❪ 𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐘 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒 ❫ , SBG

𝐄𝐏. 17

✧˚ ༘ ⋆｡ ˚ 𖤐
┆⋮＃༘⋆⤷ CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN ; AND WHEN I'M BACK IN
CHICAGO , I FEEL IT .
───────────────────────

(Note: malik is actually
from chicago!)

•••

PRESENT

"I think we should go back to Savannah." Tyler suggests, malik sits next to me with his hair tied up in a bun, he crosses his arms and leaned forward in his seat, not bothering to eat.

Ashlyn rubbed one side of her head. "...alright. let's take some time to think on it again and have a group vote later tonight." she says.

Malik leg bounces up and down as he pinched the bridge of his nose, I frowned when I saw this. I just honestly hoped that he'd be back to his normal self, he had those dark circles around his eyes from lack of sleep.

"Why not after school?" Tyler asks.

"Because I have class today, and I'm not missing it." I answered while sluggishly rubbing my eyes.

"So what? skip it." Tyler retorts.

Taylor turns to her brother, "uh, ty...we have stuff to do after school too. you have baseball practice and I have mechanics meeting." she says.

"...I um, I have to help with the flower shop today..." Logan added.

"See? Logan's busy too." I add.

Malik speaks up, "and I've gotta..be somewhere with my dad." he mumbled tiredly, rubbing his bruised wrist which made aiden's eyebrows crease with concern.

"Even with what's happening, we can't just neglect school and our future. you need baseball. so let's just wait till tonight–"

Tyler grits his teeth. "we aren't going to have a 'future' if we're dead!" he shouts.

"It's not just our future. If we drop everything to focus on fantasy-like events we can't prove, we're going to end up in a psyche ward." Ashlyn says. "Do you think that's going to make it easier or harder for all of us to have meetings during the day?"

"She's got a point, y'know. generally we're what people would call 'crazy'." Aiden added.

"Whatever." Tyler said before he stood up and grabbed his tray, but then he turns back around and grabs Taylor's arm and dragging her with him.

I turn to malik and sighed, "is it okay..if I come over your house today?" I asked him.

Malik looked at me before nodding. "yeah, actually, I wouldn't mind that." he said

•••

Once we arrived to Malik's house, the place was neat and clean. I glanced beside me towards malik who seemed tired, he opens the door for me and lets me enter inside first before also walking inside and shutting the door.

Malik rubbed his eyes and he locked eyes with his dad, right now the two of them weren't on good terms. I waved towards his mother and she waved back, she was trying to rekindle what was already ruined between her and malik.

"Hey." Malik's father suddenly says, "I uh..heard from the school yesterday— said you fell asleep in class. everything okay?" he asks with furrowed brows.

Malik doesn't reply, I decided to head upstairs to his room since I didn't want to intrude on their conversation.

Malik eyebrows were furrowed again, "on day two of me going to school you weren't worried. on day seven, you told me I'd be fine. on day eighteen you said I'd be okay if I just fit in with the crowd and that's what I did."

His father lowered his head, seemingly ashamed.

"And on day thirty, you beat me when I didn't do good enough on my grades, and when I tried my best? you told me my best wasn't good enough." Malik says. "I'm done trying, just know I did it for you."

His mother went to speak, "malik–"

"No." Malik replied flatly. "I'm done, you two have a good day."

.

.

.

END OF CHAPTER SEVENTEEN