Weak Hero Short Stories

The Olympiad Pt5

3rd person POV:

The boys all raced to Eugene and Gray's class. They had to know if Gray would be here today. According to Eugene and Rowan, he didn't attend cram school yesterday. This just amplified the worry that they felt. They paused before opening the door. They peered through, and there he was.
He sat like a porcelain doll, unmoving, and emotions blank. "Hey Gray," Ben started a friendly greeting, "Why'd you leave yesterday?"
Gray sat there silent, then turned to face them, "Dunno" was his answer. He seemed fine, untouched, unbothered. He seemed a little to fine, a little too casual.
"Would you be down for a game of pool today after school?" Gerald asked.
Gray's violet eyes scanned their faces from afar, with just a glance, he made them feel exposed, as if he could already see through everything they were planning. "No, I have things to do, unlike you." he answered with a certain sharpness in his voice. A sharpness that reminded them of the time, after the first Yoosun scuffle, when they had invited Gray for pool. Back then Gray was cold to them, and looked over them with the same "I can see through all your plans and its not going to work" look in his eyes. 
Suddenly, it seemed to be their first encounter all over again. All the progress they had made as Gray's friends seemed to be erased, gone in an instant. Gray's eyes didn't hold a warmth for them as they once had, instead, he looked at them as he did anyone else.
Unintentionally hurting them.
"How are you?" Eugene asked timidly.
For a second, it seemed as if a look of hurt and pain flitted across his face, but only for a second. With the same amount of speed it had arrived in, it was gone.
"I'm fine Eugene." He answered dully, returning his full attention to his notebook.
"Are you sure mate?" Rowan questioned, "You seem a bit off."
If looks could kill, Rowan would've died instantly.
"Are you always this bothersome? I said I'm fine, leave me be." Was Gray's response, words full of venom and sharp enough to cut.
Nobody knew what to do, what had happened. Gray had been their friend, they had worked so hard, made memories, and hung out, what caused this change.
Oh, right. Reality hit them like a tidal wave as they remembered Ben's summary. But the more they thought about it, the more they wondered, "What could they really do?"

"Please leave I can't, I can't." was all Gray could think about. It was hard to look at his friends, he cared for them dearly, but he knew that if he broke down now it would only be to their disadvantage, and they would leave him. They have so much to worry about, enemies and threats have been coming at them from all angles. 
They don't have time do deal with things like emotions. Especially Gray's. "Emotions aren't really anyway," he silently tried to convince himself "It's just my brain sending me messages, trying to make me feel bad. Its not real. It can't hurt me."
The more Gray tried to convince himself, the more it hurt, and the deeper he fell into denial. For Gray was always logical, he stuck to facts and preferred that over his own decisions and ideas. It was easier to listen to things set in stone, it was easier to believe things that could be proved. No matter how wrong it felt in his heart.
He didn't want to bother them, so he put up his front. When Stephen came into his life, he forced him to be cheerful, to open up, break down his walls, and see the good in life, in people, and gain a will to live the way he wished to. He allowed Stephen come in and trusted him with everything, he had nothing to hide from him. Stephen was Gray's light, his hope. And when that light was put out and he could no longer see Stephen's bright smile or bubbly laugh, his hopes and dreams died, and his front returned. He didn't want people to see him vulnerable, he didn't want them to think he was weak.
So, just as he had all those months ago, he once again put up his front, desperate to keeps his friends away from his string of trouble and brokenness. He wanted them to be happy, "and happy people should concern themselves with me" he thought. Not realizing that these boys were no strangers, and that just as Gray could see through them, they could see that Gray was lying clear as day. They knew more than they let on.

Ben took a deep breath as he pulled a chair up to Gray's desk. He stared at him for a moment, his bright-violet eyes were dull and his pale skin made him seem lifeless. To anyone who didn't know him, he would've looked normal. But if you knew him, you could tell something was obviously wrong.
Ben released his breath and then said something the other boys didn't understand.
"Gray," he started "You said it was immensely painful to watch Stephen slowly  fall into a darker place, without being able to do anything right?"
Gray looked up from his notes.
"But," Ben voiced wavered "That's exactly what your doing to us, we just want to help, but in order for us to do that you gotta let us in your head."
It was unlikely that Gray would answer, but to their surprise he did.
"I don't think you want to be inside my head."
Ben smiled, hearing the softness return to Gray's voice and all traces of sharpness or anger diminish.
"But we're your friends, we want to know how you are, what your thinking about, how you feel, if your doing okay, if you need a hug, if you just wanna leave or need someone to listen. That's what we're here for." Ben said warmly.
"Yea" or "Of course" the other boys replied gently, agreeing with Ben's statement.
Gray's emotionless mask seemed to melt away, and he seemed to be on the verge of tears. Ben quickly ran around the other side of the desk to comfort him. Gently, he pulled him into a hug.
"It's almost been a year" Gray sobbed, just above a whisper, burying his face into Ben's shoulder.
"I know." Ben replied softly.
 Gray didn't cry for long, it may have been seconds maybe a minute. But just because the tears had dried, didn't mean the damage had disappeared. It was still there, and seemingly more apparent than it had been before.
But whatever the damage, they would help him heal. It would never be the same, he could never truly return to how he was before. Although, it didn't seem that he wished to. For if he had never acted as he did, he never would have met his friends. He never would have found a new light. A new purpose. And a new reason to live. Fin

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Alrighty folks, I'm back. I know you missed me (It's literally been a single day)
So yea, I finished this story so that I can update again on Saturday! Yea! Go me! Woohoo!

Some weeks I struggle to update once (You can thank writer's block), other weeks (This week) I update four times. Sorry, my schedule is odd, I just update when I can, when I have time, or when I'm
In the mood
Complete creativity overload and a longing for productivity.

Haha, I really liked this story, probably my fav so far. So, um, yea. By have a great...
a) Morning
b) Afternoon
c) Night
d) {All of the above}

Bye y'all