HeartBREAK

Chapter sixty-two

"Okay, we have to keep moving, otherwise we won't make it on time!", Magnus yelled. It was one week later and Raphael was going to come back home. Yesterday he has talked to Maureen on the phone and let her known that he has come to terms with what has happened and was missing NYABM. So, Alec, Magnus, Simon, Maia and Maureen decided to surprise him with a self-made cake and throwing him a little "Welcome home" party to show him that there were plenty of people that care about him. "The cake is done!", Maia yelled out of he kitchen and Alec hurried to help her take it out of the oven. "Frosting is looking good!", Simon proclaimed and presented the light blue frosting he has made. "Balloons as well!", Maureen said. "Okay, looking good guys!", Magnus stated as his phone interrupted the talk. It was an incoming call from Raphael. "Hey!", Magnus replied. "Hi. I was just calling to tell you that our flight has landed but it will take eternities until I am there anyways. Maybe someone can come pick me up in 90 minutes approximately? The line is huge!" "Sure!", Magnus replied. "Okay, see you!", Raphael replied and hung up the phone. "Okay, we are a bit in a time crunch- is the Cake ready to be frosted yet?" Maia nodded. Simon covered the whole thing in light blue frosting and then cleared the space for Alec who put "Welcome home, Raphael!", on the cake with chocolate sauce. He was actually surprisingly good at decorating cakes. "Where have you learned that?", Magnus asked as Alec added a few sprinkles to add some more to the cake. "I always used to do Isabelle's birthday cakes.", he replied, completely focused on his writing. Ever since they had talked about Magnus' future there was a certain between the two- but that was no what it was about today. It was about Raphael and he deserved all of their attention. "That's nice.", Magnus smiled and decided to leave his boyfriend alone with what he did best. Meanwhile Maureen has decorated the room with light blue balloons and cleaned it a bit. It was coming together, slowly but steadily.

Raphael was walking through the airport on the way to get his luggage. It has been a good week, to his surprise. The day after his arrival he joined his family to go to his grandmothers funeral. Everything was so calm, somehow. Raphael had so many siblings and cousins, usually it was always loud when he was with his family. But this time was different- everyone was paying their respects. Everyone was being silent. It was unlike any other family visit before. Usually, part of a family visits were stupid questions, annoying interrogations, unrealistic expectations of him. But this time, everyone was being respectful. Ever since he had started dancing his family besides his grandmother has taken him seriously. They used to laugh at him, they used to tell him nothing good would resolve out of it. But, they were wrong. And when he got accepted into NYABM everyone finally realized he was good at what he did. But his grandmother has always known. And when he came back during summer, she would just ask him if he still loved what he did. And as long as his answer was yes, she was happy for him. His parents though, they would ask about grades, job opportunities, performances. They always cared about the success- not him, he felt like. And whenever his med-school-cousin and her family joined his, he always was asked to dance, to showoff, to make his parents look good and give them something to brag about. But This time it was different. They reconnected on a completely new level. Death brings the living together, Raphael thought. Odd but true. And his heart ached when he realized that the last thing his grandmother has done for him was improving his relationship to his parents- by dying. What an ironic thing to happen. But it felt awkwardly right to him. At first, Raphael has been overwhelmed with grief, but now he felt oddly satisfied- as if things have fallen into place. It almost felt like it was meant to be. And she would forever be alive in his memories while guarding him from heaven. Like she was meant to. 

From a distance, Alec could see Raphael walking down the entry hall of the airport, his suitcase rolling behind him. "Hey.", he sighed and pulled his best friend into a deep hug, his fingers clutching his sweater. "I have missed you.", Raphael replied. "I have missed you too.", Alec said and let go to stare into his best friends symmetrical face and black eyes. "How are you?", Alec asked calmly. "I'm okay.", Raphael replied quietly, a weak but honest smile on his lips. "I always knew you would.", Alec said and accompanied him to their cab which was already waiting for them. Half an hour later they arrived at NYABM. Respectfully, Raphael entered the blue and gold halls of the dance school and made his way up the stairs where the dorms were. "It's us!", Alec yelled as he knocked at the door. "Surprise!", Simon, Maia, Maureen and Magnus screamed as Alec pushed Raphael through the door. "Welcome home, boo.", Maureen smiled and threw her arms around her boyfriends' neck, pulling him down for a kiss. "You did all of this for me?", Raphael asked in disbelief, staring at the balloons. "We did even more!", Simon corrected as he proudly presented Raphael their cake. "You guys are truly the best.", Raphael whispered as tears flooded his eyes. "You deserve the best.", Magnus said and padded Raphaels back. "I mean, how do I thogh? First you take shifts to talk to me through my door because I am too stubborn to open it, then Alec literally sleeps on the floor guarding my doorstep, then Maureen books a flight to my hometown for  me to get better and see my family and now you throw me a welcome back party." "It's because we love you, Raph. So, so much. And we care about you. And we are so happy you're here. NYABM wouldn't be the same without you.", Maia smiled.

Hello beautiful people! I hope everyone is doing amazing during those rough times. Is anyone else excited for Christmas yet though?
XOXO, AllyMaii