𝐂𝐈𝐍𝐍𝐀𝐌𝐎𝐍 - 𝐕𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐑

-ch. 25-

-another surprise Brady pov?!"

I always remember that night. When I went back to that house after I was told that Griffin died. I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to find Griffin. So I did. But not in the way I wanted to...

-1977-

I was walking to the house, practically stomping. I knew that the guy that "murdered" Griffin was probably dead or something, so I went in the house anyway. He was probably scared somewhere in that basement. It smelled awful in that basement.

Robin had followed me there.

"Robin?"

"Brady what the hell are you doing in here?"

"I'm gonna find Griffin, and I'm gonna take him home." I walked through the basement, looking around. It was kind of big.

"Brady, Griffin's gone."

"No, he isn't. He's my best friend. He doesn't die like that...I know Griffin."

"People die, kid."

"Don't call me that."

"Brady..."

"Just let me find-!" I screamed at the sight of him. I almost fell back.

"Griffin?!" He was still on the floor. Just there. Still.

I ran to the body. Yes, the body. Because that wasn't Griffin anymore.

"Brady-? Holy..." Robin stood behind me.

"No- no no..." I tried shaking him awake, still in denial.

"Brady. We have to go, this isn't healthy at all..."

"No. We can't leave. I can't leave. Not without Griffin..."

"Griffin isn't here anymore, Brady."

"Yes he is, he's right here!...Griff? C'mon...Griff, you can't leave...you're all I've got in that sorry school. We still have spaceships to send off...please? Just- wake up...please..." I kept shaking him.

"...I'm really sorry, Brady...look, you can't stay here. This could really affect you staying here. Vance is gonna worry about you, come on." Robin started to pull me away, toward the door. I tried to walk without looking back. I did, but once we made it outside, I ran to the door. Robin caught me before I could get inside.

"ROBIN GET OFF ME-!"

"brady c'mon...you can't go back, okay? He's gone."

"NO HE ISN'T JUST LET ME GO INSIDE-"

"Brady."

"GET OFF!" I screamed, I was already crying.

Griffin, my very best friend. Griffin, the only one that came up to me even when everyone hated me because of who my brother was. Griffin who was normally shy and invisible, but came up to me anyway. Griffin who was sweet and didn't take anything seriously, over exaggerating when I only got a paper cut. I still remember the joke he made.

"Woahhh, that's a lot of blood, bray. What if you like...bleed out...and die...what if you-"

"Griffin you're scaring me!"

But he only laughed. We were six and seven.

I kept screaming his name. "NO- GRIFFIN!!"
Robin pulled me into a hug. We were closer after that. I just sobbed loudly into his shoulder. I probably woke up the whole neighborhood. "Shhh...it's okay, kid...I'm so sorry you had to see that...I'm sorry..." He stroked my hair, he knew that comforted me in an instant. Vance must've told him or something. Since my best friend had just died, I didn't calm down that fast. But eventually, I did.