@hearthero [it’s everything dustin can manage to avoid making eye contact with the boy beside him, foot tapping rhythmically as his knee bounced—processing, carefully choosing his words. it hadn’t gone unbeknownst to anyone his absence, which only seemed to grow as time passed. the more he gave up on maintaining his carefully crafted facade] im not missing. im still /here/ (…) but, eddie isn’t. (he’s not here) and i can’t pretend he is, like you and lucas. i can’t.. i can’t act like everything is.. okay