*(Is this all we see?)*

*~Chapter 40~*

--Warning: Details of verbal, physical, mental/emotional abuse as well as some sexual abuse. Please, if this triggers you do not read this chapter.--

Midnight left his house the next day with a fateful, and yet another, pit in his stomach. He hated these emotions. The circling of different choices and their consequences. Was he the true one to lead them into the flames? He was hardly a guardian. How could he do it?

He stepped out of the car in the school parting lot. His breath was felt cold in his throat and he could see it blow and blend into the air. His fingers dug into the fabric of his satchel. He still was confused, still angry, still wondering if what Kurt said was right or wrong.

And finally, after walking throigh the parking lot and not looking for Nick, he reached the doorway. And saw him.

His eyes were dark. He was angry. He could almost feel his pathetic anger. What the hell was he even angry about. 'Prick.'

Midnight walked passed him and his group. All of them were there. Noah, Kevin, Levi. All of them. Clearly Levi had healed enough. In a way Midnight wished he hadn't. Or that something worse. He reached his locker, trying to shake the thoughts away. He wasn't like that.

After picking out his first binder, he walked off to homeroom. And hoped, hoped so badly, that his grades had improved.

~~~~

'That was more than enough that I had to handle.' Midnight thought exhaustedly. He talked with Mr. Kelve. They talked about his grades. How he still needed to stay after despite the improvement. And, even if he didn't want to, thought about Nick. Thought about what he had done to upset him. He had gotten over it, sure. But that didn't mean it wasn't different without him around.

Midnight hurried off to his normal 'parking spot' for lunch. The tree. And by luck the snow was hardly there.

But as he approached the bare branched tree, a shadow loomed over the other side. It was someone, sitting there. Midnight cranned his head to look. Still couldn't see. The shadow was sitting still on the cold ground. Did they even feel it? He slowly continued on the way to the tree.

The person sounded like they had ran. Or had been crying. Their breaths were labored and he could hear them trying to catch their breath. 'Wait. Is that?'

He hurried around the other side. Sure enough, it was who he thought. "Nick.." He rolled his eyes. Was he taking his spot now?

He was quiet. He looked down. His arm was in a cast. He looked tired with purple bruises painted on his face. He had a split lip that looked like it had bled recently. "What--why are you here?" Midnight asked.

"I want to talk to you." Nicks mutter was almost a whisper. But he could hear it. Midnight was infuriated. Seriously? After all this time of wondering what he did, he does this? Midnight scoffed. "Are you fucking kidding me." Anger. It was burning bright in his heart. All the anger for himself transferred to Nick in a second. He let out a breathless laugh. His hot breaths fogged the air in front of him. "This is--." Midnight didn't want to snap at him. But it was difficult not to. And then it quickly all came out of his mouth. "This is bullshit. I went through days of being angry at myself for doing something to make you abandon me. Was it the car crash? Was it the fact that I wanted you to not go and the guilt is too much? Was it just me?" Midnight felt a burn in his eyes. He tried to hold the bursting salty water. "Because I--I just wish I knew why you abandoned me like that. Friends don't do that."

Nick scooted over, patting a spot next to him. "Sit. I will explain everything."

"Will you?" Midnights anger was back.