"Luce! Stop!" Patrick screamed after me as I ran out of the restaurant. I didn't think about the fact that I had left all of my food at the table. I didn't think about Hayley and Pete looking out the window as I sped past, not knowing where I was heading. I didn't think about the fact that I had lost my brother. I didn't think about Patrick's broken heard that I had left inside of him. I didn't think about anything. I couldn't think. But at the same time, my thoughts were all too loud.

I don't know how long I was running. And I don't know how I kept going as far as I did. I eventually stopped at a park. I don't know what park, just a park. There were kids running amuck and playing tag or something. I smiled as a little boy tagged who seemed to be his younger sister. She turned around and chased after him, laughing. I remembered when I was like that. So carefree with nothing in the world to worry about. I missed it. Not having grades, relationships, or dead brothers to worry about.

I sighed, knowing that I'd still have to face Hayley, Pete, and eventually Patrick. I might as well go home now. I took one last look at the kids playing on the playground, and turned back towards home. I still didn't know where I was, but I did eventually finding the right direction to go. It took me a solid two hours, but I made it back home. I was so worn out because of the running and walking, combined with the punching load that i had done earlier today, and i just wanted to go inside and crash. I walked through the door and shouted at my mom's room.

"Hey mom, I'm home!". No response. She was probably upstairs drunk again wallowing in her self pity. I went into the kitchen and got a few things gathered up. Milk, butter, water, and the box of Mac N' Cheese. I didn't have the motivation to cook anything healthier, so I sat down to my bowl of delicious cheesiness and ate. I had left most of my food on the table when I ran off, and didn't get the chance to eat.

My phone started buzzing, and I picked it up to see who it was. I almost rolled my eyes, but it striked a little too much sadness in me. It was Patrick. I declined the phone call and threw my phone to the other side of the living room. I felt sadness for the first time in, well, I don't remember how long. Then that damn phone started ringing again. I wiped away my tears and stood up, walking to my phone and picking it up. Without looking at who it was, I answered.

"What do you want Patrick?" I asked in a solemn voice.

"Easy tiger, it's Pete." commented a gruff voice that I had gotten used to over time. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. You ran off pretty quickly there." I rolled my eyes.

"Well yeah Pete, you brought Patrick to lunch." I could hear him sigh through the phone. "I don't know Pete, it's just too soon." He sighed again from the other side of the line.

"I understand that Luce, but won't it always be too soon?" This time it was me who sighed, as I sat back down on the couch.

"No Pete, I just need time." I snapped back. He sighed, yet again.

"Whatever Luce, I just wanted to help." And then the call ended. I sat my phone down next to me on the couch and buried my head in my hands. I fucked up. I made my relationships awful, just because I let the death of Shaun get to me too badly. But still not as bad as my mother, who was now sitting in her room, and she has probably drank herself too bad. I wondered if I should go check on her, but I remembered what happened last time I did that. That resulted in a bottle to the wall right next to my head. And let me tell you, I do not want that happening again.

/::\

The next day, I decided to do something I hadn't done in weeks. I went to school. I know, shocking. I pulled up to the familiar but so strange building, and walked into the school. I was about ten minutes late, purposely, so I don't have to deal with the whole re uniting thing with the guys. But, there was one thing I would have to deal with. My first class was Office Aid with Patrick. And because it's Office Aid, we are allowed to talk to each other. So I know he's going to try to talk to me. I decided to stop before walking in, and put in my earbuds at full blast. I walked into the office, looking at the peach walls instead of Patrick's dirty blonde hair that I fell in love with. I sat my things down on the couch in the back, and went to work organizing papers. Surprisingly, Patrick didn't even attempt to speak to me, but I could feel his eyes staring at me the whole period.

I picked up my things when the bell rang, and walked out of the office as quickly as possible, passing Patrick on my way out. Chemistry was next. I walked into the room and made eye contact with Frank. He was looking down at his paper, probably studying for the test that we had been assigned right before I stopped talking. His things were sitting on my chair, probably because he didn't expect me to come. I went around the room, from behind him, so I could scare him. I snuck up on him, and was preparing to jump scare him, but he stood up right before I could get the chance to. He ran into me, and turned around in a startle. It took him a second to realize who I was, and once he did, he was shocked.

He smiled bigger than I've ever seen him smile, and he picked me up and spun me around. And for the first time in weeks, I smiled. I smiled and it felt good. Maybe coming back to school would be good for me. Maybe it would distract me from the events that have occurred lately. And maybe, maybe I could repair my relationship with Patrick.

-BeautifulDreamer202