eyes. He leaned in, connecting their lips.

The kiss started off as sweet and gentle, but it was evident that both of them had been wanting this for a long time as the kiss grew more passionate. They pulled away, blushing as they stared into each other's eyes.

-

Miss Laine called a very late meeting and everyone gathered outside the Theatre Room.

"Why are we being all sneaky like this is a heist?", questioned Amethyst.

"You must listen to what I'm about to say", said Miss Laine, sternly.

"What's going on?", asked Weronika.

Miss Laine ignored her. "Listen. Keep your distance."

Everyone entered the room, surprised to see who was there.

"LEONIE?", said Kennedy.

-

Hi!

Ahhh Kennedy and Maxon finally had their first kiss!

What are your thoughts on this chapter?

Did anything surprise you?

Also, I just want to add that budget cuts to institutions such as Health Centres don't just negatively impact the patients, but the staff too. Especially in Hospitals. They get abused for things that are out of their control.

It frustrates them just as much as it frustrates you, so please be respectful.

Also, medical professionals don't just save lives through medicine, sometimes just listening to someone and being there for them can save their life too.

-cherrysvalanxe

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