"Well, that was an interesting session," Logan said as he bid Dr. Valenzia farewell and we told her to report everything to his uncle. "I never knew that Braeden was that bit of a troublesome shit with his own family. I mean, I had some semblance of an idea, but I never imagined this."

"I'm just as shocked as you are," I replied as I began to push the chairs back. "And Mrs. Satillo was really a helpful asset with all of Braeden's shocking secrets that I never even thought of. Back when I was ready to read for filth, I was able to spot a flaw from a mile away. But now that I'm more apprehensive, I guess you can say that I'm a bit out of touch."

"So what are you going to do?" Logan asked me as we continued to clean everything up.

I took a deep breath. "Right now, I need to get my own mess in order before I can clock Satillo," I began. "Back then, I was so ready to go off on people that I forgot that I needed to check my own problems at the door. And I'm still learning to get my life right."

"True," Logan agreed.

We spent the next several minutes getting everything cleaned up, but I was still a bit on edge. If what Braeden was planning did come to fruition and I was far from prepared, then I was going to need all the wit and skill that was possible to prepare myself for the inevitable.

"Are you okay?" Logan asked me as I continued to stand in silence.

I snapped out of my thoughts to face the concerned eyes of my boyfriend. "Just deep in thought about-"

He cut me off with a kiss. "Maybe I can fix that," he said seductively, rubbing his hand on my crotch. "I think it's time for a bit of my own therapy."

My eyes widened. "Right here? Right now?" I hissed. "What about class and-"

"We got seven to eight minutes until lunchtime and I can think of other ways to get you to relax," he replied. He removed his shirt, revealing his glorious set of abs, and pulled off his shoes and dress pants, leaving on his black low-rise briefs. "Now, shut up and let me love you."

He didn't have to ask me twice. And for the record, we made use of those seven minutes in making our bodies glow. By the time we got to lunch, we were glowing in a way that everyone else could tell.

Braeden wishes he was me at the moment. Oh, well.

************

"Wendell, I want you to read something for us," Dr. Valenzia told me after the usual introductions and progress reports from everyone. "Ms. Whitfield came to me while you were in the hospital and had asked me to get you to read something for us."

"What is it?" I asked, accepting a small stack of papers.

And there it was, folks, right in front of my face: the eulogy that I read in front of Sir Mouse-Waffle that had caused a reaction out of everyone before I unleashed the secrets of the students from McHell High. "My eulogy," I said. "This is what got me here in the first place."

She nodded.

"But why?" I asked.

"Whitfield made me promise to make sure that you read this for us to understand what it must have been like," the blonde woman said. "You don't have to read all of it, just the ones that you felt comfortable reading."

Logan gave me an approving nod. "All right," I said. "I'm going to read y'all just a small portion, but I might not feel a bit comfortable."

"You got this, man," Pablo told me. "If you can do the eulogy for your family, then you can do the one for your own."

I took a deep breath and began to read.

"Dearly beloved, this young man was the only one who can give it to you straight up without a trace of remorse in his eyes. He read y'all for the filthiest filth that you are living in right now. He brought most of you to tears when he revealed your darkest secrets. But he also knew when to hold out for the big brass ring in the merry-go-round called life and yet you all took everything that he dreamed of from him because you wanted instant gratification. I'll never know why that most of the psychiatrists that tested him thought he was nuts when he preferred to read his favorite books of the Bible when everyone else was gobbling up their treats or wasting their lives.

"But that's neither here nor there because here we are, dearly beloved- getting ready for me to lay this young man to rest so he can be reunited with his mother and grandparents Lillie Jean and Bobby Mack Harding- the latter being two of only three people who saw Wendell's true worth, the final one being his guidance counselor. The rest of y'all motherfucking brats- that's right, I said it- deserve to rot in hell for all the sins that you and your families committed on him from first grade to today."

I took in a deep breath, still amazed at how I was able to do this without feeling like I wanted to vomit.

"But most of y'all won't care, anyway. No, dearly beloved. You'd think that this was a disgrace to the 'Harding Family Name,' mud-slinging, and all that. So, go ahead and dance and deface his grave. Continue to party hard day and night. But be warned, dearly beloved. In this life, you are gods with money and power. But in the afterlife, dearly beloved? In the afterlife, you're on your own and the party will be over."

By then, I felt a few tears leave my eyes. But I had to finish this and make sure that this was going to be the moment when I proved to myself and everyone that I was stronger and wiser than back then.

"So, dearly beloved, remember my words. Never underestimate someone who could bring you to your knees. Because the ones you push to the edge of their deaths are the ones who can posthumously leave a legacy like none other. Farewell, Brother Wendell Harding. Face your judgment in the afterlife. Maybe you'll get a second chance of redemption where everyone will treat you with kindness. But if not, then we'll meet again on the final judgment day. One life on Earth is enough for you. Rest on, my child. See you in the morning."

The room began to fill with light claps as I sat down, letting the tension leave my shoulders. "I was such a brat back then," I said softly. "I thought that I was trying to prove a point by finally letting people have it and exposing them of their sins. I never thought I would actually plan on ending my own life."

"How did you feel when you read it in front of your classmates?" Victor wanted to know.

"Well, back then I was tired of all of the bull and from being outed by Corey and exiled from my family for being gay," I began. "I felt so useless and betrayed that I wanted to hurt them in the same way that they did to me. I prepared myself for the last day of my life by unleashing all of the scandals and secrets that I accumulated from ninth grade to that day and I even had a plan to finally go off on everyone by completely trashing everyone before I ended my life."

"And how do you feel now?" Dr. St. Pierre asked me gently.

I sighed. "Like I know that I needed to stop with all of the drama and finally let go," I admitted. "I didn't want to forgive them and wanted them to suffer in the same way that I had. I wanted them to lose everything that they took from me and get them to walk a mile or a hundred in my shoes. But now, I feel like a rotten child who got what he deserved. And yet, I also feel a bit of relief for doing this. It goes to show how much I have changed since coming here, and I thank y'all for helping me. Now, I'm not saying that I'm out of the woods just yet since I still think that I might blow it, but at least this is a giant step in the right direction."

"Wendell, since you came here, you actually began taking steps in the right direction," Dr. Valenzia replied. "I never saw someone so broken yet so strong-willed to want to be better while dealing with danger from all around. Even with that withdrawal from self-medicating, you came back and let us work with you. I'd say that you're being more assertive in being real and alive."

"Thank you," I breathed. "But I still want to better myself each day that I'm here. So until I'm sure that I'm accepted at Cookman High School of the Arts, I'm still here."

"And we'll be glad to have you here for as long as you need," Logan replied, kissing my cheek. "And I promise you this: you will be loved for all time."

I finally let the tears fall as everyone surrounded me in a group hug. And that's when I knew that I was finally home.

 Wow.

Wendell has really come a long way from being broken to finally coming to terms with letting go of the past and looking towards the future! I'm so proud of him!

And I know that y'all want more details of the smutty goodness that I keep letting fade to black, but I'm not risking my comeback tour to go into the explicit details! You'll have to fill in the details yourself!

Anyway, Wendell hits the piano once again and teaches us all how to breathe in times of stress! Don't miss out!

Dedication: HYBE_STORIES.

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