Convergence III: Fulfillment In Becoming

Chapter Nine: Bad Days

It is July in the year 2061, and it is the last six days of Nick Althorne's life.

Today, though, would be one of the last worst days of Ella Althorne's life. Which sounds great, but it really wasn't.

Once again, the crafts club was buzzing on an average Wednesday, and Ella and Ozzy were doing their own thing.

"Ozzy," Ella whispered, tapping her shoulder. "Look."

"What?" Ozzy looked up to where Ella was pointing.

"Serena's boyfriend isn't here today." She was looking at Serena, sitting alone.

"Ask her to come sit with us." Ozzy shrugged, looking back down at his craft.

"ARE. YOU. JOKING." Ella's whispering turned nearly into whisper-screams, her eyes bulging.

"Come on, what's the worst that could happen?" Ozzy smiled. Suddenly, he raised his voice. "Hey, Serena!"

"OH JESUS CHRIST OZZY." Ella hid her face in her shirt.

Serena popped her head up. "Yeah?"

"Come sit with us!" Ozzy waved to her, and she stood up, starting to walk towards them. "Yeah, see? It's fine."

Serena, sitting in a chair next to Ella, seemed reserved and welcoming. "Hi," she smiled brightly. Her voice lifted like the smell of pure warmth on a summer morning.

Ella lifted her eyes out of her shirt collar. She was, even so, visibly blushing. "Hey."

"What are you making?" Serena was patient with Ella, as she seemed very nervous.

"Uhhh." Ella came out from under her shirt, picking up a ball of styrofoam. "I'm trying to paint a solar system set."

"Cool!" Serena smiled. "What planets do you have already?"

Ella laughed awkwardly. "Um, Mars, Saturn, the sun, Phobos and Deimos—I think this one's gonna be Mercury."

"Man. I wish I could paint planets." Serena gushed, seeming interested. "I wish I could paint anything."

This girl was amazing.

Ella knew she was only trying to be friends, and she knew she'd never have a future with her.

But she meant what she said yesterday. She'd rather have Serena as a friend than as nothing at all.

And Ozzy just sat, politely listening, thinking to herself how proud she was of her friend, and how awesome he was for taking the first step.

Well, I'll start this next section with the statement that not all things we do for our friends end well.

-

And the statement that kids can be mean. Very mean.

It's around 6pm in Norton City. Ella and Ozzy were returning home from the crafts club that very same day, and the sun was going down.

"Do you want me to come home with you, or stop at my place first?" Ella asked, kicking a pebble on the street.

"I don't mind," replied Ozzy. "Do you have to be home early or something?"

"Nah, Nick knows where I'll be anyway." She shoved her hands in her pockets.

"Right."

To Ozzy, Ella seemed like the coolest friend to have in the world.

Not only did she have superpowers, but so did her parents, and she'd saved the world before. Plus, her parents trust her to do whatever she wanted, unlike Ozzy's mom.