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"Kel?"
"OH, uh, sorry, uh... sorry."
The teacher gave a wry smile. "Just checking you were still with us." A few of Kel's classmates emitted breathy sniggers.
School is no way to spend a birthday, Kel thought.
A little while later the bell rang for the end of school, and every kid in the room got up and packed up to leave. Kel was partway through making his move for the door when the teacher called him over. She waited for the rest of the students to leave, and Kel stood beside her desk as she sat in her chair.
"Is everything alright, Kel?"
Kel's eyes widened, then he smiled. "Oh! Everything's fine, ma'am!"
"Are you sure? It's just I've noticed that you've been quite distracted in class lately. And I know students get distracted all the time, but you seem like you have something on your mind."
"Oh, no, I'm OK! Nothing to worry about." Kel closed his eyes and gave his signature great big grin.
The teacher smiled hesitantly. "If you're sure. Just remember that you can talk to me or another member of staff if something's up here, or at home. We're all here to protect our students and make sure they're doing well, and that includes you."
"Thank you, ma'am, I'll be sure to come to you if anything's up."
"Alright. Thank you Kel, you can go now. See you tomorrow."
"Thanks, seeya tomorrow!"
The teacher turned back to her desk as Kel turned and walked out of the door, wearing his lie on his face.
Kel's summer was mostly average. For a little while towards the end, it was good, then a little tricky, then it was great, and everything seemed like it would work out fine, and then the good times and the summer both ended with a great clattering thump. Last time there was a great clattering thump in Kel's life, it was about the same thing, kind-of. But the reason was different this time.
He supposed... everything's different, now?
Kel was always one to try to act on the kinder side of things. He intended to keep to that pattern of behaviour when it came to two of his friends in particular. It wasn't easy, though. Forgiveness was one of his instincts, but there are nastier instincts in the human mind, ones that told the boy to cut his friends loose for what they did and to say goodbye. The instincts could speak loudly sometimes, and sometimes they sent soft ripples through his brain like stones being skipped across his subconscious, but Kel did not plan on listening to the nasty instincts either way. If it had been hard for him, imagine how hard it had been for them.
He guessed he'd seen how hard it had been for them in their injuries that night, and on the next day when one of them collapsed to the floor in tears in that hospital room. He knew in that moment what his friends were like, and that what they needed in that moment was his hope and his love.
But it never just ends there. Kel had a lot to think about.
He was so deep in thought that he almost didn't notice a mop of blonde hair about to make its way around the corner out of the school grounds.
...Kel decided he should skip out on after-school basketball on the park today. He needed to make a visit.
After stopping by the park and letting his sports friends know he was gonna be missing the games, Kel set out to Basil's house. After a short, daydreamy walk - it was getting cold, but stubborn little patches of fall were sticking around, and they were pretty nice to look at - he reached his destination and knocked on the door. Kel heard a soft, kind-of motherly voice say "Coming!", and soon enough, Polly was in front of him.
"Oh, Hi, Kel! Are you here to see Basil?"
"Hi, Miss Polly! Yes, please, if he's available!"
"Sure! You can come in and sit on the couch, I'll go find him for you." Polly stepped to the side to let Kel in. Just as he walked past, she stopped him and looked into his eyes with a hand on his shoulder. She spoke in hushed tones.
"Thank you for coming to see Basil. It's been rough for him lately."
Kel gave a small smile and a blink, and walked into the living room.
After sitting down for a moment and waiting for Polly to find her charge, Basil walked, tentatively, wringing his hands, into the room. Polly followed him to the doorway, then left the two boys to themselves.
"Oh! H-Hey Kel!"
"Hey Basil!" Kel got up and grappled his friend into a bear hug. After squishing him for a little bit, he pulled away. Basil smiled, face flushed.
"Th-Thanks, Kel." Basil rubbed the back of his neck and moved to sit down. Kel joined him.
"How have you been?"
"I-I've been OK, thanks. Happy birthday!"
"Aww, you remembered! Thanks, man!" Kel leaned over and tackled Basil with a side-hug.
"Hehe, o-of course."
"Man, this is good. It's nice to get to chill out with you on my birthday. Almost like old times!"
"Uhh... y-yeah..."
Basil smiled. Kel smiled. For a little while, they didn't exchange any words. Basil's smile became easier to see through while Kel's faded.
"Hey... are you alright, man?"
Basil turned sharply back towards Kel. "What?! I'm fine! Just, just a little tired, that's all. Busy day at school today, you know. And I was tending to all my flowers not that long ago, so, yeah..."
Kel shook his head, closing his eyes and giving a smile that was, this time, concerned. "Can't fool me, buddy."
"I'm-I'm-I'm not trying to fool you, Kel! I wouldn't do that to you. I..."
Basil took a deep breath and sighed. He paused in contemplation with his hand to his lips.
"I don't deserve to be here, Kel."
"What do you mean? This is your house!"
"Not that part, I mean... you shouldn't be with me on your birthday."
"What- but I wanna be with you, Basil! You're my friend!"
"Why, though?!" Basil whisper-shouted. He grabbed Kel's shoulders.
"You know what I did. You know who I am. You don't have to keep pretending for my sake. You can leave, it's fine. I-i-i-i-it's fine, honest!" Panic stretched his features.
Sadness began to pull at Kel's, and he leaned forward, embracing his friend and letting the hands on his shoulders slip to around his back. "Basil, no... no, I'm not gonna do that. It's OK, I promise. I know you're hurting, and I want to help you feel better. I'm not gonna leave, I've got your back."
Basil's grip tightened around Kel. His voice trembled as he spoke.
"...Really?"
It hurt to see a friend suffer so much.
Kel said what came naturally to him.
"Of course."
Basil shook more and more as he forced the words out.
Thank you.
Basil shook as Kel held him for a while.
But not a long while. It had been about 30 seconds when a slightly-too-firm set of knocks rang through the door. Basil jumped, but Kel kept him in his hug for just a moment more, then pulled away. He smiled. "I'll get that." He ran to the door, not noticing Polly, who had walked into the room and was slightly perplexed at being beaten to the punch to answering the door in the house that was she was in charge of. She looked at Basil and noticed his red eyes, and decided her services would be useful somewhere other than the front door.
Kel opened the door to reveal a bright flash of pink. The person the pink flash belonged to was obviously expecting someone else, looking surprisingly sweet and considerate on the door first opening, but once she realised who was greeting her, she quickly reverted to a mixture of sass and bravado.
Kel grinned his big, eyes-shut, teeth-showing grin. "Hey, Aubrey!"
"What are you doing here?"
Kel's features snapped into their "annoyed" positions. "What kind of hello is that?"
"Well I'm sorry I expected someone who's living here to answer the door. What's going on?"
Kel huffed. "I wanted to see Basil! It's been a lil' while and I thought I'd chill with him. Is that OK with you?"
Basil popped up at the taller boy's side, as if he'd heard his name. "Oh, h-hey, Aubrey. How are you?" He smiled. It was a little eerie, because neither Kel nor Aubrey knew how real or fake it was.
The former tormentor quickly moderated her mood at her victim's presence. She spoke gently. "Hey, Basil. I'm doing good, thanks. How are you?" She smiled as warmly as she could, seeing the red around his eyes.
"I'm well, thank you," he replied, voice quivering just a touch. "Oh! You can come in, if you'd like."
"Oh, yeah, sure! Thanks." Basil nodded and turned around for Aubrey to follow him in. As she walked past Kel, she fist-bumped his shoulder. "Happy birthday, dork."
"Oh, you remembered! Thank you!" Kel grinned again.
This gave Aubrey pause, however.
"Am I that much of an asshole?"
"Wh- no! I just mean I'm glad to hear it from you!" Kel scratched the back of his head. "It's, well, been a while, you know? ...And we weren't exactly friends for a long time."
Aubrey looked in sadness and muted frustration at Kel, then followed a path that her eyes traced to Basil, who was sitting himself down on the couch. She sighed. "...Yeah."
Aubrey walked past Kel and sat down.
Kel thought for a moment and decided to follow. "So," he asked his friends, "whaddaya wanna do?"
Basil stopped him there. "Well, it's your birthday. What do you wanna do?"
Aubrey smirked. "Yeah, birthday boy," but added, a little more gently than expected, "Whatcha wanna do?" Her smirk turned into a small smile.
They got Gino's to-go. After a little debating over who should go and get it - Kel said he would go, but Basil vetoed it on account of it being his "special day", and Polly, perhaps understandably, didn't really want to leave Basil in the house without her (though she didn't quite say that directly) - it was decided that Aubrey would be today's pizza lackey, so off she went (with money that Polly insisted on giving her, much to her embarrassment) to bring back a fresh pie or two, and if she could, after a timid and frankly kinda-adorable request from Basil, some garlic bread, of which he was a fan. And why not, Aubrey thought? She liked garlic bread, too. Good thing it was Kel's birthday so they all had an excuse to treat themselves.
Aubrey got back with garlic bread in-hand. Once everything was set out, and Kel had two slices of pizza in-hand, and Aubrey had her first, and Basil was taking small tearing bites off of a slice of garlic bread like a bunny rabbit, the three old friends could just... chat. And much chatting was done; laughs were shared, stories were told, memories were held close as the bitter was allowed to mix freely with the sweet. It was liberating for each of them in their own way. Eventually, it was getting dark, and Kel remembered he probably should have called his parents at some point and told them where he was and how long he might be staying. His mother wasn't pleased - her best-laid plans for a family evening had gone awry. Kel's father was more understanding, telling his son to "have a good time with your friends, champ" and sounding like he would have ruffled Kel's hair if they were in the same place. But he did need to get back soon-ish.
He talked with Aubrey and Basil for a little while longer.
Eventually, he did actually need to leave. He was making his goodbyes when Aubrey suggested she and Basil walk him home. After checking with Polly that that was alright, they headed off. They talked while they walked.
"So," asked Aubrey as she turned to Kel, "...good day?"
"Yeah! It's been great. And it was really nice to get to spend time with you both again. These past few years just weren't the same, y'know?"
"...Yeah. It has." Basil nodded, nervously, in agreement with his friends. Satisfied, Kel turned forward with a smile on his face.
Aubrey wasn't done.
"Hey..."
Kel turned back. "Yeah?" He saw the expression on her face. "...Everything good?"
"Yeah, it's just... listen, you and I both know I'm not the sappy type - well, at least, I haven't... I haven't been for a while now. But it really was good to be back together. I know I'm a dick to you a lot. And up until recently it was, uh- it was more than that... But it's not that I don't care... I'm... I'm glad we're friends again, man."
Kel's walk had gradually slowed to a near-stop. His features softened and warmed, and then... well, he tackled Aubrey into a great big hug.
"Thank you. I really mean that. I'm so glad I could spend today with you. I care about you, too, I know we fight but I really do." The girl returned the embrace in full, allowing herself to feel her emotions without judgement as they flew past her.
After a few seconds, Aubrey looked over Kel's shoulder and saw Basil standing there awkwardly, kind-of smiling but also clearly not knowing what to do with himself.
"Hey. Wanna get in on this?"
"Oh, Basil, yeah! Sorry, sorry, hehe. How 'bout a hug?"
"A-Are you sure?"
"'Course, man! Always room for more!"
Basil hesitated, and Aubrey noticed.
"It's fine, really. I care about you, too. Promise." She smiled as reassuringly as she could. "...Hell, maybe even just a little bit more than I care about Kel."
"Hey!"
"Hehehe."
Reassured and lightened by her words (and cheered by her anti-Kel dig), Basil joined the embrace.
...
Hugs feel good.
Kel's mother was in a rather frantic state when he got home, and not in the best of moods, but his father was able to keep her from completely snapping, and even invited Aubrey and Basil in for a few minutes. Everyone got a hat and a party blower (OK, Kel got several hats, to Basil's light amusement and Aubrey's muted, respectful annoyance - she was in relatively polite company, after all). Kel and friends were just about to part ways when the doorbell rang. The birthday boy, paying no mind to the idea that perhaps other people could do the legwork on one's birthday, bounded off to open the door.
When he did, he was greeted by a short, one-eyed boy with no discernible expression on his face and a considerably taller man looking slightly embarrassed.
The boy spoke abruptly in a low monotone. "Party's here."
"SUNNY!" Kel tackled his pal in a bear hug.
"Wait, Sunny's here?"
"S-Sunny?"
Everyone scrambled to the front door to greet their new guest.
The taller man grinned at his brother after a little while. "Hey, I'm here too."
"HAHAHAHA! HEROOOO!" The brothers grappled each other into a warm embrace.
Now it was the parents' turn.
"Hero?!"
"Oh! Champ!"
Kel pulled away. "You said this morning you were stuck at college!"
Hero chuckled. "Yeah, I did. Well, I got a call from Sunny a few hours ago. Wanted to know what I was doing for your birthday. I told him I had to be at college and he just... insisted that I come over, and bring him along, too. He can be, um... surprisingly persistent when he wants to be."
Kel gawped at the other new arrival. "YOU got Hero to come here, Sunny?!" Sunny nodded, and was immediately tackled into a side-hug by his much taller, stronger friend, yelling his gratitude. Sunny pursed his lips at the force of the side-hug, but returned it regardless.
Kel's dad took the liberty of inviting Sunny in along with Hero. Kel's mom protested a little, wanting her family time, but her husband managed to calm her down again, just about.
"Happy birthday, Kel," said Sunny.
Kel beamed.
"Thanks, man. It's good to have you here."
Sunny's eyes sparkled, and he smiled, just a little bit.
Everybody started mingling. After a little while, Kel and Basil withdrew to the sidelines. They stood next to each other, watching their friends and Kel's family all talking and having a good time. After a few moments of silence, Basil chuckled to himself. Kel's ear pricked up.
"What is it?"
"Hehe, did you never notice? Sunny keeps making googly-eyes at Aubrey. I think our friend might have a teensy-weensy little crush..."
"Huh." Kel thought to himself. "No, I can't say I did notice." Kel's thought process continued ahead of him - technically, wouldn't Sunny just be making "googly-eye" at Aubrey? Is that insensitive? He considered vocalising his theory to Basil, then remembered who he was talking to, and how Sunny lost his eye, and decided that even if he wasn't sure it was insensitive, it definitely would be in context. He kept his mouth shut.
After a little while, Sunny walked over to Kel. "Hey. Could I talk to you?"
"Oh, sure! Just me?"#
Sunny turned around and surveyed the group. "...Our friends can listen if they want."
"Sure thing! HEY, GUYS, SUNNY WANTS TO TALK TO US!"
As their friends crowded around them, Sunny walked over to Kel's parents. "I'd like some privacy, if that's not too much to ask, please."
"W-What?"
Kel's dad was surprised, too, but he managed to regain himself. "Oh! Um, sure, we can do that! Everything's gonna be OK?" Sunny nodded. "Alright, then, we'll give you some space. Call us if you need anything, alright?" Sunny nodded again, and Kel's parents made their way upstairs to check on Sally.
Sunny turned back around. "This is mostly for Kel but you can all listen if you want. But it's gonna be pretty heavy. Is that OK?"
Basil flinched and made a difficult-to-describe expression, and Aubrey put a hand on his shoulder. "Sure. I'll stay and listen. Basil? Hero?"
"...I think we should stick together. That's what we said, right?" ...We'll be here for you, Sunny. Is that OK, Basil? We're here for you, too." Hero smiled at the blonde boy, and after a few slow beats of thinking, Basil nodded.
"...OK. You can go ahead, Sunny."
"Thank you." He turned quickly to Kel. "I think I would be dead if it weren't for you."
Basil gasped; Aubrey's and Hero's eyes widened; Kel recoiled in shock.
"...what?"
"You got me out of my house. I'd been in there for a long time. And it was mostly you who got us all back together."
Sunny paused and looked up to think.
"There was a lot in my head while I was inside. And I kept blocking it out, but it was gonna get to me sooner or later. And if I'd kept on living in there, and the - the guilt of what I did got to me... or if I moved away and just took it with me, then-" Sunny paused again, sniffing and looking up to try and stop the tears in his eye. "...I think I would have done something very bad to myself. I don't think I'd be here."
Silence hung in the air as every eye in the room got less dry.
Kel spoke in a near-whisper. "Sunny..."
Sunny, tears flowing now, held out his arms. "Hug?"
Kel walked into Sunny's arms, slowly and softly, and they held each other tight. Through sniffles, Sunny finished his message to the boy who rescued him from solitude.
"Thank you, Kel."
Aubrey and Hero were both crying, too, and Basil was quietly sobbing. Hero sensed his friends were in need, and spoke between sniffs. "Hey, everyone... group hug?"
Everyone nodded, and slowly, carefully, they made their way around Kel and Sunny, and they held each other in their arms and in their hearts. They were all sobbing, sniffling or both by now. Their love and care for each other filled the space between them and expanded outwards into the room.
It wasn't what Kel expected on his birthday. But if he could make that much of a difference to his dear friend - practically his younger brother - then he was happy. And as everyone hugged and soft murmurs made their way between them all, he could feel the love and care of everyone there in his soul. He knew he had friends and a brother who were looking out for him, and he knew that if he really had made that difference to them all, that he had repaired a bond long-broken by unspoken pains, then that was the best birthday present in the world.
...
This was better.