The Shadows Of Us

Shattered Trust (7)

Red was walking through the thrumming heart of the school hallway, a goofy grin was plastered on his face as he remembered the night before. His thoughts of Green made him smile; how Green had shared so much of himself, lightening Red's heart as he reveled in his friend's resilience and joy.

Opening his locker, Red pulled out his medication, sliding it into his pocket with care to take it back home, since he was feeling a lot more better. The familiar creak barely registering, his mind replayed Green's infectious optimism, a stark contrast to the burdens he carried. Suddenly, a voice pierced the noise, reverberating through the hallway,

"Red! Hey Red, over here!". Red whirled around, his grin forming in anticipation, half hoping it was Green. But it wasn't Green; it was Second. Before Red could even process his surprise, strong arms encircled him in a hug, lifting his feet briefly off the ground and squeezed the air from his lungs.

"Whoa!". He laughed, momentarily breathless as a surprised squeak escaped him.

He was completely blindsided, hadn't given Second a thought since yesterday's cafeteria incident. He assumed that Second wouldn't want anything to do with him, which honestly made Red feel bad. He awkwardly patted Second's back, finally remembering to breathe. Behind them, he could see Victim standing with arms crossed, a thunderous expression on his face. Red met his gaze with a defiant roll of his own, ignoring the heat of Victim's glare.

"What are you doing here, Second? I usually see you in class already". Second released him, a blush creeping up his neck as his usual cheer dimmed.

"Yeah, I know. B-But I, uh... I was looking for you". He mumbled, avoiding Red's puzzled gaze. Red, for some reason, felt his cheeks flush.

"For... me? What for?". Second mumbled something unintelligible. He looked down, his bright expression now replaced with something akin to guilt and remorse. Taking a deep breath, and begin,

"I wanted to apologize for yesterday, at the cafeteria. It was... a mess. I didn't mean to cause trouble... Your friends were... actually really cool. Welcoming, you know?". Second muttered, his face reddening. He paused, glancing nervously at Red's expression before continuing,

"I get why they were mad, and... and maybe you were mad too... I thought about apologizing to them in person, but...I-I guess I chickened out?". Red's heart softened. Seeing Second so genuinely remorseful for something that wasn't even his fault, yet here he was, agonizing over it. It tugged at Red! And without a word, his hand gently held Second's, his eyes filled with a comforting affection.

"Hey, none of what happened was your fault, really. We aren't even mad! Plus... they actually think you're pretty nice. They'd love to hang out sometime, get to know you better".

"R-Really? They... they don't hate me?". Second's eyes lit up, hope flickering within them.

"Hate you? How could anyone hate you? You're...You're great, Second". He paused, a warmth blooming in his chest. Second's face flushed, a blinding grin spreading across his features. He suddenly pulled Red into another crashing hug, this one tighter and more enthusiastic. Red let out a surprised yelp as he was swept off his feet, his heart hammering in his chest.

"Whoa, easy there! You're taller than you look!!". Red laughed, clinging to Second's neck as he was spun through the air.

"Sorry, sorry! I just... thank you, Red. Really. I thought they all hated me, that you were still mad...". Second chuckled, finally setting Red back down. He beamed at him, his eyes sparkling, he was practically vibrating with joy.

"Never... I could never be mad at someone as kind as you". Red assured him, his smile genuine. A faint blush crept up Second's neck, thankfully unnoticed by both Red and a fuming Victim, who had clearly reached his limit.Victim chose that moment to speak, his voice dripping with sarcasm.