(garden by the shop 2nd)

'Dear All,
I could tell you that I love you all. Or that I'll miss you. But that doesn't change anything, I'm still leaving at the end of this month. I'm still trying to figure out how to say those final goodbyes. I'm tieing up the loose ends one at a time. Yes, it's hard, I'm not going to lie. But I can't fight this anymore. I know you would tell me to stay but I can't. And I'm so sorry.
From Pandora x'

I wake up in a hospital bed it's a day after before. And I just start crying. More and more until Max walks in. "Just talk Lea. Holding everything in won't end well. I'm here to listen." Max sits beside me on the chair beside my bed. I nod tears still streaming out. I feel small and weak. But I talk to Max.

"Max I could have gone round, I should have. But I didn't. And the next morning I was meant to get a book from her. So I went around at 8 and knocked on her door. Twice. 10 times nothing. I opened the door. And I saw red sheets. I thought she was asleep at first. Then I saw... how pale she was and I screamed. Justin ran in, and then ran out again to get a phone and tell Audrey what was going on. Then I just slid down her wardrobe crying. I knew it was too late. A few minutes later I was sat there hearing the ambulance. When they arrived I sat there still. Lungs aching, heart pounding but I was still awake. And then I saw her being carried away and I saw how bad it was. My heart dropped, down a million levels in a second. And I was there for quite a while alone in her room. And you know what happened from there." I say my voice sounds more broken than it did before. "How do you feel about the whole thing?" Max asks his expression is one of kindness and warmth. "I feel sick, like I should have  done more. I feel sad and its almost like she took part of me with her. I feel like a different Leona Grey. And I don't know why. Dodge did you talk to her on her last day?" I say. "Lea you couldn't have done anything. So don't think about it. The past is the past. That's how it feels at first when we lose someone we care about, time is a great healer. Lea we are always changing and we grow from our experiences so it would be dumb to assume you would feel the same after such a big life event. It's okay Lea. It will be alright, it just takes time to heal." Then he sighs, "I was with her for a few hours before 7. Then I went home. I wish I had stayed with her but I can't change what happened. No one can change the past. But we can change how we feel and think about it. Look at you, you are strong and beautiful. And you will get better. I know you will and I'll be here every step of the way." Max says that and his eyes start tearing up. Then tears start flowing and I hug him into me.

"Maxwel Liam Victorson I love you. And I'll never forget how amazing you are. How you can make me smile in a nanosecond just by walking through a door and saying hi lea. It's like fate is pushing us together, and in a way it scares me. Because of how close I feel to you. And at the same time it feels amazing." He smiles wiping his tears away, "I love you too. And I completely feel the same it's only been a few days and I love this." And I know that this moment should feel amazing and it does. The whole world swirls around and I can see the sunshine then I know that we must finish this. We are on the second to last and Max brought clothes and I am free to go. So I throw the dress on its Blue and white like a circus tent in the skirt and plain blue bodice wise with a low cut v neck that shows my chest but as I walk out I feel shy until I see Dodge blush and smile. "You look stunning miss lion." And I say thanks and kiss him on the cheek. "Hey, don't I get a proper kiss?" Max sighs disappointed. "Not until we meet the others, cheeky Dodgem. You picked out this dress and it's the most revealing one I own. So make it up to me and I will kiss you." He frowns a little. I do love this dress, and I love the way Max reacts when I wear it. To be honest I just want to see what he does. So I giggle and strut down the hall.

He catches up to me outside, "Okay you got me, I just remembered that you were wearing that dress when I saw you after we meet in the rain. And Pandora told me it was your favourite. You look beautiful Lion. Please forgive me." His face goes sad and cute like a puppy staring back at me. I smile and put my hands round his neck and pull him into me for a kiss. Then I see the others smiling at us. "Hey guys," I say after Dodge wraps his arm around my waist and unlocks his lips from mine. "You two are so cute!" Sonia says bouncing on the balls of her feet. We both blush and stare into each other's eyes for a few seconds. "Hey Dodgem shouldn't we get going?" Red wing says uncomfortable with the whole thing. And I almost think for a second that he likes Xlan. The way their frames are moulded into each other. The shine in their eyes. "So we'll just walk around for today visit the two final places the garden then the fountain. Then tomorrow is about chilling and getting ready for Tuesday." I feel his hand squeeze mine and I feel my chest relax.

"If you had to name one thing you had no clue was going to happen this week what would it be?" Josie asks with Simon's arm around her. "Mine would be going to the doctors, I'm okay. Things are less complicated now." Kay answers. I know what she is on about, her and Quinn had a drunken night a month ago and she had been throwing up since. It turned out she was pregnant and she had gone to the doctors to check if it was that. She had decided to keep the baby. "Good for you Kay Bay." Simon smiles.

"I didn't think I would end up with the cutest girl in the year below. Josie and I can't explain how lucky I am." Simon smiles and she says, "Me neither babe." Then Quinn speaks up, "I never thought I would end up being in a relationship with a girl who respects that I have a child on the way." He is referring to Fiona who is not listening as usual. "I never thought I would end up with someone like you either Quinn bear." Never mind scrap that last comment.

"I never thought I would find a perfect match for me but I have." Sonia and Oliver say in sinc. Then Xlan speaks up, "I never thought I would find a guy who loved me for who I was, but he was right in front of me the whole time. We got together yesterday evening. Isn't it amazingly weird..." then red wing chimes in "just like us huh boyfriend." Then they blush and hug. Called it, okay stop celebrating in your own head lea.

"I can't believe that all this has happened. And that I am still standing here." I say. "I can't believe that I'm with such an amazing person like you gorgeous." He replies. Then Max kisses my forehead. He whispers 'you can make it up to me later.' I feel my whole body flutter and I don't know what to say. "Your face says it all Lion." He smiles at me. I sigh and he kisses my forehead. Gulp. Heart pounding and I'm not sure what to say all over again. Simon and Josie aren't here they are having a date all day. They deserve a day off.

"I love you Max." I say as the sun shines on all of us as we huddle on the central bench of the garden park. We called it Olive garden after the filter we always used here. He holds me still and looks into my eyes, "I love you too Lea."

We talk and everything seems to have calmed down since my breakdown. Even Xlan and Redwing finally confessed to each other. "So how did you two confess?" I ask them. "Oh... Xlan do you want to explain or shall I?" Redwing goes nervous and cute. "Its your story to tell Babe." Xlan winks back at him. Redwing gulps and takes in a deep breath.

"Well we headed home after meeting you guys last night and Xlan asked to watch a movie. We ended up watching love simon and he said about Leah in that and how sad it must be to love your best friend but not be able to tell them. Then I went silent and he asked what was up. I started crying and he said what's wrong. I told him that I liked this guy and I didn't know what to do. 'You see I've never been with anyone, I thought I was straight then I met him. And I have liked him ever since. What would you do?' He nodded and said, 'Tell him how you feel he might just feel the same way you never know. Mon amour.' I gulped nervous about how close he was, then he got within an inch of my face and whispered 'I really like you Red. I have for ages.' And I blushed, 'I don't know what to say. I... like you too.' And we kissed right there in the middle of Simon's friendship trouble with Leah. We are going out on Wednesday after school to watch a movie."

"That is absolutely adorable guys. I'm so happy for you." I say with Max hugging my waist and I feel alive. Like my heart is thumping with two beats instead of one but it feels amazing.