▎. . . In which seven boys meet in the school counsellor's office every week and are given a group project to work on for the year.
UNDERGOING REWRITING
sidemen...
𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐄. triggers: cursing, violence, eating disorder, descriptions of a panic attack, perfectionism.
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‟︎ 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐅𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐀𝐍 awful lot like a kidnapping, Miss!" Ethan sang from the back of the group, lunging over stick piles and rotting leaves which crunched beneath courageous feet.
The rest of them emitted a unanimous chuckle, chorusing like a boys' choir and opening the Heavens to shine blissful marigold light down their faces.
Honeydew flickers of fairy dust cascaded down from the treetops, which had angled outward to reveal the blistering sun. They'd be sweating if it weren't for the godsend of shade every so often, a checkpoint between the bright tan roads of sunlight. They each ran between the bars of shadow, aching to stay out of the raw summer heat.
"No one would kidnap you, Ethan. No one willingly keeps a ginger twat in their basement." JJ huffed before budging past the tattooed kid, whose jaw slacked in astonishment.
"Who are you calling a twat? Do you want your other wrist broken?"
Behind him, Tobi heard the crinkling of leaves grow louder, more rapid, and he looked over his shoulder to find the redhead pouncing for JJ wildly. He sighed, turning his whole body towards them and smiling.
"This is meant to be a calming nature walk, guys, and you aren't really giving me the 'serene nature experience' it talked about on the consent form."
He turned once more, not giving the slightest fuck about JJ or Ethan's answers, before slinging an arm over Josh's shoulders. Tobi impressed the rest of them, it had to be said. He was so lovable, so compassionate, so easy to befriend. He was a bright and explosive star in the centre of their respective darknesses, glowing with aspiration and humble goodness.
"What's the point of this, other than a skive?" Simon voiced from Harry's side. The poor boy had been trying for fifteen minutes now, bless him, to reach for branches and was hoping his grasp landed. Harry was a tough nut to crack, one which required the utmost precision.
"I think it's to reconnect with the world, to realise what an amazing Earth it is we live on. Go see things in a new light, y'know?"
"Tobi, shut the fuck up."
"Fam!" JJ screeched, spine stinging. He pivoted to find Ethan, red-necked, tossing a stick to the ground and hiding his hands. He giggled shrilly, dimples blending with his freckles.
"You did not just hit me with a branch."
"You're right, I didn't!" Ethan replied smugly, dusting his hands on his trousers and rolling his sleeves higher before swaggering onwards along the illuminated forest pathway. If it weren't for the horrendous distractions every twenty seconds, they would all be appreciating it more. The Earth was such a beautiful thing, with countless natural wonders. They didn't know just how lucky they were.
