I yawn against my locker, my eyes drooping without my permission. I want to go to bed...so tired. I feel my head bobbing but I can't bring myself to stop it. Just...

"LAOLANNA!"

I had a mini heart attack as my eyes fly open, startled by my name being shouted. I sigh in relief seeing that it's just Ken. I offer him a weak smile, "Hi...Ken."

For the past three weeks I've been hanging out with Ken during my free time at school. He's been a real comfort. Sometimes Iris would join us with her friend Violette. They were both very nice, but complete opposites. Iris was energetic and talkative, Violette was very shy and spoke to her feet every so often. I wouldn't be doing as well as I am without them.

Recently Amber had started causing problems again, stealing money from Ken and vandalizing pictures of me. Between the four of us I managed to shrug it off, but Ken was really upset last time and it took us days to make him feel better.

I suddenly notice Ken is crying, shaking the last of my exhaustion. " Ken, what's wrong?"

His lip starts trembling as he steps towards me. I tilt my head down trying to get a better look at him but he doesn't let me as he throws his arms around me and buries his head in my shoulder sobbing.

I feel my heart breaking as I hug him back tightly, not sure how else to comfort him.

"Ken. Shh, Ken. It's Okay. Shh," I rub his back subtly with my thumb feeling awkward about being so close to some one after so long. "Did Amber do something again?" I whisper in his ear.

He shakes his head in my shoulder refusing to speak. Another heart wrenching sob leaves Ken and I feel my eyes start to ache trying to hold back tears of my own. I haven't seen someone so upset in months. It brings back unwelcome memories, but I ignore them for Ken's sake.

"Shh," my throat is getting tense and it is harder to speak,"Shh, Ken. What's wrong?" I manage to whisper.

He takes big heaving breathes through his sobs, "I-I-" his voice cracks followed by another trembling sob,"I love you! L-laola-" he clutches chest balling as he starts balling uncontrollably. I look at him in crushed bewilderment as he takes off running.

"Ken! WAIT!" What did I do?

"KEN!" I yell running after him. I run out the school's main entrance where I saw him disappear to.

I shield my eyes against the sun's bright light, blinking back my own tears. I wipe them away hastily as I frantically scan the courtyard. Where is he?! I walk to the center of the courtyard listening and checking my surroundings.

I hear a car door open and instinctively look towards the sound to see a brief glimpse of Ken's sobbing form being ushered into his car by his dad. I stare with my mouth agape, not knowing what to do as I watch them drive away.

My surroundings feel surreal as stand in the bright sun staring at where I had last seen Ken and his dad drive off. It was oddly quiet, but all the small sounds, the wind, wind chimes off in the distance, the ruffling of leaves, a clinking metal noise from somewhere way off to my right, birds, all amplified. Not chaotic. Just, suddenly there. The sun making things crisp and washed out all at once.

I feel...nothing.

Or maybe I feel too much...

I want to sit, or move, or do something, but I don't. I stand. Unmoving. An unnerving sensation somewhere deep in my chest. I can't put a finger on what it is. It's just there. Nagging. Subtle. Begging for something, but being shut up. Frustrating, but ignored.

I finally let my eyes drop and search for somethings in the empty space before me, but still not willing to move. Like I forget how.

I blink at the sound of the school doors opening. I glance out of the corner of my eye and notice Iris and Violette coming towards me.

Before I can turn to address them Iris has her arms around me in a suffocating hug saying, "I'm so sorry," over and over again.

I gently pull her off of me, "What's going on?" I ask plainly, unable to choose an emotion to speak with.

"Here," she says as she thrusts a stuffed animal at me, "Ken asked me to give this to you." she bites her lip and shuffles her feet.

I look down at the thing in my hands and notice it's a squishy stuffed teddy bear in a white T-shirt with a red heart on it. I blink at in uncomprehending.

"How does this explain anything?" I ask, irritation starting to creep into my voice unintentionally.

"Ken just came up to me had a mental break down ballingly confessed that he's in love with me and ran away only to be driven out of here by his father who didn't look like he gave a care in the world that his son is in utter misery and you give me a stuffed bear from Kentin thinking that would explain everything!?" I huff out in one breath not really angry at Iris, but making it sound that way all the same. I shouldn't have done that. I look at her apologetically even though I knew I didn't wipe all the irritation from my face.

Her eye brows shoot up, "He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?"

Looking confused and embarrassed with her cheeks flushed and her eyebrows drawn she spoke quietly, "But...He said he was going to tell you..."

She began fiddling with her braid, "His dad is sending him to military school..."

"What?!"

She tucks her head down further, "Yesterday was his last day... He came today to say goodbye."

I stare at her unblinking my breathing a nuisance. My chest feels constricted. "Oh," I say as though I understand. "Kay."

I begin walking back towards the school building. All of a sudden my breathing is weird and I try to scratch the discomfort in my chest away. My face is growing tight my lip acting like it wishes to tremble.

The next thing I know I'm balling. I fall to my knees crying. I don't even know why I'm crying, but I am. I sit on the ground head in my hands letting the tears fall. What is wrong with me?

Why today?

I need him.

Slowly I calm myself down as Iris and Violette hover over me trying to make me feel better. I clear my throat and take a deep breath before standing back up. "Sorry," I mutter.

I put myself back together and lead them to the girls washroom inside. Looking in the mirror I blow a strand of hair out of my face. Guess it's going to be another day of looking like a wreck. I tidy up any makeup smudges before getting my friends' approval.

"You just look a bit tired. You look fine. Don't worry about it." Violette offered much to my surprise.

"Thanks, V." I said with a grateful smile.

In a sort of weird blessing the bell rang signalling the beginning of classes. We gave each other meaningful glances before going our separate ways, I stuffing my new bear into my backpack on the way.