Candy Rings

Violet Hues in Pretty Eyes

Summer came with new memories and hot sun beating on skin. The school year ended and it was time to say goodbye to elementary school. The 5th graders had a ceremonial picnic to celebrate their graduation from elementary school and parents were invited.

Tears glistened on parents' faces watching the slideshow of their children growing up. Karl sat in awkwardness avoiding his eyes from the screen, flashbacks of unforgivable words and bruised knees filling his mind. Life had gotten better lately, but you can't erase the pain from the past.

Karl felt someone tap him and looked to see Sapnap pointing at the screen.
It was a picture of Sapnap and him on Halloween the previous year. They both decided a week before they would both dress up as Minecraft characters; Sapnap a Creeper and Karl an Enderman. Everyone else had decided to dress up as either a princess or a superhero and were confused as to why two boys would do matching costumes.
It didn't matter to the two best friends what the class thought, they were happy with the result.

In the picture, Sapnap had his arm wrapped around Karl's waist and the other one held up a peace sign. Karl was staring at Sapnap, blush creeping on his cheeks. Right before the picture had been taken, Sapnap had told Karl that helooked handsome in his costume. It took the taller one by surprise and he just stared at Sapnap with admiration in his eyes.

Karl smiled at the memory and the boy who was presently holding his hand. Karl's mother could be heard sniffling. Her son was growing up faster than she would've liked and she would be forever proud of him for his accomplishments and the boy he had and will become.Summer came with new memories and hot sun beating on skin. The school year ended and it was time to say goodbye to elementary school. The 5th graders had a ceremonial picnic to celebrate their graduation from elementary school and parents were invited.

Just to the right of Sapnap, his parents were also fawning over the picture of their son and his best friend. They had just moved from Texas that previous year and were scared about their son not being able to make new friends. He was a bit of a troublemaker back in Texas and he was sent to the principal's office about three times a week.
His parents thought a new environment would help their son calm down and focus on his goals so they moved to the east coast.

When Sapnap came home one day past September saying he got engaged to a boy in his class, they were surprised and confused. Sapnap didn't elaborate and he just walked off to find a snack to eat before dinner. It was now summer and his parents still have no idea what he meant when he said he was engaged. They assumed the boy was Karl with the way they were constantly together.
Sapnap hadn't caused any more trouble since their move to the east coast and his parents were thankful for that notion and for him being able to make friends.

The slideshow ended with a picture of the 5th grade class, Karl and Sapnap sitting next to each other like always. Both boys smiled, but for different reasons.
Karl smiled because he was happy to leave this part of his life behind and begin fresh.
Sapnap smiled because he was holding Karl's hand in the photo, though you couldn't see it. When Sapnap lived in Texas, he refused to let anyone touch him, let alone, hold his hand. That all changed when he met Karl. The boy had an aura that lured Sapnap in, and he soon got addicted to the way the aura made him feel. Sapnap felt calm and content having some type of physical contact with Karl, feeling the need to touch him at all times.

Karl didn't mind the contact. In fact, Karl felt lost without the presence of Sapnap's lingering touch. He just kept that secret to himself in fear of coming off as clingy. That anxiety still lay in the pit of his stomach and it bubbled over when he began to overthink. Karl was a bright kid and he knew that feeling like everyone was going to leave him wasn't something everyone felt. Not everyone had to put up a facade and confine themselves to get someone to stay in their life.
Karl wanted Sapnap to stay and would do everything he could to get him to.