Steps | TRONNOR

outro.

| not edited |

After Connor's death, everything changed.

It was revealed that a suicidal teenage girl was on the same train as Connor. She carried a bomb in a book bag. Obviously, her reasons were never revealed since she never left a note. But, all that they did know was that she wanted herself and the people around her to be dead. And she got what she wanted.

No one is one hundred percent positive whether or not Connor was right next to the girl but he was near her. His injuries were too severe to be cured and he almost died instantly. When he was brought out, it was practically impossible to recognize him.

Surprisingly, the items in one of his bags (that weren't on the train) wasn't damaged. It didn't have the chance to enter the baggage room in the back of the train before the bomb exploded. No one in his family could look through it; it was too painful.

The bag sat in the middle of his old bedroom along with gifts, flowers, and letters from people who had known him. Pictures of him and dead flowers scattered the wooden floor. Every time she tried to clean up the room, Cheryl would break down in sobs.

It was five years after his death. Let's see how everyone is doing now.

LIA AND JENN

Connor's death took a huge toll on Lia. It took her so long to not cry when someone said his name. She hated the world for taking away her best friend when he didn't want to go. It was unfair.

For the rest of high school, Lia pushed people away and stayed to herself. Her entire personality changed; she stopped being mean to people. She ended the best relationship she had because she felt as though she wasn't allowed to be happy now that Connor was gone.

Jenn respected the reason for breaking up; not Lia's, of course. She wasn't as close to Connor as Lia was. She understood that the girl needed the space. Even though it was hard, Jenn didn't press her opinions down Lia's throat and let the girl be. Their breakup was mutual. Jenn thought it would only last for maybe a month or two but it was the rest of high school.

While in college, Lia stayed in the same town while Jenn went to a film school in New York. They didn't talk often. Sometimes Jenn would call to check in and they would speak about the latest news. She never brought up Connor because she knew Lia would break down.

But, Connor's death wasn't the only thing that changed Lia's life forever.

"Okay, Bubba. Ready for lunch?" Lia asked, leaning down in the crib and lightly picking up her baby son, Connor. When the baby dug his face in her neck, Lia giggled and carried Connor to his highchair. She clipped the red and black stripped bib around his neck as she hummed a song she heard the other day on the radio.

One night during a college party, Lia had random sex with a guy who was in one of her classes. They only knew of each other and were both very drunk when deciding it was a smart idea to not use a condom. When she discovered she was pregnant in a gas station restroom, Lia had no idea what to do. So, she did the only thing she did when she needed someone to talk to; call Jenn.

Right when Lia told Jenn, the girl dropped out of film school and moved back into town without question. She wanted to help take care of Connor since the father wasn't going to be part of the baby's life. At first, Lia despised her for doing this but later gave into the idea Jenn had.

Now, the two live together in a small house they rented. Together, they created a system. Jenn would go to school during the night and take care of Connor during the day while Lia went to school. Somehow this system worked and they did it perfectly.