Guess who hasn't written a single word in 2 weeks? Me, of course.
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"I do be caring, Rocky, and you can't be running away."

"And stay? So you can just be sending me away tomorrow morning?"

"Look, Rocky," Mr. Jones sighed deeply. He had always been tall and fierce, and reminded Rae a little of Asha. Now, as he rubbed the bald spot on his head, he just looked tired. "We be going over this 100 times before—"

"But not once you be listening to us!" Mya had to restrain Rocky as he yelled. "Mya be having a job, I be getting one in a year, and I just don't see why we can't wait!"

"But I be thinking of now, Rocky. I know it be hard for you to be understanding, but I just be thinking practically. For you."

Asha spoke up, quietly at first. "Dad—dad be right, you guys."

It was like a bomb had exploded. Rae had never seen Rocky look so mad, and Mya so worried.

"Oh, so you just supporting him now?"

"No! I just—"

"You just want us to leave?"

"ROCKY!"

"Mya— no. Asha, what be your problem?"

"Don't be yelling at your sister!"

"Like you don't! You not be caring about us at all!"

Mr. Jones spoke calmly, but it still caught the attention of his children. "I do. I be doing all of this for you and I know you not be understanding now— but one day, you be thanking me."

No one made a comment as he walked toward the door. "Try to be getting some sleep."

Rae watched as he slammed the door behind him and Asha started to tear up. Despite them being friends for so long, Rae had almost never seen Asha cry, and it was kind of scary how vulnerable she looked.

"Rocky... don't."

In an action that surprised everyone, Rocky pulled her into a hug. "I won't, Asha. I won't."

Mya almost ran to join their hug and soon they were a crying heap of Jones' kids. Rae felt like she was invading in a private moment, so slowly, she started to back away.

As the moon illuminated the window at just the right moment, Rae caught sight of a tall man, hunched, with his chest heaving, as if he were crying.
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By the time Rae got home, the sky was starting to lighten, so she hastily unlocked the door and ran upstairs. She skipped past Ethan's bedroom and was about to open her door when she heard whispering. Taking a quick turn, she headed back to his bedroom.

Who was he talking to? Why was he up?

She put her eye up to the crack of his door and saw Ethan staring into his mirror, mumbling incoherent words to his reflection. His glasses sunk down his nose, and the dark spots around his eyes seemed to be getting worse. Rae almost considered entering, but she knew Ethan would never forgive her.

Instead, she turned again and stepped into her bedroom. When she sank into her mattress, it seemed to engulf her.

Sleep came easily that time.
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It felt like only 5 seconds had gone by before her mom was shaking her awake.

Rae rolled over, adamant to get some more sleep, but Mrs. Casey was adamant on screaming.

"RAE. GET UP, WE BE LATE ALREADY!"

Rae looked up long enough to check the time and then groaned. "No, we're not, mom... stop..."

"NOT TO SCHOOL YOU NINCOMPOOP! TO SEE ASHA OFF!"

That got Rae's attention. She sprung out of bed just as her mother ran out the room, down the stairs, still yelling. "HURRY! ETHAN AND YOUR FATHER ALREADY BE AT THE TRANSPORT!"

Rae's heart raced as she pulled on her school clothes and raced after her mom. She was going to be late to her own best friend's leaving.

She and Mrs. Casey ran all the way to the transport, where a larger crowd than usual had gathered. Mrs. Casey was panting as Rae searched for Asha. It was Mya she noticed first, Mya, who was loyally wearing her work uniform.

"Mom, come on!" Rae dragged her mother through the crowd. Rae was surprised when she passed Ms. Terracotta, who was kissing her equally freckled boy good bye. Rae almost felt bad for her.

Finally, they found Mr. Casey and Ethan, who were mixed with the Jones's batch. Asha was ruffling Ethan's hair. "Goodbye Admiral Blondie, you be taking care of yourself, okay?"

Ethan sighed, but it was clear he was trying not to smile. "You be saying you be stop calling me that!"

Then Rae made eye contact with Asha. All the years of laughter and jokes were gone— it was all serious now. Asha enveloped Rae in a hug, and she thought maybe things would be okay after all.

"Let me be knowing how the book business be, okay?" Asha whispered in Rae's ear, making sure no one else could hear her.

"I don't know if I can do that without you."

"You can and you will be." Asha pulled away and smiled. "Let me know how it be, okay?"

"Of course." Now that she had seen Asha, Rae could properly look around. Mya was speaking to Rae's parents about sending in her resignation, Rocky was standing with his arm crossed about a metre away and Mr. Jones wasn't speaking to anyone. He acknowledged Rae with a nod, with no sign of what had happened last night.

Everyone looked up as the sound of a tranport grew louder. Rae began to fear the hum of the engine, because it was limiting her time with Asha.

"Take care of yourself Jones." It was all she could think of as Mya started climbing up the ladder, calling after her siblings.

"Goodbye Casey." Asha nodded and started following Mya. "Be calling me, okay?"

"Every day!" Rae had to yell as the hum of the engine increased; louder than her voice. Rocky was the last one to climb onto the transport, and Mrs. Casey yelled goodbye to him. He looked surprise, but waved anyways.

The three of them looked like heroes, Rae thought, with a golden halo tracing their figures. They looked ready for war.

"Bye." She called feebly as the engine started up again. Asha waved until Rae couldn't see her and Rae watched until she couldn't see the transport anymore. Even a little after that.

The crowd started to disperse, with some parents weeping softly. Rae felt tired now, with all the build up of energy having left her.

"Well, the school transport be showing up in a minute." Mr. Casey said, mostly to break the silence.

Mrs. Casey gasped. "You two not be taking your breakfast pills! I can go back and—"

"It be okay mom." Rae said, and Ethan nodded. "It just be one day."

Just as she said that, another transport hovered onto the road. Ethan ran for his one, climbing onto the second floor. Rae turned to climb the ladder, but her mother stopped her.

"Wait— Rae, you be alright today?"

"It be okay, mom.", she said again. But it was not okay. She didn't think it'd ever be okay.

Rae climbed onto the top floor of the transport, and with no one to talk to, stood off to the side. How was she going to survive school without Asha?

Saying goodbye was the easy part. Living without her was impossible.
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A.N: Finally, I got the energy to update again! I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, because it took a long time to write.

Like always, make sure to vote and comment if you enjoyed it, and question for today...

Patronus (if you like Harry Potter, that is)? Mines a dolphin.