It Just Kind Of Happened

26: HOPE

HENRI

She was crying. She was crying a lot. And he couldn't do tears, now. He was tired and sick of tears, especially when they came from someone who was supposed to be always smiling. By the way, why the fuck Summer was crying so much?

Her arms were locked on Daniel and she was crying and crying and crying and Henri just wanted to scream. Because she wasn't there anymore. Mac's flight was the first one to leave, and he knew why. They all knew why and those two idiots hugging knew shit.

He knew those people, back at her apartment. He knew them very well, he would say. What else could you expect from people who are constantly being shown on TV? But now, he felt like he knew them way more. He felt like he had known those fake ass philanthropists more than they knew themselves. Because they were the reason Mackenzie had lost it that night. They were the reason for her tears and he couldn't even begin on how wrong that was. They were her goddamned parents and they failed their only job. They failed miserably.

Henri blamed himself more than anyone. He thinks that if he had just been—I don't know, more somehow, she'd have stayed. If he'd given her more to compromise with or just given her something at all, she would've had a reason to stay the day she decided to leave behind. It was unsettling, really—to think about all the things you could've done but didn't do. It made him mad.

Mackenzie Maine had run away and he couldn't help but feel it was from him. Well, him too.

*are you alright, man?* It was a text from Daniel. Only then he realized that Summer was gone and Danny was looking at him strangely.

*where's Sum? She's gone already?* now Henri was frantic. Two people leaving without him saying goodbye was too much.

The memories of this morning were too much. But they came all at once because it wasn't that long ago.

He saw himself again. He was all groomed up and all proper and nice, ready to help Mac with whatever she needed. His hand touched lightly on the door, knocking on it three times perfectly. Then came those faces; the ones that made him toss and turn at night, with the cold eyes and warm smiles. They spoke something that he couldn't identify, but it was alright, they didn't know.

Good thing I came prepared, though. Henri thought. His hands were sweating inside his pockets, but he managed to pull the paper out.

Good morning Sir. Ma'am. I came for Mackenzie :)

He thought that with the smiley face on the end it wouldn't sound so serious. He thought he had it. Never, not even for a second, he thought he was wrong.

Mr. and Ms' Maine smiles faltered and the paper was gently picked from Henri's hand. They were quite fast, too; almost like they were trying to give the news as fast as possible, to get rid of the boy on their front door.

She's gone.

That was it. Dry and concise. Heartless and heartfelt. It was everything he didn't want to hear nor read.

His hands weren't sweating anymore. They were shaking. With anger. Disappointment. Sadness. But most of all, with a certain tone of rage. It was their fault. It was all because of them.

She waited for you, he wanted to say. She waited and she broke but I fixed her. I did that, I put that smile on her face, only for you to come and ruin it. You ruined it just like you ruined her.

All Henri really managed to do was write down some hard words and because of the rage his letter was barely readable and there was a blue streak running down a few inches on their wall, from where the paper had ripped. It was all a blur after, really. He just recalled crying in his bedroom for a couple of hours until he fell asleep. 

*no, she just went to the bathroom.*

Thank God. Even though he hadn't had much contact with the giggly redhead, he cherished her. They were friends. Just like him and Daniel.

*I'm fine, thanks.*

*If you say so...*

*I say so.*

And that was way too harsh for Danny to believe Henri's blatant lie.

Summer was back now. They were about to split for their gates and then that would be it. They would text, sure, but it wouldn't be the same. At least not until Summer had an idea.

*Thanksgiving is near, guys.* Summer sent to the group chat. *I vote for all of us to meet again during the holiday.*

*I support that ;)* Danny.

*I guess it would be fun.* Henri.

And no Mackenzie.

*I want to see all of you again.* Summer sent and this time she was staring right into Henri's eyes.

Because they all knew. Mackenzie wasn't there, but Henri was, and that meant something.

For Summer, that meant hope.