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Just a day after telling everyone the truth, Sunny was laying in his hospital bed. It had gone about how he expected, maybe even better. Hero said he needed a minute to think and left the room, with Kel following him saying he would come back later. He didn’t know if later meant later that day, that week, or never. The boy wouldn’t be surprised if it were the latter. However, his mind had been occupied with thoughts of one reaction in particular.
Aubrey’s.
She didn’t say a single word, yet the silent rage was intimidating all the same. He half expected to be beaten to death right there, and in his mind, it would have been justified. After all, he took away who she thought of as her big sister, one of her only role models growing up. He was the reason she was alone for so long. He was the reason she had all of that anger in her, the reason she was never able to properly process her emotions, the reason she-
“Hey.” He heard coming from the door, accompanied by a weak knock. He looked and saw…
Aubrey?
She noticed Sunny’s shift in demeanor, covering more of himself with his blanket out of fear.
“You don’t have to be afraid. I know I didn’t exactly give the best first impression after not seeing you for four years, but still. I’m only here to talk.”
“What is there to talk about, really?” Sunny replied.
“What is there to talk about? Sunny, what isn’t there to talk about?” She said, a mix of anger and confusion in her voice.
“I told you guys the truth. I killed her. I took her away from everyone. What else is there to say?”
“Is that really what you think? Do you honestly think there’s nothing else to be said after you shut yourself in for four damn years, come out again to fix the friend group in three days, then dropping that bombshell on us? Do you expect us to just go on with our lives hating you and forgetting about you?”
He didn’t answer, but the way his expression changed and he averted his gaze was enough of an answer.
“Listen, Sunny,” the girl began. “Am I mad? I’m absolutely pissed. I had to leave the room yesterday because the one rational part I had left in me knew I couldn’t handle seeing you after learning what you did. I felt like I wanted to strangle you then and there.”
“Can’t say I wouldn’t deserve it…”
“Let me talk, Sunny,” she said sternly. “I’ve been thinking about nothing but this for the past day. And you know what? I almost made the same mistake as you, just two days ago. The only difference is I got lucky and Hero showed up. You didn’t have that. Instead you had Basil show up with the bright idea of framing it as a suicide. That’s a whole different thing to get into, but what I’m trying to say is that I probably understand you more than any of the others could right now. I thought my life was over before Hero showed up, that I killed two of my best friends, directly and indirectly. I think about that, and I… just don’t feel like I have the right to hate you. You were twelve, angry, you weren’t thinking, and you made a mistake. It was a pretty fucked up one, but it was still a mistake. You didn’t want that to happen to her.”
Sunny didn’t know what to say. He didn’t know if he wanted to cry, hug her, run away, shut her out or all of the above.
“I… that doesn’t change what happened. I still killed her. You have every right to hate me. You should hate me. You’ll all be better off without me when I get discharged anyway.”
“Damnit Sunny did you listen to a single word said!?” Aubrey yelled with tears starting to form. “I don’t care if you think we should hate you. I can’t speak for the others, but I can’t bring myself to hate you, Sunny. Haven’t you suffered enough? Look at yourself. You haven’t been outside in four damn years, you look like you barely eat, like you barely take care of yourself. I look better than you and I live in that same shithole of a house I’ve told you about when we were kids!”
Sunny couldn’t say anything, the words dying in his throat as he started to cry as well.
“You aren’t saying anything because you know I’m right. Do you honestly think I could hate you? The only person I trusted to know about my home life? And I don’t wanna hear any of your self loathing bullshit again this time. I should have been the one that was there for you, Sunny. I should have tried coming to see you more, even if I knew the real reason Mari died. I can’t change any of that, but I can change now.“
Sunny was trying as hard as he could to not break down completely in front of Aubrey, but she kept picking away at the dam.
“You can’t just leave us this way Sunny. Like hell I’m gonna lose you again! I can’t lose you again! ” Aubrey was all but sobbing at that point, and the boy couldn’t help but join her. She tried hugging him as tightly as she could without aggravating his injuries, and they cried together.
“Aubrey I’m… I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry,” he said between tears.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay. I’ll be here for you. I promise. I’m not letting you move away until I have a way to contact you. It’s gonna be okay.” She said as she held him close.
“Thank you… I don’t deserve… I can’t… thank you, Aubrey.”
The two cried in one another’s arms for a while longer, before Aubrey regrettably had to leave, though she promised to visit him as much as she could before he moved away. She didn’t quite forgive him just yet, but she knew she would eventually. Sunny was, and still is, one of the most important people in her life.
As for Sunny, for the first time since he was twelve, he had hope. There was a light at the end of the tunnel, and Aubrey would help him find it. If he was lucky, maybe his other friends could come along too, but Aubrey’s role was still special to him. She was the first and only girl he had ever loved. He knew it wouldn’t be right to act on those emotions anytime soon, and doubted they’d be reciprocated after telling the truth, but he didn’t mind. When Aubrey talked to him, he felt like he fell in love all over again. He felt like he learned how to love all over again.
Whatever the outcome, he knew that he couldn’t bear losing her again either.