Thirty Days ✔

16 | DRAPETOMANIA

drapetomania (noun)

an overwhelming urge to run away.

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Following what he had last said, Zero forced himself to look up at Chase and felt his heart sink when he saw the tears on his cheeks. Somehow, Chase looked more hurt than he did - and that broke his heart. To see his best friend suffering, and Zero blamed it on himself. It was his fault that Chase was hurting. 

"Don't cry," Zero pleaded. "Please."

Chase shook his head and broke the eye contact between them, wiping his eyes with his sleeves, "I'm sorry. I can't help it." he clenched his jaw before staring ahead of him at the blank wall, "I feel so stupid for not noticing all this sooner. I feel so damn stupid for not checking up on you. I-.. I feel like such a bad friend."

"You're not," Zero interrupted. "I tried my hardest to keep it a secret from all of you. It's my fault."

"Don't blame yourself."

Zero pursed his lips and leaned back against the couch, contemplating on whether he should let Chase in on what he had been planning to do for the past few months. After what seemed like an hour - but was truly only a few minutes, he spoke, "If I tell you something, you won't tell anyone else, right?"

Chase only responded with a nod. 

"I've been planning on.. taking my life," Zero admitted with shame, choosing his words carefully. "I concluded that I would kill myself by the end of March."

Chase visibly tensed up beside him, "That's a month from now."

Zero nodded, "That's why I asked to hang out with you guys. I want to make my last few days here memorable."

Chase spent a few minutes debating on what he should say next. Then, he reached his hand out and gently took hold of Zero's hand. He proceeded to scrutinize the now patched up scars and said softly, "Give me thirty days."

"Thirty days? For what?" Zero questioned, observing Chase in silence. 

"Thirty days to convince you to stay," he explained, looking down at Zero. 

"But I've already made up my mind," Zero protested.

"Please," Chase pleaded, the desperation visible in his voice. "I don't know what I'd do without you here, so please. Give me just thirty days."

Zero heaved a sigh and looked down for a brief moment. Then, he squeezed his eyes shut and whispered, "Fine. Thirty days."

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