Harry's Empathy [h.s]

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trigger warning, mentions of sucide.

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Arden

"I get goosebumps just replaying this morning," I mention, goosebumps forming on the surface of my skin. "It was so... quiet. Usually, the hallway would be loud, crackling up, especially with his friend group but they didn't even... walk beside him."

"I can't believe he's in a wheelchair. Imagine running and doing races for the majority of your life, only for that ability to be taken away," Siobhan mentions. "It gives me chills just thinking about it."

My heart felt heavy.

"All of his friends were being such douchebags," I mumbled, the sound of Harry's wheelchair replaying in my mind along with his unreadable face. "I never thought they would ever backstab him like that."

Siobhan made her way over to me, staring at the stain that's been stuck on the table for a couple of weeks. My eyes were glued on the stubborn stain, spraying the cleaner one more time before putting all my power into trying to scrub it out.

"People in that school have always been jackasses," she stopped beside me. "His friends too. Don't you remember the kid they bullied out of school? I wonder where he is."

"I heard he dropped out of school," I added. "I really hope that's not the case though."

"I wonder how his parents are feeling right now." Siobhan added, grabbing the rag out of my grasp gently.

His parents, they're probably heartbroken. I wonder who even found him, was it his mom or dad? Maybe one of their maids? Maybe a sibling? Does he even have one?

Siobhan moved a little closer to the table, scrubbing on the stain harder only for it to be no use. She groaned frustratedly before giving me a hopeless look.

"Holy fuck, I can't tell if the stain is just being a pain in the ass or this spray isn't working." She whined, wiping the whole table before walking back to the kitchen.

"It's been there for weeks, I think it's safe to say that it's permanent," I point out. I watch as Siobhan washes the rag, nodding in agreement. "Do you think Sang and his friends are gonna drop by later?"

Siobhan was aware of the school since she graduated a couple of years before me, but wasn't too aware of the people. The only reason she knows them in detail is only because of me and my blabbering mouth always telling her everything, but she's the only closest person I have in my life.

An uneasy look forms on her face, "They've been coming here every Saturday morning consistently, why wouldn't they come?"

I gave her a look, and she understood what I was signaling. After Harry's incident, maybe they wouldn't even bother coming back to their usual spots. They haven't been showing up.

The Beachwood Cafe was known for its wonderful coffee and pastries, but for the seniors, it was known to be their hangouts spot. It's where people would come to grab a coffee after a horrible hangover, and they would be on their way to their day. Sang and his friends - including Harry at the time would come by a lot, especially after their weekly Friday parties.

Ever since Harry's incident, the atmosphere was different around this small town. Sure, there were times where people would forget about what happened but someone - anytime, anywhere would always somehow connect Harry to whatever they were in time talking about.

People were expecting Sang's parties to stop, especially because he and Harry would be the obvious hosts of it. A small town meant mostly everyone our age would swing by, at least hang out for ten minutes before leaving. Everyone knew they were the talk of the party, and people were prepared for the weekly partying to stop after Harry's incident.