𝑼𝑵𝑬𝑿𝑷𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑫 | 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑛𝑝𝑜𝑟𝑡

𝑂𝑈𝑇 𝑂𝐹 𝑇𝐻𝐼𝑆 𝑊𝑂𝑅𝐿𝐷

─────⊰ ✦.*🥀*.✦ ⊱─────

　　 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐀 𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐃 than expected, I shut my locker in frustration. 'Can't we do anything else besides going to the symposium?' I ask Chase as I lean against my locker.

'But why don't you want to go?' he asks back, completely baffled by the fact that it seems like one of the worst dates in my mind.

'Well, one, because it's boring and two, I can't leave my grandfather alone for that long,' I retort. My grandfather has been stuck in his depressive state for weeks, which breaks my heart. Whenever he's manic, he's overly ecstatic and seems at least happy. Now, he's merely moping around and no matter the question I ask, he only has the bleakest answers.

He rolls his eyes and crosses his arms over his chest. 'One, it's not boring, and two, your grandfather can manage a night alone. You don't have to baby him all the time,' he argues and while there's truth to it, I don't like how he worded it. My grandfather may not need me all the time, but I want to be there for him whenever I can.

'I've sat at your rehearsals for hours, because it's something that's important to you and I want to support you with that. I never make you come to anything. Can't we do something that I really enjoy for once?' he mumbles in a plea, though it feels more like he's given up on trying to get me to go with him.

I try to hide my detest for symposiums as well as I can and reluctantly agree with him in my head. He never asks anything of me, just to go this once with him. Who knows, we might even have fun.

'You're right, Chase,' I reply after a short inhale. 'I'm judging the symposium before ever having gone to one. I'll go with you.'

Chase glances at his feet before his gaze finds mine. 'You promise?' he asks softly.

'I promise,' I reassure him.

'Good, because I already got the tickets,' he says and I slap his arm in response. A chuckle rolls off his lips, a mischievous glint shimmering in his eyes.

We're joined by Adam, Bree and Leo, who are deeply delved into a conversation of their own. The talk dies down though, as Marcus also makes his way over to us. Adam and Bree greet him excitedly by a nickname they'd given him, whereas Chase nonchalantly nods at him and wraps his arm around my shoulders.

'Hold on, how come he has a nickname and I don't?' Leo asks, though to be honest, I had no idea Adam and Bree had started calling Marcus M-dog. I don't think it's a nickname I'll start using anytime soon.

I pat Leo on his back and flash a smile at him. 'Oh no, we do,' I reassure him. 'Adam thought of it all by himself.'

'Hello Tiny McLittleStein,' Adam welcomes Leo and holds out his arms for a welcoming hug, but Leo just looks offended.

Marcus pays little attention to Leo's tantrum and brings his hands togethers in front of his chest in a pleadingly praying gesture. 'Guys, I was wondering if I could stay over at your place this weekend. My dad is going out of town and I don't want to be alone with my grandmother,' he says, his index fingers resting against his lips in anticipation.

'Aha! You told us your grandmother died,' Leo shouts and accusingly points his finger at Marcus, supposedly exposing him.

However, Marcus begins to sob and I feel bad for him. 'My other grandmother,' he whimpers in between his sobs and drops his head into his hands.

I lay my hand on Marcus' shoulder and lightly squeeze into it, putting on my most soothing voice to calm him down, while simultaneously glaring over at Leo as he takes a few steps back holding his hands high.