WARNING: UPSETTING CONTENT
                          mentions of s*icude

NOTE: READ AND ANSWER SECTION AT THE END PLEASE. COMMENT ON THIS TO SAY YOU'VE READ THIS NOTE.

The next day, Leonie's mother was with Leonie in the Hospital. Tears formed in her eyes as she thought over what her daughter had told her. "Oh, Leonie... I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you."

Leonie shook her head. "Don't be sorry, Mum. I haven't been myself for a long time."

Her Mum frowned. "Your Dad?", she questioned. When Leonie nodded, she continued. "And Carmen?"

Leonie frowned at the mention of that name. "Mum..."

"No, Leonie. You always avoid talking about her. And Kennedy! Kennedy doesn't even know she exists."

"Kennedy called me her best friend, you know? And... I couldn't say it back."

Her mother's face softened. "Honey, you can still honour your friendship with her whilst having Kennedy as a best friend."

Leonie blinked, tears rolling down her face. "I'm so scared, Mum. I don't want to forget her."

"How could you? She was your best friend, love. You two were inseparable. There's no way you'd forget her."

"I think about her a lot, Mum. If she never got deported, if she never felt so alone that she... took her own-"

"-Leonie", said her Mum, placing a hand on hers. "Her death is not your fault. Just like your father leaving isn't your fault."

"Who's fault is it then, Mum?"

Her Mum shrugged. "Life's a b*tch, Elle. I won't lie to ya. It was a build up of things for Carmen and as for your Dad... I don't know. But it's not on you. It never will be."

Leonie leaned closer to her mother, giving her a side hug. "Thanks, Mum. For everything. Any chance you can give me advice on what to do with Kennedy?"

"You already know that, Leonie."

-

Stanley waited at the bus stop, staring out at the cars on the road. He had lessons to get to, crucial lessons. But he just couldn't focus. He hadn't heard from Darius at all since yesterday.

"Stanley?", called out someone.

Stanley turned to see Rhys. A strange sense of calm washed over him as he looked at Rhys. It wasn't enough to make him forget about Darius, but Rhys' smile was enough to calm him.

"Shouldn't you be in school?", asked Rhys. He slipped into the seat beside Stanley.

Stanley shrugged. "Can't think straight. No point in going to my lessons if I can't think properly, right?"

"Makes sense. Want some company?"

When Stanley just shrugged, Rhys took that as a yes. "Anything I can help you with?"

Stanley shook his head. After a long moment, Stanley spoke. A part of him gad forgotten Rhys was there. "I can't believe I've been so self absorbed. My friends are hurting and I'm whingeing about...", he said, letting his words trail off.

"Everyone's going through stuff, Stanley. Pain, stress and struggles are always valid. You shouldn't compare your struggles. If you don't mind me asking, what are you going through?"

Suddenly, Stanley was sucked back into reality. Adrenaline is the fight or flight hormone. Stanley had always been the fighter type but... right now all he wanted to do was take off.

"Stanley?"

Images of Leonie's shaking body resurfaced in his minds. He kept thinking about how easily she could've died. And how how young she is. Life is such a precious thing and he had his to look forward to.

"Stanley, you're scaring me", said a concerned Rhys. He placed a hand on Stanley's shoulder.

Stanley took a deep breath, his breathing shaky as he exhaled. "Rhys, the thing is... I'm uh, I'm... I'm gay."

Stanley couldn't look at Rhys' reaction. Instead, he took off, using his athletic abilities to literally fly like the wind.

A pair of hands grabbed him and pulled him into an abandoned alley. His eyes met with Rhys'. He had a surprisingly firm grip. "Stanley. The next time you take off do you mind sparing a thought for those of us who can't run like the Flash?"

Rhys' warm smile caught Stanley off guard. Shouldn't he be angry?

"I don't know what you expected from me but... I'm gay too, Stan. So I'm the last person to judge ya", said Rhys, a smile appearing on his face.

Stanley smiled, all previous doubt slowly disappearing. The worry now lay in admitting his own feelings. He had to. He had come so far and he felt like this was on a roll. "Yeah but... that's not it. I-I um, ok uh, here goes, I guess. I don't just like guys. I like... I like you."

This time, Stanley stayed. He watched Rhys intently.

Rhys' eyebrows raised and his eyes lit up. His lips quirked up into a smile, before letting a laugh escape them.

"Wh-what's with the laugh?", asked a nervous Stanley.

There it was. Rhys' award winning smile. The one that shone brighter than a million suns.

"You have no idea how badly I wanted you to say that. I mean it's no exaggeration to say I prayed to my signed picture of Derek Hough for this", said Rhys.

"Wait. You did?"

Rhys nodded. "Look, I've liked guys that were straight before. The crush usually passes but... the more I got to know you, the more I got sad thinking that we'd only ever be friends."

Stanley blushed. "When did you realise you liked me?"

"Well, I thought you were cute the day I met you. But... the day I knew I liked you... it was when you tried hot chocolate for the first time with me", admitted Rhys.

Stanley's eyes widened. Rhys had liked him for that long. How could he have been oblivious to it? He couldn't help but laugh at that. "I think I knew earlier."

Rhys rolled his eyes and gently slapped Stanley's arm. "Oi, it's not a contest."

Stanley laughed. "Sure."

Rhys shook his head, a smile on his face. They looked at each other, in comfortable silence. After a second of hesitation, Rhys leaned closer to Stanley. The butterflies in Stanley's stomach jumped around. He leaned in too, and their lips connected.

The butterflies seemed to calm down, but a tingling feeling spread through Stanley and Rhys' bodies. Rhys pulled away, a nervous look on his face. Stanley smiled brightly and gently cupped Rhys' face, connecting their lips once again.

-

After a long time, Leonie decided to talk to Kennedy. Kennedy sat in the chair next to her hospital bed, a distant look on her face.

"Th-thanks for coming", said Leonie. She took a deep breath. "When I was little, I had this best friend. Carmen. She was the life of the party. We'd do everything together. She had my back through everything. The tree I pass everyday on my way to school... that's where we first met. That tree, Bess, became our special place. When I was 16, I found out she and her parents were deported back to Ecuador. She went to America a few years before but we never lost contact."

Kennedy frowned. "Leonie... I-I had no idea."

"I didn't want anyone to know. Anyway, I found out that she... she took hér ówn life. She was struggling with depression. She needed me and I wasn't there", said Leonie.

Kennedy's face softened. "Leonie. I'm so sorry."

Leonie sighed. "Remember when you called me Nini at Winniver's? Well, that's what she used to call me. It just brought everything back. I just always felt like calling you my best friend would be... betraying her somehow. It sounds stupid."

Kennedy shook her head. "No it doesn't. Leonie you two were inseparable. I understand."

Leonie felt tears form in her eyes. "It wasn't fair on you though. I just... I miss her all the time. I'm so scared I'll forget her."

Kennedy wrapped her arms around Leonie. "Hey, it's ok. You were young. But a friendship like that, one that changes a life, that's not the kind of thing you can forget. Having another best friend isn't betraying her. It's just... adding to your family, in a way."

Leonie looked at Kennedy. Flashbacks of all they had been through floated around in her head. The past couple of weeks had been torture for both of them. Leonie needed Kennedy. And she wasn't ashamed to admit it.

"You know, when my siblings left, I used to joke that I was a leftover. You know, food that wasn't wanted. Well, a person that wasn't wanted", said Kennedy.

"I get that. That's how I felt when Dad left."

For the first time, Kennedy acknowledged this. She finally took it in. They both felt like leftovers. Unwanted.

"How about we call out duo the Leftovers? To make a joke out of it. We know now that we aren't leftovers. We are wanted", suggested Kennedy.

Leonie squinted her eyes at Kennedy. "Do you, though? Do you know you're wanted?"

Kennedy remained silent, but Leonie could see the doubt in her eyes.

"Kennedy... I need you. I want you in my life", said Leonie.

Kennedy's face lit up. "As a best friend?"

Leonie shook her head. "No. No, not as a best friend. You... you're like a sister to me, Kennedy. And I need my sister around."

-

Kennedy and Leonie's main storylines have been covered. Obviously, these aren't going to go away now and they will be addressed again, but the 'boiling point' moment, in a way, has happened.

Please tell me what you think about the way I wrote their storylines.

On a happier note, Stanley and Rhys had their first kiss! What are your thoughts on this pair?

And Kennedy and Leonie are best friends again! Are you glad?

The other characters will be back soon! I just wanted to limit the amount of characters used so I could focus on the 'boiling point' of certain storylines.

And I was specific in the WARNING part because I didn't think it'd be a spoiler for the main storylines. When you see 'WARNING' just know that it could be anything.

-cherrysvalanxe

yeonskosmos

The_Slytherthing

CaptainHermioneSwan

gillioddities

DoodleYeet

starryeyedturtle