There's No Such Thing As Happy Endings - Book Three of the Why I Run Series

Chapter Seven

Point of View: Virgil, First Person
Timeline: Present Day

All of us decided to wear white.

None of us had talked about it, but when all of us met in the Common Room, that's what all of us had done.

Logan had grabbed Thomas and brought him  and the two of them were sitting wordlessly on the couch.  Logan was wearing a white dress shirt and red vest and tie. Thomas dressed eerily similar, white dress shirt - minus the tie - and black pants.

I was wearing a completely white suit - with a gold vest and red tie.  I had even changed my typical eye shadow, using white instead of black.  I didn't care if it made the puffiness around my eyes easier to see, or the bags underneath them.

I deserved it.

Patton finally showed up, also wearing white and holding massive box.  None of us said anything as we took in each other before heading into the Imagination.

It was only a short walk over to Roman's tree  - the big maple tree that Roman said was his favorite place in the Imagination.  Patton set the box at the base of the tree before letting out a tiny sigh, eyes dark.  He didn't say anything, however, not when he started pulling out the Christmas lights, not even as tears started rolling down his cheeks.

Thomas was full out sobbing, and it was amazing that he was even helpful at all.

I felt the pressure behind my eyes but I didn't release it, I had no right.  I continued taking these tiny breaths as Patton handed me a string of lights and I started wrapping it around the base of the tree.

Logan was emotionless as ever, but I noticed the tiny tremble in his hands as he gently set his hand on Thomas's shoulder, eyes dark as well.  After minute they both came to help me, help me wrap this massive maple tree in tiny lights.

It took hours.

Hours, to wrap every single branch of this massive tree but with all of us we finished until the whole tree looked light it had been hugged by the stars.

Once we finished it was dark out and the lights looked as beautiful as ever.  I felt my throat close up at the sight.  I forced my hands in two fists by my sides and all of us just stared, none of us uttering a single word.

Thomas and Logan were the first to leave, sure that his friends has been worried about him because he hadn't done anything all day.  Patton hung around for a little while after, sniffling.  He waved a hand and tons of tiny electronic candles circled around the bottom of the tree.

We could just done that for the lights, but it... it seemed wrong.  We wanted to do it.

Patton spared me a tiny glance before leaving completely, and then I was alone.

And I finally let myself crumble to pieces.

I sobbed loudly, knees hitting the dirt with a barely audible thud as if the weight of the sky was suddenly on my shoulders.  Now... this was so much more... real, for some reason.  Knowing that this was the result of my actions and that this... this was...

Permanent.  

This was so real and I felt like I could barely breathe.

I suddenly stumbled to my feet, feeling dizzy and faint.  No, no... no, there - there has to be something, this was so wrong, so wrong, wrong, 

And then I was on the edge of the cliff, feet dangling over the side.  What would happen if I -

No, I thought, shaking my head quickly at my internal monologue.  Ro wouldn't have wanted that, no, no.  Don't you dare.  Don't you spend another second even thinking about it.