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VIBING WITH A MENTAL ILLNESS;
TW: panic attack
"Drop out immediately at any signs of danger," Joe said in a deep and commanding voice. You snickered in the background. And he says he's not a father figure.
"It's not guaranteed that I'm going to lose." Reki smiled weakly.
Isn't it though? You thought to yourself. Adam's a god compared to you, Reki
"Well, it's not guaranteed that I'm going to win, either. But this time I'm definitely not going to back down," he said, a sudden surge of confidence flowing through him.
That all went down the drain as he heard a familiar voice.
"You sure I can't convince you to drop out?" you asked. Miya's eyes brightened as you finally decided to join the group.
"What're you doing here?" He asked, looking away from you.
"Can't I come to cheer you on? Make sure you don't die and all that?" you asked with a nervous laugh. Everyone could feel the tension and it made you wonder if coming was a good decision.
"Not if you're planning on leaving the day after." He argued, catching their attention.
"Wait." Langa paused, locking gazes with you. "You're going back home?"
"And why Canada of all places?" Reki continued, disregarding Langa's comment. "It's so cold! And wet! And...and...!"
"My flight isn't for another couple of days. But if you need me to leave to concentrate that's fine—"
"Wait no!" Miya jumped onto your back, digging his nails into your sweatshirt. "Don't leave! We just got everyone back together!"
"Just..." Reki started. "Stay? For a bit..."
You nodded. After peeling Miya off of you, you grabbed Reki by the arm and pulled him in for a hug. "Win for me, yeah?"
"Definitely."
You walked away with Joe, Cherry, and Miya. While Cherry and Joe bickered about Cherry's physical state again you looked back at the two high school skaters. They fist-bumped and did their little knuckle-bump thing.
"That's cute." You narrowed your eyes before turning back to the pavement in front of you.
"Jealous?" Miya chimed.
"Shut up."
◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥◤◢◣◥
Im going to puke, you thought.
Everyone watched in horror and disgust as Adam shoved Reki around the hard pavement.
Miya cringed every time Reki was thrown around and your legs wanted to buckle right then and there.
Langa was the only one keeping his hopes up. You didn't want to break his spirits but you didn't want your best friend to die in the process of trying to redeem himself.
