VIOLET SKY, takigawa chris yuu

━ chapter twenty-nine

act iii

life will go on;
together?
no.

chapter twenty-nine

❛everything ends eventually❜

━━━━━━

They return to school the first week of March.

Teachers go easy on them; most students, if not all, have made the necessary decisions for their future. The same cannot be quite said for Amara; she's still waiting. For what, she isn't quite sure.

In the time since Lucas' first call to her in early February, they've talked a couple more times. He sends her pictures of Lily and Belen frequently, which softens her defenses drastically. Probably why he sends them. Aside from that, though, he remains sober, going to the house when he can to watch over Luna. So far, he has managed to ease a few punishments that their mother was going to enact over some silly little mistake Luna made.

It all points to one inevitable conclusion: she has no obligation to stay in San Antonio anymore.

And by this point, she has received all the decisions from her colleges — accepted to the ones she applied to in Texas, three rejections from the art schools, but four acceptances from CalArts, Concordia, Rhode Island School of Design, and School of the Art Institute of Chicago. The financial packages are the best from CalArts and Concordia, which means they're her best options, but . . .

She doesn't know. Something is stopping her from making the decision now. Which is fine. She still has time and now . . . well, she has bigger problems than college. March is not for college decisions; it's for goodbyes and hard conversations. The latter of which she is dreading. It would be best to talk to Chris as soon as possible, so they can . . . prepare but she hesitates, especially seeing him so happy greeting his friends and the other underclassmen.

Everyone seems so happy. Miyuki and Sawamura have developed a new pitch system since the new year and Spring Senbatsu is rapidly approaching. The other third years can tell that it's boosted the team's confidence, especially since they're playing at Koshien Stadium, completing a vision that the retired third years have had since their first year.

Though, maybe saying everyone is an overstatement. There is her, quietly dreading the next two weeks, and there's . . . Chiyo and Hiro. It makes sense in a cruel way, though, because they were the most quiet during their break, responses to the groupchat dwindling until Amara had to individually text them to see how they're doing. Her concerns provoked a question about them that she isn't sure she wants an answer to, but ultimately, it happens anyway during lunchtime.

Their table is full of loud chatter and laughter, Chiyo sitting down across from her in her usual spot.

The other spot that belongs to Hiro is noticeably vacant and Amara finds her across the cafeteria, at their old table with Hatanaka and Chinen. Her stomach drops.

"Hiro isn't sitting with us today?" She asks, forcing her eyes back to Chiyo.

Her face is as impassive as ever. "Yeah," she clears her throat. "I gotta talk to you guys."

While the other underclassmen continue to talk amongst themselves, those like Miyuki and Kuramochi tune into the conversation, attention fully shifting to Chiyo.

"About?" Yuki asks, head tilted.

"Pregnant?" Ryosuke asks glibly.

Amara coughs to hide a laugh while Miyuki and Kuramochi make choked noises from beside her; Isashiki, Tanba, and Kusunoki look horrified.