Thirty Days ✔

43 | ORENDA

orenda (noun) 

a mystical force present in all people that empowers them to affect the world, or to effect change in their own lives. 

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day twenty-one.

It was a quarter past four in the morning. The door to the bedroom suddenly creaked open, which resulted in Chase almost falling back. However, he managed to hold himself up. In a state of shock, he rubbed his eyes with his fists and turned back to face whoever was responsible for said action. 

"You fell asleep here?" Zero questioned with a quiet voice before taking his seat beside Chase on the floor. 

"I.. guess so," Chase responded, scratching the back of his neck with a shy smile. 

He couldn't even look Zero in the eye, and for that reason he felt pathetic. 

Zero cleared his throat, "I.. met my step-father that day when I ran back home."

"You did?" Chase questioned, looking up at Zero. "What did he say to you?"

With a pitiful smile, Zero began, "My mom.. she overdosed on drugs."

"I.. she what?" Chase gaped. 

"I'm not hurt or upset or anything," Zero reassured. "It's just.. a shock, I guess. I thought I would die before her." what followed after that was a laugh from Zero himself. Chase didn't understand how Zero could laugh in such a situation. 

"I'll explain the rest of it tomorrow, you look tired," Zero noticed. "You can take the bed for now, I think I'll stay up for a little longer."

"That's okay, you can have the bed. I'll sleep on the couch as usual," Chase said, waving his hand. 

"I insist," Zero said with a small grin. "I need to have a moment - alone, with my thoughts. So go right ahead. I'm sure you've missed your bed."

Truthfully, there was one thing Chase had been missing more than his bed:

The boy he was helplessly in love with.

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