Chapter 22 - There Are So Many People Around Me, But All I See Is You

The next day, just a bit after class started, the whole school was greeted with a sour start to their day. Everyone was going about their business when the announcement bell rang. "Students of Cherryton. We know that you have been anxious about the whereabouts of Louis, the future Beastar. I know, I've seen social media. Well, I can tell you that he is perfectly safe and healthy, but that he will no longer be attending Cherryton School from this point on. I regret to inform you of this news and the school just lost their top student, but we must all learn to move on. Have a great day." It clicked off.

Haru blinked, sitting at a desk. Why couldn't they tell us that yesterday...It only made it hurt more.

The announcement confirmed what Legosi had told Jack. He blinked, looking over at his friend as the announcement played. His eyes were wet. He blinked rapidly, sighing deeply. It really was over.

Jack placed his hand over his. "It's okay, Legosi. It's going to be okay." He felt so bad for his friend. The first animal he ever truly loved and he was gone, just like that.

The wolf leaned his face on his hand, looking away and sighing again.

Jack rubbed his arm. "I'm sorry...Do you want to hang out later?"

"...Yeah."

The lab smiled. "We can go to the empty pool! That will be fun, right?'

Legosi frowned. "...Somewhere else." He couldn't get Louis out of his head. He just kept imagining that big, beautiful, single eye staring at him. When would it be that he could see it again?

Over the rest of the day, there was a dark cloud over the school. A lot of the students were sad that Louis was gone. He was always so helpful. He really was a kind of glue that held carnivores and herbivores together, even if he was intense at times. What would happen without him? It was almost like he had died, the way everyone acted. Like he was never coming back.

The drama club meeting that day was focused entirely around how they would move forward now that Louis was gone. Things were already changing.

"It's so strange without Louis-senpai around...It feels like something is missing..." Els the lamb said. They were all sitting in a circle on the floor. This was a group meeting.

Everyone seemed to have something to say, except Legosi, who was sitting with his knees up like he usually did, eyes on the ground. He traced his claw on the floor absent-mindedly. Juno had sat herself next to him and had been scooching closer to him subtly.

Juno smiled. "It's okay, everyone! Don't worry! Louis-senpai would want us to move forward with our lives! We're the drama club. We can do anything!"

"Even though I think Louis-senpai was a total dick at times..." Bill mumbled. "It still feels weird not having him around.

"I agree," Aoba the eagle nodded.

"Maybe now I can be an actor again!" Kai smiled. Dom squinted at the mongoose.

Sheila the leopard was sitting criss crossed. "We all need to take a moment to think of our next plan. Even when he was bed ridden, Louis was still the leader of this club and doing stuff for it and giving orders. But now, without him, it's like we've lost our captain."

"Then we should find a new one. A friendlier one, hopefully," Riz the bear spoke up.

"It's going to be hard to find someone as good Louis," Head the pelican said, being the only animal standing in the group.

Everyone left agreed. It was time to find someone new. Eyes turned to was good at boosting morale, but could she handle some of the more complicated aspects of the drama club like planning and managing?

She blushed. "Eheh...I dunno...I've never really done something like that before! Plus, I'm a first year..." It would be too distracting from my real goal... Her hand slid closer to Legosi's.

Everyone had been around Legosi. They knew he held Louis in high regard. Hell, he had risked it all to save his life when he was kidnapped. They knew he was taking it hard.

Juno looked at Legosi. "Do you think I could handle it, senpai...?"

Legosi looked over at her slowly, then looked down. "I guess so..." She could never replace Louis-senpai.

Juno looked at everyone. "I guess I could try!" Maybe...This will get me closer to him...He always went in that office with Louis-senpai...This could get me closer to becoming Beastar too…

Bill looked at Legosi. Even though I don't like him...It sucks to see him sad like this. I mean, imagine it were me and one of my girls. If Louis had stripes then I'd definitely be bummed out too.

Legosi got up suddenly, saying he had to go to the bathroom. In reality, he couldn't stand being in that room anymore without...him.

Everyone blinked. Juno frowned. "It's okay, everyone! Legosi will be better in no time!"

It was strange how Legosi's shift from quiet and in the background to utterly depressed affected everyone. Of course, ever since the incident on stage with Bill, he had done more and more things to stick out. This was almost like a reset button was pushed.

Legosi walked up to one of the sinks, splashing water into his face. He looked up in the mirror, imagining Louis standing behind him. His lip quivered a bit. He couldn't do this. He didn't save Louis so he could be stolen again.

The door opened, Dom walking beside him. "Legosi, I'm worried about you."

The wolf kept staring into the mirror. "...And I'm worried about senpai." He wasn't sure what else to say.

"Louis-senpai?"

He nodded. It was funny how Dom could have thought he meant anybody else...

"I'm sorry...You know...We can all tell you really care about him. I see you looking at him when he's rehearsing. Or...when he did." He probably shouldn't have said that last part.

He nodded. He looked over at Dom. The bird had never hid the fact that he was attracted to males. Maybe..."Dom...I...I fell in love with Louis-senpai...hard..."

Dom smiled admiringly. "Now I get it."

"I don't know what to do...I never felt this for anybody before. Now...he's gone..."

"I think I might like Kai, honestly...Ever since he joined the stage crew, he's done such a great job at being a part of everything. We've even hung out outside of club. He's a big nerd, did you know that?"

Legosi nodded, smiling a bit. Kai was scatterbrained and changed his mood so quickly. He had disliked Legosi but soon took a liking to him once he worked with him up in the rafters. He could consider him a friend.

"Guess we're both just confused," he laughed. He put a hand on his shoulder and opened his beak to speak, until the door opened roughly. Bill waltzed in.

"What are you two homos doing in here alone?" He grinned. "Nah, I'm just kidding!"

Legosi jumped from the sudden noise. This damn tiger...

"Hey, Bill…" He managed to get out. Was everyone coming in to check on him?

"I know you're bummed about Louis-senpai, man, but there are plenty of deer out there!" He gave a toothy smile. "All you need to do is find one with a nice set of stripes!"

Legosi clammed up. First of all, deer don't have stripes. Second: "Wh-who told you?"

Bill laughed. "It's super obvious, Legosi! You just didn't grab that ass soon enough!"

Dom smacked his arm.

The feline held up his hands. "I'm just saying! If he had admitted it sooner at least Louis-senpai would know!"

Legosi felt like lashing out at Bill, but he wasn't actually mad at him. Bill was Bill. And the way they were talking about it...made him feel good, in a way. It was validating.

He swallowed. And Bill had a point about that. Part of him wished he could have told Louis. Maybe he felt the same.

...There was no telling, now.

Dom frowned. "Love takes time, dimwit. Do you admit that you love a girl everytime she leaves your sorry tail behind? So, what, like every week?"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Legosi stood between the two boys, and for the first time all day he felt a little better. He still had his friends, at least. Wait, Bill? Friend? Well, stranger things have happened.

The canine took a breath, looking down into the sink, just staring at the drain. "Do you guys think...Louis-senpai would ever want to be with me…?"

Dom nodded eagerly. "He's definitely gay."

"Ghhk?" Legosi recoiled, looking at the bird like he had two heads.

Bill raised a brow. "Not as gay as you."

Dom shrugged. "What can I say? I own it. Louis...He's more reserved, that's for sure. But it's there."

Bill laughed. "Ha, if Louis was taken back home and his father was homophobic, he could just come out to him and get kicked out and then come hide here."

Dom rolled his eyes. "Hopefully his father would understand."

"W-we don't even know if that's true! You guys are jumping to conclusions!" Legosi blubbered. At least it got his mind off his sadness.

The door opened again. It was Kai. "Woah, are you guys throwing a party? In the bathroom?"

Dom didn't make any face or anything to show he liked him. "We were just talking to Legosi-kun."

Bill nodded. "He's having love problems."

Kai crossed his arms. "I have a feeling neither me or especially Bill will help in any way."

Bill's mouth fell open. "Why's everyone giving me shit about my love life?!"

"Or lack thereof," Dom mumbled. Kai laughed at that. Legosi allowed himself to laugh as well.

This made the animals smile. They were getting through to him!

Dom rubbed his back. "Just don't look at any pictures or past texts from him and soon...You'll move on!"

Legosi nodded. He didn't want to move on. He didn't think he would. But if it made his friends feel better...maybe he could try.

Truth was, he had read that entire text conversation he had with Louis over and over again, refusing to look at the last message he had sent him.

Then he realized that no one really knew Louis like he did.

They could let go so easily.

Bill nodded. "That's right! Before you know it, you'll like a fox named Chad!" Kai and Dom made blank faces.

Legosi looked at Bill with half lidded eyes and a pained grin. "Th-thanks, Bill." There were way too many animals in that small bathroom..."Uh, I'm gonna leave now. Thanks, guys...I feel a little bit better."

They all waved, standing there. "Bye, Legosi-kun!"

Juno was waiting for him when he came out.

Legosi stepped out and saw the female standing off to the side on the left, so he turned right, walking quickly.

Juno blinked as her ears flattened on her head. Legosi-senpai?...Okay, I'll give you some time.