RELAPSING

Janice had came with Linus to the edge of the nearby forest. There, they stopped at the thick tree line, neither intended to go further at this point.

At the same time, the two of them sat down themselves on a fallen log, and only then noticed it was rough seating.

"They need better places to sit in town" Linus observed, "Everywhere we go there isn't a bench. It's little kids that have it worse…because…".

Janice listened to him, knowing her friend enough to see what he was doing with this.

"Linus, you're trying to distract me from something, I can tell"

He took a pause, about to shake his head until he thought better.

"…its okay. I've realised after all you've shown to me, that you're depressed"

"Me, Depressed" Linus pointed at himself, but knew that here, he wasn't going to lie this time, "I think, possibly"

"You've been missing" Janice put a hand to his face, "and then you pull me aside to say your grades are dropping and, oh dear, you look and feel awful"

"Rerun said that too" Linus noted, then remembered his earlier interactions, "and you missed the lashing out and dishonesty"

The two of them contemplated his choices.

Janice had a sad laugh, "We both know we can't find the magic solution to our problems"

"Maybe we can" Linus replied, "Maybe it's just that some people are too selfish to care for the solutions. I'm not depressed, no I'm angry, Janice, ANGRY"

"Then please, let it rest for now"

Linus looked at his friend, and breathed calmly, "Ok. I can…"

In a second he saw a figure from behind, running towards Janice. Acting on the training he'd been doing, he got past her as Thibault came to a stop. There was a stunned tension between the two boys, Linus glared at Thibault as Janice remained next to him.

"I warned you to watch yourself for a reason" the hostiler of the boys murmured.

"Excuse me" Linus responded, "Firstly Thibault, me and Janice were minding our own business here. Think about that".

He pushed the fist away.

"Second, whatever this is can wait. Is that okay".

Thibault frowned at the two, as he paced around them in irritation.

"I have waited, as I was telling your sister" he reminisced, "I've been looking over my shoulder since all the bully hunters rocked up. Thanks for that one"

He balled his fist.

"…And I hate it, Birchwood sucks nowadays. The average man…kid, should be as aggressive as they want, not care about others livelihoods".

"So you're here to make a point?"

"Janice Emmon's, be quiet. You don't get to poke your nose in this"

"Then keep it to yourself" Linus jabbed back "rather then be rude to Janice"

Thibault stood still, offended, but he gave a apparent nod.

"Defending her. Now ain't that respectful of you"

He straightened Linus's shirt, "but you better remember I ain't respectful myself, no. Even if Violet Gray works her magic tonight, I…"

"What" Linus was distracted by that mention, and received a grimace from Thibault pushed in his face. He jerked backward.

"And Hey, I said no poking about" Thibault stopped Janice from coming to check in, "Your move Van Pelt"

"My move", he raised his eyebrows, "Hey, I'm not going to pick a fight with you"

"Well that's" Thibault muttered, staring away "that's too bad".

It was then that Linus looked up to see another person approaching, just slightly older than him. Thibault was waiting, possibly expecting this to be good for him. Because Janice seemed the opposite.

And now, as he looked up, he saw a familiar face. His sister had arrived at the forest edge.

"Lucy, weren't you back at…" Linus wheezed, "why'd you…"

Lucy was saying nothing, and Linus then, still regaining his breath, changed his approach.

"It's okay…you're good…Janice and I, we could use some support here"

"My support, boy"

Lucy hissed that word out of gritted teeth. And Linus, only now did he realise she was here about him helping Schroeder. But he didn't get the chance of defusing the situation.

"If you think I will ever stand with the likes of you, then you're as much of a blockhead as I thought"

She began storming towards him, eyes locked on Linus shaking his head, despair on his face

Janice moved around them, as Lucy moved at her brother, him circling around as fast as possible. It meant he felt his body hurt briefly. Thibault tried to hide a sinister face.

"Thought you'd mess around with Schroeder, didn't you. You never should've got in my way" Lucy advanced.

"I thought you were trying to change", Linus called out to her. He'd reached out to mend things, not for this.

"I have changed". Lucy pushed herself towards him another time.

"Lucy" Janice spoke up "What happened with Schroeder isn't an excuse to target Linus".

"Oh yeah. I've picked fights with this boy other times".

However as Janice herself came towards Linus, Lucy instead turned on her.

"But you mess around with my crush Linus, how about I'll mess around with yours".

Linus froze before he was trying, in his concern about Janice, to get himself over to stop his sister. Thibault was planted in his way.

"Lucy, Leave her alone" he called out.

Thibault almost blocked him, but missed. Linus continued to watch his sister, as his frustration grew once more, "Enough!"

"Hate to say it" Lucy said, as she turned on Janice angrily, "but you never should've given up your blanket".

"Well" Thibault jeered, "That's the way it…"

A crack stopped him mid sentence, as he was struck instantly with the force of Linus's blanket.

"I SAID, ENOUGH!"

Linus was directing his anger (and panic) at both him and his sister, before offhandedly motioning for Janice to go. She stood where she was, Lucy's attention not on her anymore.

"Janice, please go" Linus asked. He didn't hope for her to be alongside him, as emotional as he was.

And she listened, moving away. From the other side of the siblings, a sore Thibault was clambering into the forest, slyly taking himself away from there.

Janice left the forest edge, but not before looking over her shoulder at her friend. She dreaded what was to come from leaving him alone.