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QUINN

Do you know the butterfly effect?

The butterfly effect talks about how a small action can cause a large effect. It was on that day, I understood the butterfly effect.

I kept on blaming the incident on myself. People have the habit of blaming others to makes themselves feel better but I've never been like that. I always found it hard to blame others, I always found a way to make things my fault without knowing. I should have just listened and understood instead of hurting myself with my delusions.

If I had told myself this eight years ago, then maybe..... Just maybe things may have ended up differently.

I massaged my temples and I looked up to see Dylan trying to make Kenna stop crying.

"You know how much I hate seeing people I love cry." Dylan laughed, scolding her which only resulted in her bursting into tears again.

I took the box of tissues and gave Dylan who muttered a thank you and took out two tissues to give Kenna. She blew her nose and sniffed. "We thought you died!" She yelled at him while still sobbing.

She hit his chest while sobbing and he held her hands. "I know." He muttered and she sniffed, glaring at him.

"You knew! And you still left us in the dark. You monster!" She cried.

Dylan chuckled and said, "I'll explain everything, let's just stop crying huh?"

After some seconds I asked,"Kenna is all good now?" She nodded slowly and I let out a breath of relief.

Dylan smiled at her and rubbed her arm, before going to a seat across us. Kenna and I moved closer to each other and wrapped our hands around each other.

"Whatever he says now, may change everything or may not change anything." I whispered to her and she hummed in agreement. I smiled at her and she gave me a brighter smile.

We were both hurting inside and the smile was accepting that we've been through a lot together, we've cried and laughed together, we've hated the same person together, we've fought and yet again we're doing this together. The smile is an agreement to stay together like this and always be there for each other.

"Stay strong my dear Quinn." She whispered with a beaming smile and rubbed my arm. I nibbled on my bottom lip as my lips trembled and tears began forming in my eyes.

I looked at my thighs before looking up into her eyes and saying, "Stay strong McKenna."

She chuckled lightly and we beamed at each other.

"Are you ready?" Dylan asked while moving his hand up and down his thigh. Kenna and I looked at each one last time before turning to him in sync and nodding.

I'm ready!

Dylan looked at us with a grin on his face, "You've both grown up so much." He mused and we tsked.

"Now, to think back to that day is....really draining. But I prepared for this when I decided to move here." He began. I held my breath then released it to mentally prepare myself.

"The day before the incident. Angus had been zoning out a lot and he had the same expression masking his face. I remember asking him what happened he shrugged off the questions I threw at him. I thought he was like that because Kenna accepted to be Justin's girlfriend, so I teased him about that and a scowl masked his face. Then I knew that wasn't it.

That night, we had planned a meeting for prom, but he didn't show up. And that's when I asked you, Quinn, to check up on him. The next day he came to school with the same dry expression on his face and I became worried because it was unlike him to stay mad for so long. I wondered, who could have done what would make him that mad?

Then I asked him about it, ' Hey! Angus.' I said putting my hands around his shoulder as we walked down the hallway. He said nothing and continued his journey. 'Hey, what's wrong dude? You've been like this for days now.' I said to him and he paused. I smiled feeling satisfied that he snapped out of it.

He turned to me with a plain expression and my smile vanished. He then forced a smile on his face and it went away almost immediately, 'Happy?' He asked with a frown and walked away. I sighed as I watched him walk away and I knew that my best friend needed help FAST!

When school was over I hurriedly skipped to his car and laid down in the back seat, patiently waiting for him. After some seconds he came and as I expected he began driving immediately. I waited for him to get to his destination and I sat up with my mouth agape.

'What the.' I muttered and he turned to me. I expected him to be surprised but he stared at me and said, 'You've seen it, be happy I didn't take you to a fake place and pretend that that's where I've been going.' He snapped. I gulped and sat upright.

'But why have you been coming here? You have no reason to come here. You can't be thinking of working here.' I reasoned while looking at the skyrise building through the window.

He sneered and said, "I'm not thinking of anything you said, this devil company needs to be brought down." I looked at him then back at the building.

'Devil company?' I asked confused, 'How's the Winston's company a devil company?'

"What?!' I screeched, interrupting Dylan's story. He drew in a hiss in annoyance and glared at me. "What did you just say, the Winston's company?" I asked again with my eyes widen and my face pale.

Kenna took hold of my hand to calm me.

"He had been going to the Winston's company." Dylan dropped the bomb and my heart sank instantly.

"Why would Angus go to them?" I questioned and my eyes wandered around full of thoughts.

Kenna squeezed my hands and said, "I know what you're thinking, Quinn. I don't think the Winston's did that to Angus." Kenna said my thoughts out loud.

"We can't be sure of anything." Dylan said, "Because it was when we drove away from there we had the incident."

My heart ached again as the memories came flooding back, my head began aching intensely. Tears were forming but I wouldn't let them fall.

"I was in the back seat.....and that's why Angus suffered more damage than me." Dylan explained and I heard Kenna sniff beside me. She used the back of her hands to wipe her tears away, she looked back at Dylan, waiting for him to go on.

I turned my gaze to Dylan as he continued, "I don't really remember who the driver was.." Dylan breathed shutting his eyes. "I fell unconscious and when I woke up was in the hospital room. Years had passed." He finished and opened his eyes. I noticed it was red and it dawn on me that he must be hurting too, he had a near-death experience with his best friend who didn't make it.

"You must be hurting too." I said to Dylan. He looked up at me and our eyes locked. For a split second, I saw the pain and sadness swimming in the blue ocean in his eyes, calling for help before it was washed away into the dark abyss of his pupils.

He then laughed and said, "Don't worry about me. I was in a coma for two years, I became stronger." He laughed, he turned to his side and wiped his tears before they could fall.

I chuckled at his bad acting skills while watching him, tears of pain began running down my cheeks. I let myself feel sad cause it's toxic to hold it in.

"Why is this so sad?" Kenna cried and took out two tissues to blow her nose. She looked at the two of us with her teary eyes, "Guys, we said we'll be strong." She cried while still whimpering.

But you know, there are times when we don't have to hold our pain in. We should cry it out and feel the sadness and pain pour out. Then after that, we should stand strong and not let it weigh us down for too long.

"That's why I don't have a good feeling about your boyfriend." Dylan said after our crying session.

"Who Ace?" I asked and he nodded.

I sighed and looked at Kenna with a look which made her laugh.

"It's been years aren't you over me yet." I said, slyly while tucking my hair behind my ear. Kenna burst out laughing and tapping my arm as she laughed.

Dylan's eyes widened as realization dawned upon him and he sprang up. He waved his hands in the air as he defended himself, "No, th-that's not what I-I was referring to." He stammered while blinking continuously.

We were all just trying to lighten the mood. It's too sad to be sad but sometimes we can't help it.

I chuckled and laughed at his reaction, he's so not over me.

Kenna leaned on me as she wiped away the non-existent tear from her eyes with her index finger, "Then what exactly were you referring to Mr?" She teased.

Dylan huffed and sat back down, "Don't you think it's suspicious how Angus had been zoning out because of the Winston's and after the visit to the company......we had the incident?" He said studying me and Kenna.

My eyes narrowed as I listened to him, "The main messages you've given us with what you know is that the Winston's have something to do with the incident." I said, raising an eyebrow and he nodded.

Kenna tsked beside me, "We blamed ourselves all the time." She said and rubbed my arm, "We thought that if we had paid more attention to him......he wouldn't have died." She uttered.

After some seconds of silence, Dylan said, "I actually never knew that you all thought I died, until about six years ago." He confessed and our eyes widen.

Kenna and I shared a look and said at the same time, "That fucking bitch!"

Dylan exhaled. "Luckily, that woman you call a bitch was actually not my birth mother." He breathed and we both gasped shocked by the new information.

"So you mean you were adopted." We both said softly and he nodded.

"My birth mother came in contact with me last year, and I hated it. She left me since birth and just appeared out of the blue." He snapped and I stared at him with pity and wonder.

"But she's still your mother." Kenna said softly and he chuckled. I saw the tears forming in his eyes and went to hug him. He stiffened for a while before softening and hugging me back.

I was still shocked by all the information Dylan had told us. I'll have to question Ace about eight years ago, I might get some information about why Angus was visiting their company.

"But she must have still loved you and was strong enough to not give up and wait for you to wake up." I pointed out as I released him. I felt him hold my hand tightly before letting me go.

"Yeah." He said, folding his hands over his chest. "That's one thing I'm grateful for."

"How did it feel?" Kenna asked as she leaned forward, curiously "To be in a coma?"

Dylan laughed. "I can't really remember a lot but..." He trailed on and tilted his head, "I remember it feeling hazy and I felt pain....there were times when I felt pain in my head and legs. But I couldn't move or open my eyes." He explained.

Kenna huffed and relaxed her back on the couch, "Well that's boring." She said and we found ourselves laughing at her words.

"No, really. You can't really remember what happened when you're in a coma cause, it's like you're kinda unconscious and kinda conscious." Dylan said, narrowing his eyes as he stroked his chin.

"But you survived and that's all that matters." I commented.

He gawked at me and nodded, "I did, didn't I?" He said in a low raspy voice.

Kenna clasped her hands and placed her chin on it. "Why don't we all say one thing we regret doing to get it off our mind and the things we want to tell Angus." She announced, and we turned to her. I moved my hair behind my shoulders while I listened to her.

"Angus was a loving, son, brother, and best friend. His death was very....very painful and affected our lives, leaving scars. We learn from our past and we all learn to accept them." She made a little speech about my brother before saying.

"I regret saying yes to Justin to get on Angus's nerves and I regret thinking Angus was jealous and that was the reason for his being numb all the time. I regret jumping to conclusions and not asking him how he was feeling. And...." she paused and sniffed. Her voice wavered while she spoke, "I wish I told Angus about my feeling for him and how much I found him and his nerdy way cute." She laughed as she spoke, letting the tears pour out of her eyes.

"I wish I spent more time with him and not playing hard to get. I wish I showed him how much...... I love him." She took her head down as she said this and I saw the tears drop from her eye to her hands which were tightly clasped together.

She raised her head up and looked heaven-wards, "I want to tell Angus that I love him and he would always have a special place in my heart." She breathed and ended in soft whimpers.

I moved closer to her and wiped her tears. "It's okay." I told her, she nodded as she sniffled a little, and her eyes were puffy and red.

Dylan exhaled and we glanced at him, "I guess it my turn now." He murmured and laughed a little. He opened his lips to talk but froze then shut his mouth and avoided our gaze while shaking his head.

We gave him smiles of encouragement, telling him it's okay. He hesitated a little before nibbling on his bottom lip. He smiled a little and spoke, "I remember when we were little...." He trailed with a deep calm voice.

"We would go everywhere together and we grew up like that...we stayed together.....until death did us apart." He said, his voice was low and shaky. I had rarely seen Dylan cry back in Canada, he only cried once and that was when his dad was diagnosed with cancer.

"You dumbass. You said we would go to college together and be on the same team, your lying got better I see." He whined, "But for the first time, I forgive you for your lies. I regret not listening to you when you wanted someone to talk to, I should have listened and maybe things would have ended up differently." Dylan mumbled.

"I want to tell Angus that my moments with him were the highlights of my high school experience and even though we had our ups and downs and fought a lot..... And we never got to finish our high school goals but it's okay. I miss the times we spent together." Dylan finished.

Once he was done Kenna and I instantly engulfed him in a hug and told him, it was okay.

We were back at our seats and it was now my turn. I chortled and placed both hands against my cheeks, feeling the coldness. "Umm..." I was suddenly tongue-tied and speechless. I buried my face in my palm as a feeling of grieve hit me like a truck.

And when I raised my head back up, my eyes were red and puffy, my hands and lips were trembling. A low gasp left my lips and the tears cascaded down my cheeks. A great tremor overtook me.

I miss you, Angus.

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I'm not crying you are 🥺🥺🥺🥺

It was really hard for me to write this chapter, but I think I did okay 🥺

I literally have goosebumps on my skins because of this chapter 😭😭😭

What do you all think? What are your thoughts?

I'll be updating the next chapter soon, you can check my profile for my update schedule 🤧

Don't forget to VOTE, SHARE AND COMMENT if you really enjoyed this chapter.

Quinn's words to her bothers would be in the next chapter. This chapter was getting too long.

And oh yeah, you are all going to love what happens in the next chapter *wink wink* 😉