This Is Paradise (Kellic)

Chapter Three

[Vic's POV]

I walk to class, watching the really confusing boy rush off in the same direction as me, to whatever his next class might be. I walk into Ms. Martin's class and see Kellin already seated in the back corner of the room.

I figured someone as diligent as he would be in a higher math class than Trig, but perhaps he's only here because he's finished all other required courses but wanted to do another math class for his senior year. Anyone in their right mind would avoid that, but who am I to judge when I, myself, am not in my right mind. So maybe he's not either.

I sit down then in a chair halfway across the room mere seconds before the bell rings and try my best to pay attention to the lesson at hand. That, however, doesn't last long. Before long, the bell has rung and all I have to show for the period is an elaborately drawn sugar skull where my notes should be with a partially done equation. Now it's off to lunch where I will most likely be alone... unless I find someone to attach myself to like a leech.

Wow, what a depressing way to look at it.

fortunately it's not long before Jack and Alex call out to me in the lunchroom. I sit across from them and deliberately avoid their questioning gazes as to where my lunch might be. "I refuse to eat school lunches," I admit and they both nod and look away for a moment.

"So how's your first day going?" Alex asks, ruffling his hand through his two toned hair.

I shrug, "eh. I've had better days, but whatever. I'll deal. I am curious though," I begin, being abruptly cut off by Jack.

"About that one kid who's in every single one of your classes so far?" He asks.

I nod slowly, "yeah... how did you...? never mind that. I don't really care. Anyway, what's his story? He's real quiet."

I see him walk in then, with a very thin girl wearing a beanie.

Why is she wearing a beanie in the middle of August? I wonder to myself. I guess it's none of my business, but I can't help wondering. But curiosity often killed the cat, I should learn to be more careful with my thoughts. They could very well one day get me into trouble.

"He didn't used to be that way," Alex pipes up.

"Alex, it's not our place to tell him anything," Jack warns.

"He deserves to know, Jack. He deserves to know the Kellin we used to be friends with. He's still in there somewhere... I know it..." I hadn't thought Alex had a sorrowful bone in his body, but here he is, sounding on the verge of tears, his eyes going from bright and happy to sullen and sad, almost a dull, lifeless replica of his real eyes.

Jack sighs, but wraps a supportive arm around his boyfriend's shoulders and speaks, "go ahead... if it'll make you feel better, I have no right to stop you."

Alex nods and inhales an extremely shaky breath before speaking. "Okay, so you should know that Jack, Kellin and I used to be really great friends. We were practically inseparable. Now he'll only talk to Justin and his sister, Arlene."

He pauses and I almost think maybe that was all that there was to this story. But it can't be. "But what happened to lead him to that?" I ask, looking back at where the boy had been standing, but isn't anymore. I can no longer find him.

"Um... his sister has leukemia. It was something that happened a long time ago, but his dad got her help and the chemotherapy was working for awhile, so he was okay... suddenly it stopped working and she got a lot worse. She went into the hospital and he stayed with her. He stopped coming to school and when Jack or I texted him he would give us one word answers. But he'd give Justin the lowdown. When he came back he isolated himself from everyone but Justin and his sister. We haven't talked to him since. But he used to be an amazing, fun, hilarious, and outgoing guy. I miss him. For both his and his sister's sake, I hope she gets better. Or at least goes into remission."