Dawn Hollow

XVIII

They exchanged no words, sounds, or acknowledgments of each other, simply silent with every step they glided through the drizzling rain. PJ was holding onto Kane's hand, the crying boy doing the same in fear that if he let go, the only other person in his world would fly away in the wind. They were cold, soaked, and shivering together, only adding less and less distance between them.

"How are you feeling?" PJ mumbled through his chattering teeth.

"Still hurting," Kane muttered. "It's just killing me. I can't stop hearing her voice. I loved her so much. And I loved my step-father too. It's just an absolute nightmare to keep thinking that something I can't even control about myself is the reason they're gone."

"I completely understand, Kane. I can't imagine everything you're feeling right now, but it isn't your fault that you're sick, okay? It wasn't Faye's fault either. It's something that's out of your hands."

"I just want to be a normal teenager, PJ, like you and your friends! You are everything I've always wanted to be! I hate to say it, but I've been mildly jealous of you since we met. The way your friends came and rescued you, how quick they were to take care of you, the amount of love and trust you all clearly have for each other it all...reminded me of what I used to have and what I will never get again." PJ didn't even know if he could breathe after the weight of the other's words. In all ways, he was right though, everything he had was a reflection of what Kane had previously, never once occurring to him how much that had probably killed him on the inside.

"I'm so sorry, Kane. I was inconsiderate about all of your feelings on the matter, and I should've been more courteous."

"Don't worry about it, honestly. I just want that life I always dreamed of. If I can't have my old one back, I might as well wish for a new one, right?" Kane joked with no enthusiasm. He tilted his head down in the rain and let the waterfall. The look in his eyes was dead, and anything he had left had just been retaken from him. PJ watched his rejected face get more pale and sick by his thoughts. His own heart throbbed in copious pain for the boy. All of this was his idea, after all. There had to be a way to fix it.

Breaking PJ from his stare, a massive sound of the clock's bell from the middle of the town ran out harmoniously to those who had already tuned it out. He immediately grabbed hold of the phone in his back pocket and lit up the screen, seeing the time in sync with the bells of the clock, 11:00am.

"Kane, I know my last idea was a complete flop, but I have another idea."

"PJ, I honestly don't know if I can handle something else right now. I mean, you know what just happened!"

"I know, I know, but this one is different, okay? This idea will fix the last idea. Please just give me a chance with this!"

"PJ, I don't-"

"Please," Kane could see it in the other's face that 'no' wasn't really an option. He desperately had another opportunity to make everything right, and it might've just killed him if he did not give PJ another chance. Plus, the heartbroken boy wasn't sure how well he could resist PJ's adorable charm.

"Alright, fine! As long as it gets us out of the rain," Kane blushed with a grin. PJ nodded happily and took off with their hands still tightly together. He could feel his arm nearly loosen in its socket with how fast they were determined to get there. For a second time that day, Kane was unsure about their whereabouts. It wasn't a new town district because things were familiar, but it wasn't old.

They took a sharp corner and nestled in front of tall trees that hid the fields behind it was the daunting place PJ called his High School. It was quieter than either of them had ever seen it with class in session.