𝐇𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞, 𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭..

Chapter 9

1 month later
it's now December and Sykkuno is still suffering and coughing up more and more seeds.
Luckily with his symptoms still being mild, he can easily hide what's going on, but that doesn't stop his fear.

Meanwhile, Corpse has been hanging out more and more with Lucas.. Seems like they aren't just friends anymore.

Groupchat
Bret- okay this is getting ridiculous
B- I'm sick of this
J(odi)- what bret?
J- why'd you make a new groupchat
B- BECAUSE SYKKUNO ISN'T ANSWERING THE PHONE
B- NO TEXTS NO MESSAGES
B- I BARELY SEE HIM, ONLY AT SCHOOL
B- AND EVEN THEN, HE TALKS SO DRY
B- IT'S BEEN TWO MONTHS
R(ae)- you're right, he's not himself
R- we need to do something
J- why don't we go over ??
J- he can't say he doesn't want to go out if we're already there
B- YES JODI
B- force him into hanging out with us
B- I DARE HIM TO TURN ME AWAY

Sykkuno sighed as he looked at the computer, trying to figure out what the hell was happening to him.
After searching, the only thing that would come out was the word "Cancer", but he knew it wasn't that.

Sykkuno slammed his laptop shut as he turned around he unexpectedly came face-to-face with three of his best friends.
"Guys!", he screamed, shooting up from his seat, throwing all of the pens and papers that were neatly laid on his desk,
objects that now remained scattered across the floor.

"Are you okay, Sy?" Rae asked, watching Sykkuno become a nervous wreck.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine, you guys just scared me. I didn't expect you all to be here.. I didn't get any texts or calls."
he mumbled, checking his phone to see a mountain of notifications from anyone within 10 mile radius, "Oh.."

"Yeah, it's not the first time you've dodged our texts and calls, Sykkuno.." Bret said passive-agressively.
"In fact, it's been two months since you've texted something that wasn't 'sorry I can't go out' or 'sorry can't talk rn'."

Sykkuno felt his face become red as Bret continued to point out how absent he's been these past few weeks.
"Sy, I love you but what the hell, how do you just disappear on us like that, it's not fair!" Bret rambled on ever more.
"Bret, enough!" Jodi started, trying to calm him down.
"No! Not enough! We needed you" Bret yelled at Sykkuno, frustrated.
"I'm sorry, Bret, I am- I just, I haven't been feeling great and I didn't want to bother you all"
"You've never bothered us.. whatever it is, we're here for you" Rae began, holding on to Sy's arm, "No matter what, you can count on us."

Jodi placed a hand onto his shoulder, "Yeah, Sy, since when were you afraid to talk to us? You know we should never keep anything from each other"

"I know, Jodi, I'm sorry."

"Sykkuno..." Bret got closer as he spoke, "You know that no matter what happens it's us...you, me, Jodi and Rae", Sykkuno smiled at Bret before hugging all three of them,
"Thank you, guys." "Of course," Bret smiled. "Now let's stop being sappy bitches... And let's have our picnic day." "Picnic day, inside?" "Of course, what? did you think we would come empty-handed?" Jodi asked,
pulling out her basket filled with sandwitches, drinks and more food. "And I brought snacks," Rae giggled as she threw herself onto Sykkuno's bed and pulled out bags of chips and candy.
Sykkuno looked at Bret raising an eyebrow as he watched Rae and Jodi prepare everything they brought.
"I may or may not have borrowed Beauty and the Beast from Corpse for the day."

*our movie.. Mine and Corpse's..* Sykkuno thought.

"Bret," "Fine, I stole it! But it was for a good cause I'll give it back..."  "Bretttt" Sykkuno repeated, knowing fully well Bret wasn't giving it back. "I'm lying, I won't," he admitted.
Sykkuno laughed at his best friend before getting dragged to the bed where Rae and Jodi were waiting. Sykkuno's smile grew, it's been a long time since he's had this much fun with his friends.
He was still worried and a little scared about what was happening to him, but he chose not to dwell on it, right now, all that mattered were his friends.

Rae's acc:
(posts a blurry pic of Sykkuno smiling with a milkshake in his hand)
finally got this one out of his cave
COMMENTS:
@Jodi- Rae, this pic has such bad qualityy
^@Rae- don't blame me, blame Bret's phone
@Bret- LEAVE ME ALONE, I'M SAVING UP
@Sykkuno- I love you idiots <33
@CORPSE- SYYYY! <3

Sykkuno was having so much fun, the most fun he has had in forever. As he laughed and talked with his friends, nothing else seemed to matter,
he completely ignored the fact that he was still coughing at times, excusing it as a cold as he focused his attention in being happy
because it was something he felt he deserved, even if it was for a few moments. His phone began to ring, as he looked down, he saw it was a notification from Mark.
"Please tell this kid that it will never happen" he laughed.

"who?" Rae asked, licking the dairy-free ice cream they had ordered.

"Mark, he's literally so annoying"

"Why don't you block him?" Jodi asked.
"I have! He just makes new accounts"
"damn, Sy. he's starting to sound like Joe from You" Bret teased. "What did he say this time?"
"He said" Sykkuno cleared his throat before reading his message and a frown fell on his lips, before he could even say a word.
"Jodi and John are dating.. Did you know? They even went out with Lucas and Corpse. A double date."

Jodi froze, "Syk-"

"What the hell, Jodi?!" Sykkuno got up from the bed as he started to cough again into his arm.
"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Sykkuno, don't get mad! Please!." she pleaded. The last thing Jodi wanted was to hurt Sykkuno, especially now.

"What happened to 'we shouldn't keep anything from each other'? You sound pretty hypocritical right now!"

Jodi could feel the weight of his words. Bret intervened in an attempt to calm Sy down, "Sykkuno, calm down!"

"Did you guys know?" Sykkuno asked, looking towards Rae and Bret who hesitantly nodded their heads.

Sykkuno sighed, loudly. "I can't believe this.."

"Sykkuno, please. How was I going to tell you? You never answered the phone."

"Don't put the blame on me, Jodi! You know well that you could've told me at school or just said it through messages! I still answered, just not as much."

"Sykkuno, I didn't think you'd care this much."

"Oh you didn't think that I'd care my friend kept something from me but told everyone else?
You went out with the guys I'm in love with and some new boy who I literally HATE?"

"Sykkuno, I'm sorry.."

"Lucas knew.. and I didn't?" Sykkuno realized in shock. "He knew about you and John and I-"

Jodi cut him off, "Sykkuno, I don't like him okay?! We don't even talk. I only went out with them because John insisted and I didn't tell you because I knew-
I knew you were already sad and I didn't want to make you sadder."

"Sykkuno, please.. Lets not fight, you can't blame her."

"Why didn't you tell me about Jodi and John, about Corpse and Lucas, about anything?. Me not answering or being dry isn't an excuse.
You know that I would've answered you all in a heartbeat."

"Sykkuno.."

"Leave, I'll talk to you guys later."

"Bu="

"Just go. Please.."

Mark-Sykkuno DMs:
M- Jodi and John are dating. Did you know?? They even went out with Corpse and Lucas. A double date.
Sykkuno now- do you ever get tired of hurting me?
S- like seriously..