The Moon Shines when the Sun Isn't Around

Part 8.5 - 9

*King:** "I'm fine," he mumbled, his eyes never leaving the cracks in the concrete. It was the same lie he'd told himself over and over, the one he thought he could keep believing. But even as the words left his mouth, they felt empty.

Oreo wasn't having it.

**Oreo:** "No, you're not," she said firmly, her voice steady but laced with concern. "You've been different for a while now. You don't laugh like you used to. You don't even talk like you used to. I get it—you want to put on a brave face. But it's me, King. You don't have to do that with me."

King shifted uncomfortably. He didn't want to talk about this, didn't want to unravel everything he'd been holding together with a fraying thread. But there was something about Oreo's tone, the way she looked at him with those knowing eyes, that made him pause.

**King (thinking):** *She's not going to let this go, is she?*

He sighed heavily, the weight of it all pressing on his chest again. He could feel it building, like a dam that was about to break, but he wasn't ready for that yet. He wasn't ready to face what was happening inside his own head.

**King:** "I don't know what you want me to say," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "It's just... stuff. Life's been a lot lately, you know? I'm just tired."

Oreo didn't respond right away. She knew this was the moment—she had to push him just enough, but not too hard. She'd been in that dark place before, and she knew how fragile he was right now. But she wasn't going to let him drown in it like she almost had.

**Oreo:** "King," she said softly, leaning in a little closer. "It's okay to not be okay. You don't have to carry everything on your own."

He let out a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

**King:** "That's the thing, Oreo. I don't have a choice. I'm the one who's supposed to keep everything together. People count on me, and if I fall apart, what happens to them?"

Oreo felt her heart break a little at his words. He was so convinced that he had to be the strong one, the one who kept everyone else afloat, and he didn't even realize he was drowning in the process.

**Oreo:** "You don't have to carry everyone, King. You're allowed to let people in. You're allowed to let *me* in."

For a moment, there was silence between them, the kind of silence that hangs heavy in the air, thick with unsaid words and unspoken truths. King swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump in his throat. He didn't want to cry, not here, not in front of her. But the cracks were showing, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep up the facade.

**King:** "I don't know how to fix this," he admitted quietly, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't even know what's wrong half the time. I just... feel like I'm stuck in this hole, and no matter what I do, I can't climb out of it."

Oreo reached out, placing her hand on his shoulder, her touch gentle but grounding.

**Oreo:** "You don't have to fix it all by yourself," she said softly. "You're not alone, King. You've got people who care about you. I care about you. And I know it doesn't feel like it right now, but you're going to be okay. We're going to figure this out together."

King's eyes flickered toward her, and for the first time in a while, he let himself really *see* her. Oreo wasn't just saying this because she felt like she had to. She meant it. She was there, and she wasn't going to let him go through this alone.

But even with that knowledge, it didn't make the weight disappear. The pain was still there, still gnawing at him from the inside. But maybe, just maybe, having someone by his side would make it a little more bearable.