☾up in the clouds [✓]

〚8〛

corbyn sat in the car on his way home from school with his chin rested on his hand, staring up into the sky.

he didn't know how to react to his friends leaving him; it had never happened and he sure didn't want it to happen, but it did.

"have a rough day at school?" his mother asked.

"jacka and zach aren't friends with me anymore." he cut straight to the point as he climbed out the car, jonah following straight behind him.

"well, his, zach's, and daniel's families are coming over for dinner tonight. maybe you can talk it out there." his mother spoke as the three walked into the house, corbyn jumping onto the couch to lay down.

he shook his head as his mother began to speak again, sitting down next to the distraught boy.

"is there a reason that they don't want to be your friend anymore? you've been friends for years!" his mother exclaimed.

corbyn sat up straight, looking ahead to see jonah sitting on the other couch right in front of him.
he sighed before speaking.

"they made fun of jonah and i. he still believes in santa, but zach called me out for believing in jonah. of course i believe in him. he's real!" corbyn exclaimed as a small tear fell from his eye.

"i'm sorry, sweetie. how about you try and make up with them tonight?"
corbyn nodded as he replied.

"alright. get your homework done and i'll call you down when they're here."

⇷ ⇸

"corbyn! everyone is here!" his mother yelled from the bottom of the stairs.

sighing, corbyn motioned for jonah to follow him and made their way downstairs.

"corbyn, tuck your shirt in." his mother complained before opening the door.

"it's just their parents, not the president." corbyn replied, snickering with jonah.

"hello! welcome, come inside." corbyn's mother spoke in a posh voice, urging the large group of people into their home.

as daniel walked in, he gave corbyn a high five, revealing his small tooth gap that seemed to shape his face perfectly.

jack and zach however, walked right by corbyn, only taking a quick glance at them.

"come on jo, let's go to the table." corbyn muttered to jonah, receiving a nod in return.

the two made their way into the dining room, seeing that there was only one seat left open. luckily for corbyn, it was right next to daniel and at the edge of the table.

"looks like you'll have to share a seat with me." corbyn spoke, receiving a small look from jack as corbyn seemed to be talking to nothing.
he rolled his eyes, looking back at the food on the table.

⇷ ⇸

finally, all the kids were finished eating, but the parents were not. corbyn's mother gave corbyn a knowing look to do something. he only nodded before taking a deep breath.

"jack, zach, come here for a second." he spoke.

he glanced at daniel, giving a look that says 'not yet', telling him to stay seated.

the two hesitantly got up, following corbyn into his room where they can't be heard.

corbyn sat on his own bed as the other two sat in the beanbag chairs.

"um. i—i called you here to say..." corbyn dragged off his sentence, not knowing what to say.

"i guess i should start then." jack paused before speaking again.

"i'm sorry, corbyn. i really am. your mom told me how sad you were when she called my mom. i feel so bad, corbs. i'm so sorry." jack spoke.

"me too. i don't hate you. i love having you as a friend. you're one of the most real people i've ever met. i don't care that you still have jonah with you. he seems to really help you, and i'm glad he does." zach spoke.

"i— i forgive you." corbyn was speechless. he didn't even have to say anything.

"can we be friends again?" jack asked corbyn.

"no." the two boys faces fell.

"we can be best friends."

for the rest of the night, the four friends, along with jonah stayed inside corbyn's room laughing and messing around until it was finally time to go.

glad to have his friends back, corbyn slept peacefully. jonah laying right next to him.

☾