Drifting Apart- A Lander Fanfiction

Wishing

Warning: Contains mentions of death and trauma. 

Zander's POV

It's been a week since I woke up in the future. Hailey's been helping me study for my classes, and I think I'm getting better. When the teacher asks a question, I can usually answer. 

As I organize my desk in History, I steal a glance at Luke. I miss him. I miss hanging out with him, seeing his bright smile everyday and walking with him to class. I miss talking to him and resting my head on his shoulder. With Luke I feel safe, and this future without him is miserable. At least I still have Hailey to talk to. 

 "Alright, class," Ms. Clozy announces. "Today we will be starting a new project. We will be working in partners to research and do a presentation on a famous historical figure of your choice."

Murmurs spread throughout the classroom, probably talking about the project and who their partners are going to be. 

Ms. Clozy raises her hand for silence. "I will assign your partners now and hand out your papers. Once you're paired up, talk about who you want to do your presentation about."

As she goes around the class assigning pairs, I think about who I want to do the presentation about. A historical figure. Hmm.

Ms. Clozy walks up to me. "Alright," she says. "Zander...you'll pair up with Luke." She hands me and Luke each a paper. 

I turn to face him, and he looks at me, too. I try to read his expression. Is he happy that we're partnered up? Or is he dreading talking to me? I'm not sure; this Luke keeps his face a calm mask. But I do notice that he also looks older. 

"So, who do you want to do our project about?" I ask tentatively. 

"I'm not sure." He answers. "Do you have any ideas?"

"Well...maybe we could do a famous musician, since both of us like music." I offer. 

"Oh...sure." He agrees, sounding a bit deflated. 

After some brainstorming, we choose one and start researching. The silence is stiff and awkward, but I don't want to break it.

After we finish our research, we compare our notes. We're putting together the slideshow when the bell rings. 

"Ok, class," Ms. Clozy says from the front of the room. "We'll keep working on these tomorrow. Hand your papers in to me."

We gather our stuff and leave, avoiding eye contact. 

•    •    •

At lunch I eat silently, thinking about history class. Usually I can read Luke pretty well, but I couldn't tell whether he liked being my partner or not. We seemed to work well enough together. I barely know this Luke at all. 

Hailey raises an eyebrow at me. "Are you thinking about Luke again?"

I feel my cheeks heat up. "What? N-no. Why do you ask?"

"Well, you usually aren't this quiet unless you're thinking about something, and I know you're still getting used to him not being your friend anymore," she explains. "And you're making your sad face, so...it wasn't too hard to guess." 

I sigh in frustration. "We were partnered up together in history for a project, and I can't read his face at all. It's weird, because usually I can read him like an open book, but this Luke has some sort of mask on, blocking his emotions."

She nods knowingly. "Poor Luke. He went through some emotional trauma, and now he hides his true emotions under peace and calmness." 

My heart squeezes. "What happened to him?" I ask in concern. 

"Well...his dad died from a heart attack." She explains. "It was sudden, and Luke was at school, so he didn't get to say goodbye. It happened while after the time you came from, so that's why you're used to him showing his true emotions on his face." 

"That's awful." I say softly. 

"That's why he kind of pulled away from music," Hailey says. "He had too many bad memories associated with it."

I nod. Luke had told me how his dad taught him to play the drums when he was younger. No wonder he didn't want to play anymore. "He had us, though, right?" I ask hopefully. I wouldn't be able to stand it if he was alone in such a dark time. 

Hailey hesitates. "Well...yes," she agrees hesitantly. "But this was around the time that we started going our separate ways. He was the first one to pull away because of what happened."

"Oh," I say softly. 

We sit in gloomy silence for a bit. Then the bell rings, signalling the end of lunch. As we get up, I vow to myself that once this happens in the present, I will stay by his side the whole way through. I will cheer him up and help him through those dark times. I won't let him go through it alone. 

•    •    •

The rest of the day passes by in a blur. I remember going to my classes, walking home with Hailey, doing my homework and eating dinner. Now I'm lying in bed, trying to fall asleep while my brain is going a mile a minute. Thinking about Luke, the club and getting back to the present. 

I wish I was back home. I want to be back in a world where everything is back to normal. I want to go back to being a band again. 

I just want to go home. 

Luke's POV

It's been a week since Zander went missing. All of us have tried looking for him, but we can't find him anywhere. I'm really worried he's been hurt or kidnapped. 

It feels gloomy and empty without him. I'm almost constantly sad and unfocused. Yesterday when Ms. Jones asked me a question, I completely blanked and guessed, "57?" 

It was Literacy. 

When I think about it too much, I start to cry. I'm hit with a tidal wave of memories of us when we were younger—birthday parties, sleepovers, camping trips. 

It's affecting Hailey, too. She's also been gloomy and worried, instead of her usual cheerful self. 

I really hope he's okay, and that he'll come back soon. I wouldn't be able to bear it if he was hurt, or...or worse. 

As I lay in bed, worries tumbling through my brain, I only have one wish:

Zander, I wish you were here.