𝗱𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻 🌧 <𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗶> ✅

"don't leave me, not yet."

thank you for the love,
thank you for the joy
but i don't ever wanna fall in love again

third pov

"and look, if you press this button you can do karaoke with any song you want." alejandro said, showing off one of apple music's newest features to his best friend.

"we should do it together, all of us, like a sleepover thing? wouldn't that be fun?" making kairi nod.

"you set that up then, ale...i'd love to do that."

alejandro's face lit up, he knew how tired kairi was but the thought of all of them hanging out together again was really exciting, he squeezed kairi's hand tightly and leaned his head on his shoulder.

"how ya doin', kai? any better?"

kairi could only shrug. he wasn't feeling okay but the least he could do to make the people around him feel happy was lie.

"been better...i think i'm getting there though...like at some point i could go home?"

alejandro smiled a bit, more forced than natural as he rubbed the pad of his thumb over kairi's much more prominent jawline. "i wish you wouldn't lie to me, kai...you're my best friend, i'm not gonna judge you..."

kairi just muttered something before snuggling closer to alejandro's side. he had to admit, it felt good to finally be with someone who understood what kairi really went through.

sure he had his mom who was with him every step of the way. but she couldn't lose her son...and mattia had no idea about whatever pain kairi was feeling, so he was nowhere close to understanding. but alejandro? he was the most supportive and he was gonna be there for kairi no matter what, even if he thought that kairi's decision was alarming at first.

"chemo's not helping anymore, ale...there's no point in trying for any...any longer."

both boys went quiet, alejandro just nodding as he squeezed kairi's hand to remind him that even thought he might not have been okay with this whole thing and the thought of losing one of his closest friends, he was still gonna be here.

"yeah...i get it kairi...just...just don't wanna think about it too much." is all alejandro had to say before his eyes started to water and a lump started to form in his throat. letting him know that he was gonna start crying if he didn't stop talking so negatively about their future.

"i'm gonna be okay though, alejandro..."

"i-i know...it's just...we've always been friends... can't imagine you not being here...i get it...i don't want you to be in pain anymore either kai..."

kairi knew alejandro better than anyone, even his parents. and he knew that he was hurting, knowing that soon kairi would only be a memory, leaving him and the rest of their friends behind to finish high school on their own.

normally kairi was the one to keep everyone sane. he would say some stupid that encouraged everyone and reminded them all that everything was okay.

knowing that soon they were never gonna have that, it was awful.

alejandro wasn't one to cry, he liked being the tough one in their friend group, never showing his true emotions and letting people know how he was really feeling. but now? now he wasn't gonna hold back.