Will I

Friends

Kirstie stopped at the ice cream place, stopping immediately. She smiled back at Scott, Kevin, and Avi, who all sat there awkwardly. She shrugged her shouldered she looked to Mitch, smiling softly.

"Why don't you like sitting in the back?" Kirstie asked, her voice soft. The three other males looked at Mitch, waiting to hear his answer. "Did something happen?"

"Trevor, stop! You're hurting me! Stop!"

"Shut up! You deserve this."

"I get carsick," Mitch lied, not wanting to think about it. Kirstie nodded as she unlocked the doors, letting everyone out. "Thanks for driving us."

"You're welcome," she replied, hopping out of the van. Avi texted Esther to tell her what he he was doing and he put his phone away, smiling to himself. "Why are so happy?"

"I don't know. I'm just a happy person I guess," Avi answered, shrugging his shoulders. Scott rolled his eyes and walked to the ice cream place, leaving everyone else behind. "He's tall."

"That he is," Kevin observed, looking down at Avi. He held his hand out, smiling brightly. "You seem cool, dude. Want to hang out sometime?"

"Sure," Avi confirmed, shaking Kevin's hand. Mitch watched the interaction, tilting his head a bit. "Mitch, do you want to hang out with us?"

"I-I don't hang out with people that much anymore," Mitch answered, his quiet voice making Avi's heart beat a bit faster. The timidity of Mitch's voice calmed him down too. "I don't have a lot of friends."

Kirstie heard that and frowned, almost putting an arm around Mitch's shoulders but stopped when he shook his head. She knows how that feels. After her mom passed away, she lost most of her friends. They stopped talking to her and didn't invite her to places anymore because she spent most of her time with Lilliana. She shook her head as she tried to get thoughts of her mom out of her head, not wanting to cry today.

"I'll be your friend," Kirstie promised, her smile weak. Mitch smiled and allowed the older girl to take his hand. "Come on, now. Ice cream is calling for us and that is a call I refused to miss!"

Avi and Kevin smiled as the younger duo walked to the ice cream place, sharing a look. Kevin stuck out his hand playfully and Avi rolled his eyes, laughing a bit. They walked to the ice cream place, ready to hang out with their new friends.

~~~

"What high school do you go to?" Kirstie asked, eating a bit of her strawberry ice cream. "I go to Williamson High."

(A/N: I know the trio went to Martin High, but I'm changing that fact for the story.)

"I go there too," Scott answered, throwing away the cup that held his ice cream. He stared at the younger girl, his eyes void of emotion. "Never seen you."

"I know. That makes me sad," Kirstie admitted, frowning a bit. She turned towards Avi and Kevin, her smile wide. "How about you two?"

"I went. I graduated last year."

"Same."

Avi looked to Mitch, noticing how nervous the younger boy seemed to be. He chew on his nail, not wanting anyone to freak him out or anything. Avi was about to ask him something, but he stopped himself. He didn't want to scare the younger boy or anything.

"Mitch, do you go to Williamson?" Avi asked gently, causing everyone else to look at Mitch. Mitch looked up at them, stopping himself from chewing his nail.

"I used to. I'm homeschooled now," Mitch answered, his soft voice barely above a whisper. Avi couldn't help but hear the fragility behind the voice, his heart aching a bit. "Something happened between a student and I."

"What happened?" Kevin asked, looking at Mitch. The younger boy's eyes became distant, forgetting that everyone was there. "Mitch?"

"You are worthless! I can't believe you are my boyfriend!"

"It s because you lo-OW, TREVOR! STOP!"

"NO! You deserve this. DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT!"

"I was bullied," Mitch lied once again, looking at Kevin. Kevin nodded, wondering if Mitch's answer was true. "How come I never seen you two?"

"I'm always in the drama room," Kirstie answered, shrugging her shoulders. Mitch nodded, missing drama terribly. "How about you two?"

"Piano room."

"Choir room."

Kevin's phone made a noise, causing him to answer it right away. He sighed as he looked up at his new friends, frowning slightly.

"I need to go home," Kevin told everyone, standing up. Kirstie frowned, not wanting him to leave. "I'll see you all next week."

"Wait," Kirstie exclaimed, taking out her phone. She went to her contacts and smiled at everyone, putting her phone on the table. "Let's give each other our numbers."

After exchanging their numbers, everyone went to Kirstie's car, ready to go home. They didn't speak to each other like last time, but it was a comfortable silence. One that offered solace, vitality, calmness.

Acceptance.

When the five of them went home, they all had one thought in their minds.

I have friends again.

~~~

Kirstie woke up to hear Lilliana crying, getting out of bed quickly. Jeremy woke up too and stopped her, looking at her seriously.

"Jerm, I need to go get Lilli. She's crying!"

"I'll calm her down," Jeremy reassured, brushing back the blonde hair Kirstie owned. She sighed as she sat in the bed, looking up at  her boyfriend. "Sleep. You haven't been getting that a lot."

"I know," Kirstie whispered, reluctantly laying back down. Jeremy walked off to Lilliana's room, leaving her by herself. She sighed to herself as she allowed a tear to roll down her cheek, stripping her of her happiness. "I miss you, Mommy."

She remembered that she had to get up early for school tomorrow, starting to cry more. She tried her best to keep quiet, not wanting anyone to see this side of her. This happy girl that wanted to be friends with everyone was hidden by a mask. The girl that everyone knew by her happiness considered herself a liar.

She was a broken girl that grew up too fast.

She was about to let slumber take over her when her phone began to ring. She sat up, looking at her phone and smiling a bit.

Scotty Boy.

"Hello?"

"Kir-Kirstie?"

Scott was crying, his sobs breaking Kirstie's heart. She wiped her own tears and cleared her throat, wondering what was going on.

"What's the matter? Scott, what's going on?"

Scott took a shuddery breath, more sobs escaping. Kirstie could hear the sounds of the phone being handed to someone else and jumped a bit when she heard a comforting voice.

"This is Scott's boyfriend, Alex. I have some bad news."

"Wha-what happened?"

Alex took a deep breath, scaring Kirstie a bit. What happened?

"It's Scott's dad."

A/N: Wow, not a lot happened, but you all saw a side of Kirstie that was hidden well. I might update this to two to three, maybe four days so I won't update it a lot as Polar. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and remember that I love you all.:)

-Maddie🐧🐧🐧