Author's Note:

Uhh, I haven't updated this because 1) I'm lazy, 2) for reason writing has gotten difficult for me, and 3) other priorities/desires. I'm on summer break, though, and while I'm looking for a job I thought I also need to keep writing. So I do love this story and I love you guys who've reviewed and supported me. :)

Sweet Pea
a My Candy Love (© ChinoMiko) fanfiction

Chapter Six
So Long, Soldier

Opening Song: "Flowers in Your Hair" - The Lumineers

Ken and I wander into the courtyard and take a seat on the bench, where Leigh had spent the entire day waiting for news about his relationship. As soon as he sits down, Ken digs into his backpack and pulls out a half-eaten package of chocolate cookies. "Want some?" he asks, extending them to me.

"Sure!" I chirp, taking one. "So, what did you wanna talk about?"

He kicks at the ground, fiddles with the cookies, and pokes his fingers for a good five minutes before he even looks at me. I'd be annoyed if I hadn't blown him off at lunch and the fact that he looks like he's about to break down in tears. "Uh, well, you know how Amber's been bullying me and stuff—"

My jaw drops. "What!?"

His face turns red, probably from embarrassment, and I feel like a jerk. "Y-yeah... I didn't wanna tell you and make you worry, and you've been having a lot of fun. But she's been taking my lunch money, and it really isn't that big of a deal."

"Ken!" I say, standing up. "It's totally a big deal! She's stealing your lunch money, and she probably already has enough. Have you seen the bling she wears? She doesn't need your five bucks to buy a sandwich!" My righteous anger sizzles when Ken shrinks back into the bench, looking more ashamed than anything. I don't wanna call him a pushover, but Ken isn't someone who says no. Especially not to intimidating girls. "Ken, you really need to start sticking up for yourself. You can't let people like Amber walk all over you like that." I try to lower my voice and sit back down next to him, then wrap my arm around his fallen shoulders.

"I know," he mumbles.

"You're too sweet, you know," I say, smiling to try to get him to return it. When he finally does smile, it's watery and unconvincing. "Anyway, what were you saying?"

"Oh, yeah..." He pulls off his glasses and wipes at his eyes with the arm of his sweater. "Um, well, my dad found out." I wince; I can only imagine George's reaction to finding out about his son being bullied. "He was really mad."

I nod understandingly. "Yeah, he should be!"

Ken suddenly stands up, so that his back is facing me, and shakes his head. "No, Aome, he was really mad at me."

That genuinely strikes me. "What?" I mean, I know George is a hardass, especially on Ken, but there's no way that he'd blame Ken for being bullied. They definitely don't have the best relationship because George expects more than Ken can give him, but... Putting the blame on the victim is too far, even for him. "What do you mean?"

"He said it was embarrassing to have a son that couldn't stick up for himself." The guilt settles in my stomach when he echoes the same words I used just a minute ago. "He said it shamed him and that he never wants to talk about me to his friends because I'm nothing like their sons. I don't have a backbone and I'm not brave or anything like him." I'm so shocked that I say nothing even when his shoulders start shaking from the sobs. "He said it's the reason why none of the military kids wanna be friends with me, or why they always make fun of me and talk about me to their parents. He said he's shocked that you still wanna hang out with me and that you're probably only doing it because you feel bad for me."

"Ken, that's not true." It comes out much softer and weaker than I want it to. "You know it's not true. You're... You're my best friend."

I start to feel sick when he doesn't say anything. Does he really believe that — that I only pretend to be friends with him out of pity?

"Ken," I plead.

"It's my last day here," he says. "My dad's sending me to military school. He says it'll make me stronger." He doesn't even bother to try to wipe away the tears anymore. "He says it'll turn me into a son he can be proud of. I... I only came today so that I could say bye to you."

My heart drops. There's something at the back of my mind trying to tell me that this isn't real, that what he's saying is just a joke, that the sadness welling up inside of me is nothing. But I know George, and he's wanted to send Ken to military school or boot camp for as long as I can remember; he finally has a legitimate reason to do it, and it's happening. Ken and I spent two years apart, but this is different. It's like he's being ripped out of my life, and there's nothing I can do about it.

"How long are you gonna be gone?" I ask as I start wiping at my eyes. The tears aren't there yet, but I can already feel them smudging my eyeliner and mascara.

"I don't know. He didn't say."

"Ken," I sob.

He finally turn around to face me, and he's the one who holds me. Even if he's the one who was bullied, who was verbally broken down by his father, who's being forced to pick up and leave — he's the one holding me. And it's stupid that it's taking all of this for me to realize that Ken is the glue that has kept me together all these years of moving and traveling around. Losing Ken is like losing a part of myself.

"I'm really sorry, Aome," he says, sniffing into my shoulder.

I cling to him like the ground beneath us is going to crumble. "Don't be stupid," I wail, successfully ruining his favorite sweater with my makeup and tears. "Don't apologize! This isn't your fault at all, Ken."

I don't know how long we stay like that, but I'm definitely late for detention when I finally pull away. He apologizes against when I wipe at my face with my hands, and gives me his handkerchief. He puts his glasses back on after clearing up his own tears, then begins digging through his backpack. "I wanted to give you this, too. It's not a big deal or fancy or anything, but..." It's a simple brown teddy bear, wearing a white t-shirt with a heart on it. "It reminded me of you."

I laugh because it hurts to cry anymore. "Oh, Ken." I take the teddybear and hold it tight against my chest. "Thank you. I... We can still talk, right?"

"I won't be able to talk on my cell phone very much," he says sadly, "but we can still write letters." He fumbles around through his pockets before pulling out a crumbled up piece of paper. "This is my address."

"Okay. I'll write you whenever I can." After pocketing the paper, I hold the teddy bear with one arm and wrap the other tightly around Ken in a hug. "Don't forget about me while you're away at military camp, alright? Even if you make all these new buff military friends, we grew up as military brats together."

He chuckles as he rests his head on my shoulder. It's quiet, but I hear him murmur, "I'll never forget you, Aome."

Closing Song: "On Top of the World" - Imagine Dragons

Ahhh it's short, but I didn't wanna drag it out too long. So we're saying goodbye to Ken for a while! :(

Again, thank you to everyone who's reviewed and supported this fic. Your patience with me is incredible, haha.

xx, der kapitan