Derek paused his fingers over his phone's keyboard, his message to Madison half-typed. The twinkling Christmas lights in the window of the living room turned the hardwood floor a deep red colour, Derek paused to watch it fade before changing to green. He glanced up as his mother breezed into the room, her cheeks flushed from the chilly December air.

"There you are" she exclaimed, shrugging off her coat. "I just want to let you know we're going to the Bahamas for Christmas! Your brother just can't make it here this year, so we've decided to go to him."

A surge of excitement ran through Derek at the thought of white sand beaches and crystal-clear waters. But as quickly as it came, it was replaced by a weighty sense of worry. Rodney hadn't been at school for a month, what if something changed over the break and Rodney needed to contact him?

"Sounds good, Mom," Derek managed, his eyes returning to his message to Madison.

"Are you okay, sweetheart?" his mother asked, studying his face.

"Uh, yeah, just thinking about some school stuff. You know," Derek shrugged, deciding texting Madison could wait.

"I see, and this school stuff wouldn't be named Rodney would it? You know not much can change in a week, I'm sure he'll be fine," his mother reassured him, coming to sit next to him on the couch.

Derek wasn't convinced. He looked over at his mom, "Hasn't been at school for a month and he only gives one-word responses to my texts." Derek felt a weird sense of panic wash over him as he spoke.

"You are an amazing friend honey. Sometimes all we can do is be there for a friend, and remind ourselves that we can't fix everything," His mom pulled him into a hug, she could feel the tension building in her son.

"I guess you're right, maybe I'll just let him know so he can email if anything happens," Derek thought out loud, even as a part of him told him to stay.

"Sounds good," his mother leaned over and gave him a small kiss on the forehead before getting up and heading toward the kitchen.

Derek looked down at his phone but decided he would need more than a one word response on this one. Pulling his coat tighter he pushed through the door, heading for Rodney's house, where the festive decorations seemed ironic to him given Rodney's state of mind. He rang the bell, and Sasha, Rodney's mother, answered with a tired smile.

"Hey, Mrs. Thompson. Do you think Rodney feels up to talking today?" Derek asked, trying to sound casual.

"Hi, Derek. No, I'm sorry, he's really under the weather today," Sasha replied, giving him an apologetic look. "But if you let me know what you want to say, I'll make sure he gets the message,"

"Right, I just wanted to let him know that we are going to my brother's place for Christmas and if he needs me, then he has to email me," Derek said earnestly, glancing towards the windows to ensure privacy.

"Of course, I'll make sure he gets the message," Sasha said, offering a warm smile.

Derek nodded and turned to walk away but something stopped him, "What is Rodney sick with?" The question just kind of slipped out, but a part of him had to know. Sasha looked almost taken aback by the question.

"It's just that... It's been a month since he's been in school," Derek began, the words tumbling out in a rush. "I wasn't sure what could make a person so sick they miss a month of school and started looking some stuff up on the internet and it kind of scared me."

Sasha's expression softened, and she reached out, placing a comforting hand on Derek's arm. "It's nothing life-threatening, Derek. Rodney has gone to the doctor, he's taking medication for it. It will just take some time before he is back to his old self."

"So he's going to be ok?" Derek asked, his voice cracking slightly.

"You know Marcy never stops talking about how kind and caring you are, I get it now," Sasha said with a grateful smile. "Don't worry, I'll take care of Rodney. You go and enjoy your holidays."

"Thanks, Mrs. Thompson. Let Marcy know I'll see her on New Year's," Derek said, feeling a mix of relief and lingering unease.

"Will do. Have a great trip, Derek." Sasha gave him an encouraging nod.

As he walked away, the wind carried away the heavy silence that had settled between them. Derek hoped that Rodney would be back to normal by the time he got back, and maybe, things would go back to the way they used to be.

The soft glow of the moon filtered through Rodney's window, casting elongated shadows across his rumpled bedspread. He lay there, motionless except for the rise and fall of his chest, his eyes tracing the patterns of light on the ceiling.

"Who was that at the door earlier?" Rodney's voice was barely above a whisper as he turned to see his mother standing in the doorway, her silhouette framed against the brightness of the hallway.

"It was Derek," Mrs. Thompson replied gently, moving into the room with a cautious step. "He wanted to talk to you."

Rodney's brow furrowed slightly. "About what?"

"He is going to his brother's for Christmas, he wanted to let you know you can email him still." She brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, trying to read her son's expression. "I think it would be nice if you kept in touch. I was also thinking we order out for dinner tonight. How about your favourite? Anything you want, no limits."

A flicker of surprise crossed Rodney's features before he masked it with indifference. "Fire lobster roll and melon bubble tea. From Kintano Sushi."

"Are you sure? You can have more than one roll." She offered, but her eyes were searching, seeking some glimpse of the boy who used to light up at suggestions like this one.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he murmured, turning back to the ceiling.

"Do you want to come with me to get it?" Mrs. Thompson asked, already knowing the answer.

"No, I'm... too tired,"

"Alright, I'll be back soon." Mrs. Thompson hesitated in the doorway, her gaze lingering on the still figure of her son before she quietly closed the door behind her.

---

The kitchen was empty when she returned, with no signs that Rodney had left his bed since she left. "Rodney, dinner's here!" she called out, setting the bags on the counter.

"Coming," came the distant reply after a moment.

She watched as Rodney shuffled into the kitchen, his movements sluggish, devoid of energy. He settled into a chair, eyeing the meal with a look that shouted he wasn't hungry.

"Get started, I'll join you in just a sec. Just need to wash my hands." Sasha smiled, though Rodney had already started to unpack the boxes of sushi.

She made her way down the hallway towards the bathroom but paused, glancing back towards Rodney's abandoned room. A gnawing feeling tugged at her heart as she entered, the medication didn't seem to be working. She worried that he may not be taking it when she isn't home.

She scanned the room, trying to decide if she had time to look. Her hip bumped his desk, the screen of his laptop coming to life calling her over to it. She couldn't help herself, she tapped on the search history. Articles about self-harm filled the recent history section.

Panic seized her, cold and unforgiving. She fumbled with her phone, her fingers clumsy as she typed a message to her friend at the hospital.

"Need a favour. Can you squeeze Rodney in ASAP? It's urgent."

Holding her breath, she returned to the kitchen, her mind racing with fear and the desperate hope that a change of medication was all Rodney needed to pull out of this depression.

---

Chelsea lingered by the door of the student council room, her backpack slung over one shoulder as the last meeting of the year wrapped up. She'd been a silent observer throughout the meeting, watching the dynamics of the group, hoping to join in the new year as a grade rep.

"Hey," a voice called out, snapping Chelsea out of her thoughts. Hunter stood leaning against a desk, his perfectly styled hair combed to the right, hazel eyes locked on her. "You're Chelsea, right? You're on the debate team,"

"Guilty as charged," she replied with an easy grin, stepping away from the doorway.

Hunter's smile was infectious, she couldn't help but feel drawn to him. "I saw you taking notes. Planning a takeover?"

"Maybe just a little reform," Chelsea chuckled, clutching her notebook to her chest. "I've got some ideas. I think they could do some good here."

"Reform, huh?" Hunter pushed off the desk, moving closer. His interest seemed genuine, not just the obligatory welcome wagon for the newcomer. "Tell me about them."

"Let's see," she blushed under his gaze and flipped open her notebook, "a recycling program overhaul, a peer tutoring initiative...”

"Have you thought about how we would implement them? Maybe we should meet up and discuss the details. Get a head start for after the break," Hunter suggested.

"That would be awesome," Chelsea lit up, feeling like Hunter might be interested in more than just her ideas.

As she made her way through the empty hallways, footsteps echoing in the quiet, Jordan approached from the opposite direction. Short red hair framed their face, and there was a warmth to their approach that felt welcoming.

"Hey, Chelsea!" Jordan called out, closing the distance between them. "Sorry, I didn't get a chance to talk to you in the meeting. You're Madison's friend right?"

"Well Madison and I haven't hung out for a while but yeah." Chelsea smiled, recognizing them from biology class. "I think you are doing some amazing things for the 2SLGBT community, and I love your hair, by the way."

"Ah, thanks!" Jordan beamed, a hand instinctively brushing their hair. "It is just something I am passionate about, are you..."

"Oh no, just an ally," Chelsea smiled, feeling a blush creep into her cheeks.

"No worries, always happy to find an ally. Hopefully, I'll see you when the council meets again in January," Jordan said.

"Definitely. It’s—" Her phone vibrated in her pocket, cutting her short. Pulling it out, she saw a text from her mom: 'Outside waiting.'

"Got to run. My mom's waiting for me." Chelsea slipped her phone back into her pocket. "But let's catch up again when school starts, okay?"

"Count on it," Jordan replied, giving a small wave as Chelsea hurried toward the exit.

Her mother dropped her off at the library and she made her way to the computer to search for a book. "Seriously, what's the trick with these computers?" Chelsea muttered under her breath, jabbing at the stubborn keyboard. The monitor flickered but refused to load her search results.

"When it does that, you have to restart the whole thing." A voice chimed from next to her. Chelsea glanced over to find Ally leaning against a bookshelf, her long blonde hair cascading like a golden waterfall as she reached for the computer. With a gentle tap and a knowing smile, the computer restarted.

"Wow, thanks," Chelsea said. "I'm Chelsea, by the way. I feel like I've seen you around,"

"Ally," she replied, flashing a grin that seemed to light up the room. "Don't worry, I feel the same way, have been to yoga club before?"

"Can't say that I have," Chelsea said, feeling a wave of relief wash over her. "Maybe we had a class together or something."

"That could be it." Ally's face scrunched up as she tried to place Chelsea. "You know what, I think you showed me around the school when I moved here. Back in grade nine, I came for Toronto."

"Oh right, Toronto... I remember now. You convinced your mom and dad to come here so you could go to high school with your best friend"

Ally's face momentarily clouded, her usual brightness dimming. "Yeah, that's me," she said softly, then quickly perked up. "I've got to go, but you should check out the yoga club, our last session is tomorrow,"

"Sounds great," Chelsea called out, as Ally slipped away.

---

It was the last day of school before the break, Chelsea noticed Hunter waving her over to his table in the cafeteria, it was already full of popular kids but he had saved a seat for her.

"Hey, there she is! This is Chelsea, the girl I've been telling you about," Hunter greeted her, his smile contagious. Everyone offered her a hello before returning to their conversations.

"Hey everyone," Chelsea replied, taking the open seat. She unfolded her notes and began outlining her ideas. "Hunter I was thinking about it last night and I have an idea. We could start a composting program and the compost could be used in the horticulture classes."

"Love it," Hunter interrupted, throwing his arm around her. "The council will eat that up."

"Ok, awesome!" Chelsea continued. "And another thing I've done is a fundraiser to help local kids go to camps during March Break."

"Actually, we've got that covered," Hunter interjected, scratching the back of his neck. "It's sort of run by someone who... hasn't been around lately."

"Really? That must leave a gap in the council."

"Oh no, he isn't a part of the student council." Hunter exhaled, his gaze drifting. "Though he probably should be. But he has like zero confidence, which is crazy because he seems to just have everyone wrapped around his finger."

"Oh, well it sounds like they made an impact."

"Tell me about it." Hunter's tone shifted. "It's maddening how someone can just be so normal and ordinary... and still they just get into your head."

Chelsea watched as Hunter, unsure exactly what was going on here. Her initial excitement began to fade into the background, replaced by the realization that perhaps Hunter had someone else on his mind.

Hunter caught her confused look and stopped, "Sorry, I'm just worried about my friend that's all," Hunter finally said, trying to cover up his weird rant. "Let's get back to your ideas."

"Actually, I think I think I should eat something before lunch ends," Chelsea smiled, pulling her lunch from her bag. "We'll have lots of time to talk about it in the new year,"

"Right, of course," Hunter said, still distracted.

Chelsea took a bite of her sandwich, she looked over at Hunter as she ate. He was definitely her type, but she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe, just maybe, he had feelings for someone else already.