|ONE MONTH LATER|
For the last month, it seemed like everything was going good. The girls were practicing harder, attending what they needed, feeling slightly less burdened than before. The guys were closer and more happy, keeping beside the girls and keeping up with them to the best of their abilities. The eight were going far in their lives and they knew that better than most. For once, each one was confident in what they wanted and where they were going in their lives. Yet at the same time, as with most people, each member carried a burden still. A demon hidden deep within that they have carried since they can remember. One that never seems to leave and although they want it to, they feel bitter at ease if it should leave. Event after event it seemed like those same demons seemed null compared to the aid that they gave each other. Yet, only one felt the cold. Only one that felt the need to hide her feelings for the greater good of the team, having done it for so long. No one could really see what she was hiding, or even if she was hiding anything at all...
.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.~.*.
With each passing day it seems like I'm more at home than I've ever been in Australia. Euca has been helping me out with Korean so that I can better understand them when they talk to us. I'm sad that, it won't be too long now that Jayden and I have to head back home. Away from all of this. The girls, Joseph and Duke. They don't even know the half of who I am back home and yet here they are treating me like one of them. It feels nice to be appreciated for who you are and not who your parents are for a change. I mean there is Jayden, he couldn't give a damn about whether or not my parents make what they do. He's been my best friend for as long as I can remember.
"Oi, Archer!" Jayden called out.
I sat up and looked over at him.
He rolled his eyes and sat beside me," Thinking about home again?"
I sighed and nodded," I don't think I have ever despised home as much as I do now..."
"I know your family is a bit... is a little... ok they are completely insane. But it's our home mate, there is nothing we can possibly do about that." Jayden sighed.
"Oi, Aussie brothers!" Joseph laughed, tumbling down beside us.
Duke following after.
"What are you two talking about?" Joe asked as he laid back on the floor.
"Home." I stated simply pulling my knees up to my chest.
"Oh..."
"It won't be long now..." Jayden muttered.
"Next month will be December..." Duke sighed," Is the time really closing in so fast?"
I nodded," Yeah, our parents know well that we aren't at school. They are just allowing us to live out here for a bit longer. For the 'cultural experience.'"
"So, after that is January."
"And we head home..." Jayden sighed," Yeah."
"The girls are not going to be happy about this one." Duke breathed.
We sat in silence after that little remark, that was the most worrying part to me. Euca... she has abandonment issues as it is... how is she going to react when we tell her we leave in January... How are any of them going to react to that?
"Boys!"
We all looked back at the door, it was Angie. They were back. We shot up and ran back to the house, the girls were back from their photo-shoot.
I smiled at them. They looked happy, they were only half way done with today's schedule. It's their leisure time so that they aren't overly worked. Then I felt it, a pang. It was less than two months before we had to leave now. It's late November, going into December. On the third of January is when we have to leave them.
"Archer, are you ok?" Euca asked as she fixed up her shirt.
I nodded slowly and looked at Jayden who nodded and looked away.
I took a deep breath and ran a hand through my hair," Um... guys can you sit down a moment. Jayden and I need to tell you something."
Hesitantly the group gathered at the table, stealing glances at the boys who refused to make eye contact with them as they already knew what was going on.
"What is going on?" Euca asked softly.
I looked at Jayden, his eyes said the same thing. He didn't want to but knew well that we should now before anything else.
"We uh..."
I swallowed hard," So.. you all know that we um..."
"Are you ok?"
"You guys haven't been acting like yourselves lately."
"Just spit it out, we can get through this together."
"We're all here for you."
I sighed heavily," Our family wants us back... in January."
It went deathly silent. Not a murmur, it seemed like they weren't even breathing.
"January?" Euca finally spoke.
I nodded slowly," The third..."
"When were you planing on... why didn't you...?"
"Euca, breathe."
"How long?" She choked back.
"We've uh..." Jayden breathed," We've known for a while now.."
The girls stepped back from Euca after that, their eyes filled with a mixture of different emotions.
"How long is a while?" Angie breathed.
"A couple months now..."
"We knew that they wouldn't want us to ride out the full visa..."
"You never thought of telling us that?" Ale sniffled.
I swallowed hard," We didn't... I..."
"We have things to do." Euca stated, her voice was rough and low. Obvious that she was holding every emotion she had inside of her.
The girls nodded, taking the same stand as their elder, stealing a glance at us and the other two boys before gathering their things and taking their leave from us.
I felt hollow, I knew they were hurting. I knew we should have told them sooner, but would it have truly been any different than it was now? Maybe, maybe if we had told them when we found out it would have been better. There isn't an excuse that can solve this one. There aren't words to describe what was going on, how I felt or the fear that was raging inside of me. What are we going to do now? I feel as if they are going to stay this way, distant and unrelenting to us. Punishing us for what we did. Every fiber of my being hoping and praying that they won't do that, yet at the same time that fear was probing at everything that I was hoping, finding small spaces to slip in and feed me false words and hate...
"Just give them some time, it's a lot to take in." Joseph whispered," You guys mean a lot to those girls. You all have a little over a month to get a handle on what you're going to do about this. It isn't so hard. They've been through worse than this, they will find a way to get over this little hurdle alright?"
I nodded and sat on the couch," I hope so..."
|A FEW HOURS LATER|
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Ale asked.
Euca was sitting silently, staring blankly at her feet.
"We were scared to, you guys were so happy..." I breathed," I for one kinda lost track of time."
Euca scoffed from where she was.
I bit my lip as I nodded," I'm sorry... Jayden wanted to tell you guys sooner. I just... I didn't want to... disrupt you guys. You were just taking off..."
"That's a load of bull..." Euca sighed.
"Euca." Angie hissed.
She shook her head and stood," It is, you should have said something sooner. Not when it's a month away from when you leave. If you thought telling us sooner was going to disrupt us, then how do you think it'll affect us now."
"Euca." Josie sighed.
She shook her head again, storming away back up the steps.
"You know she-"
"I know." I sighed and looked at the stairs," I know..."
"Just give-"
I nodded again," Guys, I know."
They all exchanged a look and sighed, not really knowing how to take this on from here.
I groaned and stood, I had to talk to her. I might get hit and things might be thrown at me but I need to talk to her. I just can't sit here and wait. Walking up to her bedroom door I knocked softly and opened it. I looked around for a few moments, I couldn't find her.
Sighing soft I walked inside and closed the door softly behind me. Her window was opened slightly, the curtain blowing around from the cold air. A small smile found its way to my lips, she always liked to sit out there whenever she was sad or overwhelmed by something. I grabbed her red blanket and a pillow before opening up the window and stepping out onto the roof. There she sat, curled up in a little ball, her hood pulled up and over her head. I sighed and carefully walked out to her, setting down the pillow and blanket before sitting beside her.
"Hey." I breathed, a small puff of white coming out.
She sniffled and turned her head away.
I sighed and pulled the blanket over her shoulders," I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."
"Go away..."
"No." I sighed.
"You're leaving anyway..."
I nodded," I know, I don't want to. I hope you know that."
She just sniffled again.
"I never want to leave you Euca, I love it here. I love being here, with you." I breathed and relaxed a bit," I don't have a choice."
"You had one, you could've said something."
"I know, and don't you think that if I didn't take everything into consideration first that I would have kept it from you for so long?" I snapped, shaking my head slightly I sat up and pulled the blanket tighter over her body," You were the first person to show me I could be who I wanted, that I shouldn't just lock myself away because I was hurt. I will never forget what you did for me, and I won't ever forget you."
She sniffled and picked her head up," Why do you have to leave me?"
"If I could, I would stay with you forever, but I can't. I have a home, and a family all as well. This is the best family here, you guys took me in without a second breath." I explained and wrapped an arm around her," Don't ever think that I don't care about you. I will always be here with you, maybe not in person, but I will be here with you."
She leaned into my side," Promise?"
I tipped her chin up, making her look at me," I promise that no matter what, no matter where I am. I will be here for you."
She nodded and hugged me. I hugged her back, holding her tight.
"I will always be here with you Euca. You were always there for me when I needed it."
"I just... I..."
I chuckled weakly," I know, don't worry. Just breathe, ok?"
She nodded and nuzzled into my embrace," I'll try and visit you this time..."
I smiled and kissed the top of her head," I look forward to that. For now, let's just be us. We still have a month."
"Stay with me out here for a while?" She muttered, turning her gaze to the sky.
I nodded," Of course."