Beyond the Boundaries

11

11 - The Golden Valley Springs, The End of a Friendship

"Quite the surprise to me that the Southeastern team is the team we're facing off against." Milo remarked. "Surprising how they progressed farther than the Western team. What do you think about that, Coach?"

"Come on, Milo, you played them last year." Coach shrugged it off. "This ain't a challenge."

"The only challenge?"

Coach stared over at Jayden, who was fast asleep on his hospital bed. He squinted his eyes. "We barely had any time to get him into shape, and he's going to be even worse because of this sickness. You said it's not as bad as yours, but you still have to remember our mission, Milo. You aren't his friend, you're in this for the council."

"But what if-"

"No, Milo. There's no time for that. I mean, you know where he's from."

What you are isn't what you become. Milo thought to himself.

"I know you're doubting me, but just trust my word. If you tell this little white lie once, everything in your life will be okay."

Right. We aren't friends. Not what if's, that's what it is. That's the truth I don't want to accept, but the truth I have to. Milo thought. Jayden is the only one that I can really talk to without arguing with, maybe. Besides Mako, of course. I don't want that to change just because he found out what I'm actually doing here.

"Go figure." I said. "We're against the Southwestern team in the finals?"

"We're? I mean, you shouldn't be so sure that you're going to recover by then. You still feel under the weather, don't you?" Mako asked me. I knew Mako really wanted to win the championship, and I just wanted to cheer his team on. But for whatever reason, I was being brought into this mess.

"I don't want to mess anything up." I sighed. "I'll try my best to help out, without causing this team a loss. I know how hard you guys have worked for this very day, and I don't want to get in the way of anything."

Mako put both of his hands on his face. "You're not the problem." He muttered. "I just don't feel like you're getting a proper introduction to what the Affluent side truly is. You wanna be my... Real friend?"

He put his hands down and looked at me.

I didn't understand. What did he mean by, "Real friend?" I was afraid to ask that question though. The word "real" echoed in my mind, it was the only thing I could hear besides a slight ringing in my ear.

There was a humming noise, too. It made me uncomfortable. I had only remembered now why I was sitting here on this hospital bed. My friends, Maxwell and Liam, were gone because of me. Because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. I poked my nose in too many things, and now I'm still here. It worked, this little experiment.

They went so far as to burn down the Penurious side, just to keep another secret hidden. It's in the back of my mind, but I can barely remember anything.

A truth was being hidden from me, but I was afraid it would be best if it stayed that way.

I calmed myself down, looking up above me. The humming sound had come from the light above me. I sighed in relief, and looked back to Mako, who was still awaiting an answer.

"I probably won't get too close to people anymore." I said. "I know death is only natural, so it'll come to all of us. I don't want you crying for me, so how about... We keep our distance for now?"