JUNE MET APRIL

The video.

April lay in bed, the covers pulled tightly over her head as she stared at her phone, the soft glow from the screen reflecting into her eyes. The cereal plate beside her bed had long dried up, a spoon abandoned in the middle, and the box of Nasco cereal remained open, spilling slightly onto the floor. Her room was a mess, but she didn't have the energy to care.
Two days. She hadn't gone to school or work in two days, embarrassed beyond words after what had happened at the party. Someone had recorded it—the moment she tripped while dancing, her drink spilling all over her shirt. In the video, it looked worse than it had been. It had been posted online and the comments had been brutal.
Her phone buzzed. A call from June.
She swiped it away, declining the call, her fingers trembling. A single tear slipped down her cheek, trailing slowly as she returned to watching the video for the thousandth time. She scrolled through the comments, every word digging deeper into her embarrassment.
                  
                                      *
@JessSaysWhat: "OMG did you see how she face-planted? Classic April. She's always so awkward."

@BobbyTee: "Can't believe she thought she could pull off that dance move. Epic fail."

@MiraLuv  "Yikes. Someone's gonna have a hard time showing up to school after this."

Another text came in, this time from Lola.

Lola: "Hey babe, are you okay? You've been MIA... It's not a big deal, people will forget. Don't let it get to you. Call me, okay?"
                                      *

April stared at the message, but her fingers didn't move to respond. She couldn't. How could she? Everyone had seen it. The comments had flooded in for days, and the video kept getting shared. No one would forget.

Her phone buzzed again.

Lola: "I'm having a family emergency, so I can't come by, but I'm sending June. I'm worried about you. Don't be mad, okay?"

She didn't even notice the message before the next sound pierced the quiet room; knocking at the door. Three steady knocks.
"April, it's June. Please open up." his voice called through the door, steady but warm.
She groaned, too exhausted and numb to move. She buried her face into the pillow, her eyes stinging from crying.
Another knock.
"April. I know you're in there. Please."
Her eyes wandered to the half-empty cereal box. June... She whispered his name, the thought of him pulling her out of her head for a moment. She groggily threw the covers off, stood up and dragged herself to the door.
She unlocked it and opened it slightly. June stood there, balancing a box of Nasco cornflakes under one arm, pizza, a six-pack of beer, a satchel across his shoulders and a bag of snacks in the other hand. His eyes scanned her, taking in her stained tank top, black shorts, and socks with holes. He raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything about her appearance.
Instead, he smirked.
"Well, at least your room's just as messy as I imagined. This place looks like a war zone."
April glanced back at her disaster of a room and quickly started gathering the trash on the floor.
"Sorry, I was going to clean it."
"Hey, don't worry about it."
He placed the snacks down and took the wrappers from her hand.
"You okay?"His voice softened.
She avoided his eyes and mumbled,
"Not really."
Suddenly, she turned and rushed to the bathroom, throwing up into the toilet. June followed her, grabbing a towel and some clean clothes from her drawer. He handed them to her gently.
"Take a shower. You'll feel better."
April hesitated but nodded. She stepped into the bathroom, her hands trembling slightly as she closed the door behind her.
While she showered, June didn't waste time. He grabbed a pair of gloves from under her sink and started cleaning up the room, disposing of the trash, clearing the old cereal plate, and tossing the wrappers into a bag. He found fresh sheets in the drawer and laid them on her bed, spreading the pizza, beer, and snacks across the surface neatly. When he finished, he sat on the edge of her bed, turned on her laptop, and scrolled through Netflix, pausing on a show he thought she'd like liked.
April emerged from the bathroom, looking more like herself in her pajamas, though her face still carried the weight of her sadness.
June gave her a small smile.
"Pizza's waiting. Beer too. I'll save the Nasco cornflakes for breakfast tomorrow."
She managed a small laugh as she sat down beside him, grabbing a slice of pizza.
"Thanks, June...for coming. I know I've been a mess."
He waved it off.
"Don't apologize. But you can't just hide away because of what happened. That video... yeah, it sucks but you're not defined by some stupid moment at a party. Trust me, people will forget. They always do."
April sighed, picking at the crust of her pizza.
"It's just... I keep reading the comments and I feel like I can't face anyone. It's so humiliating."
June shook his head.
"You're stronger than this. I know you are. And besides, everyone messes up sometimes. You gotta let it go."
She chewed quietly for a moment, then whispered, "I'm sorry I ignored you."
"I get it." he said, brushing off her apology.
"I'd probably do the same if it happened to me. But... I'm not going anywhere. So you're stuck with me."
April smiled, a real smile this time.
"Thanks, June."
They spent the next couple of hours watching the family guy show, laughing at all the right moments, the sadness easing away as the evening stretched on. April leaned against him as the final credits rolled, her eyelids growing heavier.
Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep on his shoulder. June looked down at her, seeing the peacefulness on her face.
He pulled the covers up a little higher over her and carefully tucked her teddy bear into her arms. She shifted slightly, hugging it closer without waking, her face peaceful for the first time in days. June sighed, his heart heavy with an understanding he couldn't quite put into words.
He knew she didn't want to be alone tonight.
The rain tapped gently against the window, as the glow of the laptop dimmed. April was fast asleep now, her breathing steady, her body curled into a ball under the fresh sheets. June glanced at her, watching the rise and fall of her shoulders. The world outside was a blur of water and darkness, but in here, it felt calm—like the storm was only outside.
The rain picked up, soft droplets turning into a gentle pour. He moved to the side of the bed, giving her space to stay curled up while he lay beside her. He shifted onto his back, careful not to disturb her but close enough that she knew he was still there.
April murmured something in her sleep, her forehead pressing lightly against the pillow. June turned his head to look at her, brushing a braid  away from her face. He hadn't planned on staying but he couldn't leave. Not tonight. Not after seeing how vulnerable she had been, how much she needed someone; even if she wouldn't say it out loud.
Outside, thunder rumbled faintly in the distance but the room was warm, safe. He stared up at the ceiling, the steady sound of the rain lulling him into a sense of calm. A few minutes passed and his eyes grew heavy. Before long, he had drifted off to sleep beside her.