unsteady

runaway

an: don't hate me.

dedicated to my bestie boo @seayceetings who i love a lot. enjoy.

                                you might leave the universe for a single star.

                                               because it shines the brightest.

                                                              but remember, my darling,

                                                                     the universe has kept existing

                                                                                          while every star burns out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaycee

____

Everything was going well. Classes, her mental health, even her grades at school were starting to take a boost. She'd even gotten Sean to re-enroll at Hills High.

"Why don't you go to school?" She'd countered him as they sat opposite each other, sharing a vanilla shake at the dive, their new favorite haunt. He'd just complained about missing her at day classes while she dutifully went to her real classes, although she barely did more than sit at her desk and watch the clock, counting down the minutes until she could see him again.

"I learn from life, not books," he'd rolled his eyes. "Some of my guys do, some don't."

"You should," she pushed back, her confidence evergrowing."I think you'd be surprised at what there is to learn. And plus, you'd get to see me, like all the time."

"I don't know," he'd said, but she wasn't so sure he was as unconvinced as he looked.

She was right. Two days later, he'd re-enrolled.

She had his little SoCal gang to sit with now, since she felt like she could officially belong with him next to her, not needing introduction, his leather jacket fitting her back perfectly. It was a group of people that were all scarred by life at different points,  by different things, and who were all respectful of each other's quiet suffering. She liked it. For one time in her life, outside of the dance floor, she felt like she fit in.

So, yes. Everything was going fine.

Until she and Sean did Overdose.

____________

Sean

___

"Okay everyone, circle up! Since this is a 16+ class, obviously we're looking at you guys to tell a story with a little more meaning," JoJo said. "This one is a tough one, but it's very important to Donovan and me that we get it out there. You never know, someone could be struggling right next to you with this very issue."

He wasn't sure if he imagined it, but her eyes seemed to linger and rest on Kaycee.

"This is about an abusive relationship," Donovan said, "Where there's too much of something, but the couple is addicted on each other. They can't break free of the cycle."

His heart sank. He didn't want to draw attention to her, as the rumors had circulated around Millennium by now, but still, she deserved the decency to at least try and fly under the radar.