A Forgotten Mess: A Hawdence Story

Run-Away at Mahogany Park

Cadence POV

A forgotten mess. It's all I'll ever be. My family don't care about me... nor do they try to remember me. I have to get out of here... I mean, it's not like they'll notice. Without a second thought, I open my window and climb out. Thank goodness we live in a one-storey house. I feel the wind blow against my tear-stained face as I start to walk off, I should've brought a jacket... 

Once I begin walking, I don't stop, letting my feet take wherever and if I don't return home? So what? Those morons won't notice. I keep walking until I realise where I'm going. My feet are taking me to the park where Morrigan, Hawthorne and I spent one Saturday a while back. That had to be one of the best days of my entire life. 

I walk over to the big tree where Hawthorne nearly got stuck, the goofball, and sat under it, knees tucked up, shivering slightly, watching the sunset, thinking about.. nothing really. Well that was until I heard a familiar voice, "Well, what brings you here?"

Hawthorne's POV 

I was taking a stroll at Mahogany Park to help me clear my brain. Well, that's what I like to tell myself. No. I just enjoy the park at this time of the afternoon - not crowded, chilly and the sunset is really pretty. I walked to the big old tree where I once nearly got stuck in when I noticed that someone else had already taken my usual spot. As I stepped closer, I realised that it was Cadence. She looked sad and as one of her best friends, I was prepared to help her.

"Well, what brings you here?" I ask, sitting down next to her.

She looks up in surprise but I didn't miss the small smile on her lips, "My family.. again."

Ah yes, of course - a few months ago, Cadence revealed that her home life isn't exactly what she hoped it could be. Her family was large and not the wealthiest. And to put the cherry on top, she was a Mesmerist and her family never even tried to remember her. It's pretty sad really. 

"Oh... do you want to talk about it?" I ask, uncertain of her reaction.

"My grandma had an argument with my parents," oh... didn't sound too bad, "I was the topic. She kept saying 'why did you keep it?' I'm barely even considered a human in my family!" She sounds like she's gonna start crying again, "I'm just a forgotten mess." My eyes widen and I put my arms around her, pulling her into a hug.

"Cadence, you are not a forgotten mess. So your home life sorta sucks and your family - I wouldn't even call them your family. But our Unit, Unit 919, we're your family. We love and accept you. Don't you ever forget that. And please don't call yourself that again."

Cadence POV 

I've never heard Hawthorne get so... I don't even know. But did he really mean all that? I just curled up, clinging to him, bawling my eyes out with a few murmured "thank yous". We watched as the sun began to set. It was truly beautiful and for once I felt content, even letting a small smile rest on my lips. 

"Hey Cadence?" 

I lift my head to look at Hawthorne's face, "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna have to go soon," I felt my face fall at the thought of him leaving so soon, I suppose happy things don't last, "but I was wondering what you'll be doing, you can't stay here all night - you'll freeze to death!"

I hadn't actually thought about what I'm going to do for the rest of the night, I was just happy to be there with hi- someone who understands me. 

"I-I.. well.. I suppose I'll go home a bit later.. when they're all sleeping. School tomorrow so I can escape them then," I say smiling a little bit. He smiled back at me with a smile that makes me feel that everything will be alright. 

I feel my heart plummet as he unwrapped his arms from me and begin to stand up. He offered me a hand, which I took, and pulled me up and into another hug, "If you ever need to talk about something, you know where I live. Just come see me, please." With that he walked off, turning back to smile and wave... and yell, "See you tomorrow Cadence!" 

I smile back with a small wave, "See you tomorrow Hawthorne," but it was a whisper in the wind - lost forever.