"U-Turn"

-------

It has been a week after the opening. It was a bright and cloudy day out, quite peaceful, no one bothered Mika and she was happy about it for the rest of the week. The four are at the park again hanging out at their gazebo. Everything was clean and polished it was crazy for Mika to believe that they actually did, well, that. She and Ryan was on the swing that was attached to the gazebo, her legs were occupying the rest of the space of the swing, hugging one of the many small pillows from it while Ryan's were just dangling below, the swing was fairly high, and they were just swinging lightly with the wind. John and JiJi were a few meters away from them flying a kite, talking and laughing being in their own little world.

It was a Saturday, the trio had a day off from work so they were spending their time at the gazebo.

"Hey, Queen?" Mika blushed at the nickname and quickly recovered as she turned to look at the boy with a questioning look. "How have you been lately?"

Mika continued to hold her questioning look. They have been with each other for practically the whole week. "I'm doing good?"

Ryan gave a breathy chuckle that made Mika's heart skip a beat. "That's not what I meant. Like, how are you feeling now with everything that has happened lately?"

Mika made an 'oh' face before slowly looking back at John and JiJi who were starting to lower back the kite they were flying. "Honestly, I've never felt this alive so much before. I've never thought that I'll feel this much calmness within me. It's refreshing.

"I guess ever since my dad died I just shut down and let everyone did what they want and I didn't care about it at all. It made me forget that there are still people who cares. I didn't even relalise most things, god I'm so dense sometimes."

"Have you relapsed lately?" Ryan asked in a quiet tone. She haven't. Mika paused, realization dawned on her. She haven't.

"Oh my god." Mika commented, joy slowly creeping in. She was clean for a good 3 months. It was crazy for her. She thought back to her last relapse and it was – the day before school started. "I'm 3 months clean."

Ryan over exaggeratedly gasped and gave her a huge grin. She giggled as she turned to look at him with a smile as he turned to the other two, screaming. "Yo guys! Mika is 3 months clean!"

They saw John and JiJi's heads snapped towards them with shocked expressions that Mika swore their heads did a 360. "Holy shit what!?"

Ryan stood up and spread his arms out. "She's 3 months clean!!"

JiJi screamed, followed by John and then Ryan, Mika laughed at them but then she yelped before continuing to laugh when she was picked up by Ryan. "Woah- wait where are you taking me, put me down!"

"She's 3 months clean!!" Ryan kept screaming while carrying her and running towards the other two who were also running towards them meeting them halfway, still screaming. Mika's stomach hurt so much from laughing so hard after seeing John throw the kite away to the side and literally jumped on Ryan and her with a hug, JiJi following after. They were swaying from the hug. Ryan was loosing his balance and was dangerously close to falling – and that they did. All four of them screamed as they fell to the ground and tumbled down the grassy hill a bit before stopping only to replace the screaming with laughter. They rolled on the ground, their arms and legs tangled with one another.

"Oh my god I'm so happy!"JiJi exclaimed, finally decided to breath. And no other words were spoken to know that the rest agreed. She rolled on to her stomach to face Mika, practically hugging John with half of her body who was on his back. "We are so happy for you."

Mika looked back at the girl with a smile and her eyes shining bright as ever, a hand was brushing her hair and she looked up from laying on Ryan's chest to see he was looking up to sky with a big smile on his face. She leaned to his touch before looking at the sky as well. It was so good to breath clearly again.

☆

"Hey, where are John and JiJi?" Mika asked, when the other two didn't show up at their lockers. They have just finished their 1st period and they always meet up and exchange few words before heading to their 2nd period.

"Oh, ah, had to deal with a few homeworks that they didn't do." Ryan answered nervously.

"Oh. Are we meeting them in lunch?" Mika closed her locker as they started walking to their next class. Ryan's eyes shook as his heart plummet to the ground.

"For sure."

Krrriiiinnnngg!!

Class went by quick, too quick for Ryan's liking. He gathered all his stuff and threw them in his bag and went to wait at the door for Mika to walk out of the room. The two quietly went their way for the cafeteria without a word spoken between them that it concerned Mika. Usually at this point, they're mid way through talking a topic that he just brings up randomly.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Ryan smiled slightly at her question, stopping his fidgeting.

"Got no change, sorry." He replied.

"Oh come on, Ry." Mika moved to his front stopping them from walking. Luckily, there's no one around anymore considering it to be lunch time and they're all probably outside or at the canteen. "Clearly something's bothering you, what's wrong, King?"

Ryan had an internal battle with himself while looking intently at the girl. He was confused of what the battle was for, it was from either telling her what's bothering him or the fact that it was his first time hearing her call him that nickname and he found it cute. He sighed. "It's John." Mika raised her eyebrows carefully giving him a look that said 'go on'.

He hesitated. Then his eyes wavered. "He went home to his house last night and got beat up real bad. JiJi is with him at home."

"Ohmygod, is he alright?" Mika's eyes went wide.

"Usually I'd say he's fine but right now I am tense. JiJi hasn't sent me a text update yet and it is scaring me." Ryan answered exasperatingly while fishing his phone out from his pocket. His eyes widened when he finally saw a message from JiJi.

Jimmy:
We're at San Jo Hospital. Room 46S. It's really bad, Ry.