I feel like I need to upload this chapter and the next this weekend... so that you all have time to process... I'll at least give you this one for now.

Thanks already to jueka1 for commenting on the last two chapters.

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The next day during first break, Callie, Sara, and I forwarded off to the office and asked to speak with the Community Counsellor. The office ladies gave us raised eyebrows considering we were white, but to hell with their confusion.

The Counsellor was quick to say we could come in though. 

All three of us forwarding into her office, we sat on her couch across from her while she looked at us expectantly. 

"My name is Elaine," she said, pressing her hand to her chest. "How can I help you girls?"

But while Callie sat there, wide-eyed, frozen in her state and unsure how to repeat all we had rehearsed, I decided to step in for her.

"My sister, Callie," I indicated to her with my hand, "Is dating Flynn Thomson, and he's not at school right now because he's lost someone and we want to know how to support him without overstepping boundaries with his culture," I bursted out in one breath.

"I heard that Flynn is attending Sorry Business right now," Elaine acknowledged, leaning forward in her chair as her eyes assessed us. But then she gave Callie a slight smile. "Dating, hey?"

Callie turned her gaze to her lap, cheeks tinting red. "It's new..."

But the smile immediately dropped from Elaine's face as she nodded and leaned back in her chair. "Each family has different practices and responsibilities when they grieve the loss of a loved one—"

"It's someone he called his uncle," Callie quickly added.

Elaine paused then nodded again. "I heard he had passed. As I'm sure Flynn may have told you, he was really important in community and we know the role he has had in not just Flynn's life, but also the other kids at this school."

Callie's eyes went a little glassy before she said, "So how can I support him?"

The counsellor sighed. "Be patient. Give him time to grieve. And... be as understanding as you can."

"How can I... be understanding? Like, what can I do?"

"The only thing you can do right now is wait, Callie. Sorry Business can take a really long time until everyone is ready to stop grieving, and often this means focussing just on memorial rituals and not institutions like school. But as for understanding, more so I suggest you prepare yourself that Flynn might be a little different when he comes back. He may not talk to you for a while as he goes through this grief with his family. His own responsibility in the community may change. As I heard, Flynn played a big role in helping his Uncle."

"He can't have responsibility. He's still a kid," Callie snapped.

Elaine went quiet, her eyes searching Callie's distraught face. "We know he is a kid and we are going to work with his family to see him finish his education. But you've come here to ask how to support him—"

"I know, I know. I'm sorry," she whispered, lowering her head. "Please continue."

She waited a few more moments, as though to ensure Callie really was done, then went on. "As I said, things will be different for Flynn. Not only has he lost someone important, he will have new responsibilities, lots of worries, and will have missed a lot of school. You're just going to have to learn to be patient as he figures out how to navigate these things for himself before pressuring him with how you fit in."

Callie's face fell and the tears began to brim in her eyes. But rather than saying anything, she got to her feet. "Thank you, Elaine. We will go now."

And with that, without Sara or I even joining her in standing, Callie walked out of the room.

Sharing a glance with Elaine, we all looked back at the door where Callie exited.

"If she needs further help," Elaine said as we got to our feet, "My door is open. And if you do run into Flynn at any point, let him know that too."

"We will," I said, then I grabbed Sara's hand and pulled her back into the hallway, dragging her out of the office in search for my sister.

Callie hadn't gotten too far.

Sitting on a bench just outside, she was doubled over, head in her hands, sobbing.

"Callie?" Sara said softly, pulling her hand from mine as she sat down next to her friend.

"Basically we are over," Callie said, head lifting upwards. "Before we could begin, we are over... taking a break... Just like that, he's gone."

I wanted to feel sorry for her. I wanted to agree with her pain. But as I watched her cry, all I could remember was what it felt like to lose Jess.

Unable to stop myself, I said, "He's lost a lot more, Cal."

Sara shot me a glare immediately, as if to say, 'not helpful'. 

But I didn't care. 

I was focussed on Callie, whose face was now marred in horror that I had actually said those words.

Mouth opening and closing a couple of times, she then said, "I know that, but—"

But I shook my head, cutting her off as I said, "You don't really know that. You may have been everything to him when his life was stable, but his has turned upside down overnight and all you can do is cry about how much you miss him. Imagine his perspective. Imagine the crushing weight of losing the one parental figure he actually had and now all the responsibility he is feeling."

"He shouldn't be feeling that responsibility. He's a kid. It's not his job to—"

"Whether he should or shouldn't isn't the question here, Cal. He would be feeling the pressure to live up to his Uncle's role. And no one will probably tell him otherwise."

"I will," she said, wiping her tears.

"Why?" I pressed.

"What do you mean 'why'?" she spat back.

"Why are you going to tell him to not do the one thing that might help him heal? You don't know what his life is like or—"

"I don't get you, Lexi," she interrupted, voice laced with anger. "Are you my sister, here to support me, or are you berating me right now? Because I only need support."

"So does Flynn."

"I know that."

"You don't. You're sitting here crying about you. We went into that office," I threw my hand in the direction like she didn't know what I was referring to, "To see how you can support Flynn and all you're thinking about is that you don't have your maths buddy or someone to make out with."

"Excuse me?"

Was I being a little unfair? Sure.

Could I have approached this in a different way?

Most definitely.

But when I lost Jess, Callie didn't even wish me any condolences. She told me to get over it because she wasn't our real mother.

And here she was again. 

Someone she actually cares about has lost someone, and all she can worry about is herself.

"You're so selfish sometimes," I spat, unable to stop myself.

"Selfish?" she screeched, getting to her feet.

At that point, Sara stood up, getting between us. "Guys," she said, but nothing else.

"I'm the selfish one?" Callie asked again. "Me? Were you not the one who ran away when I lost my leg?"

We are going back there again? I wondered, rolling my eyes. "Yes, I did that when we were children. But grow up, Callie. We're seventeen now. Learn that not everyone's lives can revolve around you. If you really care about Flynn, if he really even was your friend, you'll let him grieve and be whatever he needs you to be until then."

"But you don't get to just shove someone away when you're hurting after promising them you'd never disappear. I'm so damn sick of people just leaving me because they hurt. Because they are uncomfortable. First you and dad and now him? I get he's hurting. I get it's not going to be the same. But does he really have to ghost me like this? Can he really not send me a simple text?"

I wavered for a moment as her words and digs about me and dad leaving her hit me once more. Because I imagine she did have some lingering fears because of what we did. But no one left because of her... This was about Flynn. Only about Flynn. "He's not thinking about you right now, Callie. But eventually when he does come back, he's going to need your strength and support."

Her bottom lip quivered as she fell into Sara, who was quick to catch her. "But I miss him," she whispered.

Sara and I both softened at her admission. I closed the distance between us, joining Sara in pulling Callie close and hugging her as she sobbed. "He will come back eventually, Cal. When the clouds are gone in his life, he will need you to bring back the sunshine. But until then... You still have us."

Memes feel wrong in the story right now so... I'm not going to include one.

However... please prepare yourself emotionally for the next chapter.

I'm sorry in advance.