Wednesdays of September

Chapter 15: Closed Doors

After the Skye, Marina and Demetria incident, Danielle decided to become a loner in the school. She became anti-social because of that incident not because she hates people, she had a social anxiety and trust issues. All she wanted is to became friends with Skye because they have the same aesthetics, they have the same music taste and they jive together because of their personalities but never in her wildest dreams that incident would happen. She was hurt not only physically but mentally and emotionally. She is still not okay with it but she acts like she is because she wanted to show that she is better off without Skye. Skye and Danielle avoid each other possibly as they can. Skye now sits far away from Danielle in their homeroom. People who don't know about the issue got confused because they all know that Danielle and Skye are the iconic emo duo in their classroom. Some people even mistaken them as couples but they kept silent when people asks what happened to them.

School days are almost ending and high school days are close to the end as Danielle, Aqua and Catherine are choosing for their program in college.  The three are struggling.
"Ahh! I'm not ready!!!" Aqua said.
"Me too!" Catherine whines "But honestly I already want to graduate but it would be sad because we will be separated after we graduate..." she pouts.
"Hey Danielle, do you have a program in mind?" Aqua asks but Danielle is silent and the two looked each other worryingly.
"Danielle?" Catherine calls and Danielle slowly looked up. The old Danielle who was sarcastic and fearless became silent and anxious.
"You okay?" Catherine asks as Danielle slowly nods in response.
"What program are you gonna take for college?" Aqua asks. 
"I dunno... Lili will pay for my tuition fee for college so she will decide for it..." Danielle plainly said. "But if ever I will have a choice, I want to take film making or literature, I guess..." she said with no enthusiasm.
Aqua and Catherine sighs in defeat as they clings on Danielle's arms. Danielle seems locked herself from anyone like she is a closed door and she rarely opens up because of the trauma that happened to her because of Skye.

After school, Danielle decided to stop by at the arcade center but she saw Paul standing in front of the arcade with a sad look. 
"Paul? What happened?" Danielle said as she looked at the arcade center and she gasps. The door was chained and there is a huge 'for sale' sign at the door. The arcade machines and the games were gone as well. Danielle looked at Paul confusingly as her eyes starts to water. The arcade center was the root of all the friendship that she had.
"Paul... What is happening?" she asks.
"The owner decided to sell this place and as well as the arcade machines and games... I also lost the job because nobody plays video games like this in this time of internet." Paul said as he took off his cap and he sighs sadly and he sits down on the ground and Danielle sits next to him like his little sister.
"I spent my high school life here... I never thought it would end up like this..." Danielle mumbles. "I met amazing people here in this place and I had big brothers that I ever wanted..." she starts to cry.
"Hey, even if the center was closed, Me, Vincent and Jake are still your big brothers" Paul pats Danielle's head like a little kid. 
"You know Danielle, when I was younger, I always cry when things are ending but one thing I learned while growing up is every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end." Paul smiles, trying to cheer Danielle up as that hits Danielle in realization.
Danielle stood up as she holds on the chain around the center's  door and she looked up the 'For Sale' sign.
"I guess you're right..." Danielle sadly smiles.