James hadn't been seen for a week at best, no matter how many times Maeve or Eric knocked on his door he never answered. His door remained locked and he was slowly turning into old habits, like most mornings Eric walked towards the boys door.

He had hoped he'd convince the boy to leave for once, even if it was to catch some air for a minute. Eric knocked and he waited, the door opened after two minutes and Andrew sighed in relief.

"Please tell me you're here to make my dad stop being depressed, he's been stuck in bed all week and making dinner for myself was awful! Did you know you can burn water? Because I've learned the hard way, and don't even get me started on homework".

Eric smiled slightly "alright A-Man, let me help. We're getting him out of the house for once, the school is having a play tonight and he's been talking about it for weeks, he wouldn't want to miss it".

Eric walked inside looking around at the neat trailer "not as messy as I thought" Andrew chuckled "I mean it's been worse, but even in a slump dad cleans. It was kinda depressing when he cried over the Diet Coke cans Ruby left on the table. I ended up cleaning the rest up for him so he could cry in his room".

Eric walked along the kitchen and looked around "when's the last time he's left his room? He hasn't been answering any of my messages". Andrew scratched at his neck slightly "like four days ago, he doesn't really listen to me when I try getting him to do something that's not sleeping".

Eric nodded, and then looked at the doorway of James room, the door was shut and it was so silent as he walked towards the door. "I don't care if he's upset, I'm getting him out of bed and he's going to school! There's no way he's missing the play for tonight".

Eric opened the door and turned on the light switch "it's so dark and depressing in here, James you've got to get out of bed and get some sunlight, it'll really help you feel better!". James groaned as he pushed his face more into his pillow, Eric pulled the blanket off of his body making the boy shout.

"Hey!" Eric grabbed a hold of James arm "You're getting your ass out of this bed! No more ditching classes and no more feeling sorry for yourself!". James huffed as Eric pulled him up and forced him to stand as he looked around.

"You're going to shower and then you're going to go outside and enjoy life! And then you're gonna prove to Ruby that you're not heartbroken over everything! You got this James, it's gonna be easy!".

—

James slumped along the hallways as he weakly pushed his backpack over his shoulders "okay this is just sad man, I know you're not exactly doing alright with what's happened but I hate seeing you like this. You look like you haven't eaten in days and your hair is a mess, your shoes are both wrong and your backpack doesn't even have anything in it".

James let out a heavy sigh as he pulled open his locker "what's it matter, not like I'm gonna even be here much longer. The school term is almost over and summer will be great... since I'll be alone and depressed and just down didn't feel shitty, I mean it's gonna be the best summer ever!".

He smiled weakly as he put his backpack into his locker and pushed it shut with his hand. "James I think you should try and be more active, we could go to the school play together tonight. I know you've been dying to see it ever since they've announced it".

James groaned as he leaned his head against his locker "like I wanna see a stupid play about Romeo and Juliet, as if my love life isn't already a mess. I should've just stayed home, I don't know why I let you drag me all the way here".

Eric smiled sadly "it won't be like this forever, I mean you'll be able to move past what happened with time. I know it'll be hard because you really cared about Ruby, but you don't need her. She's old news and you need to focus on yourself for once. What you need is a makeover! And I'm the perfect person to help you".

James sighed "if I let you give me a makeover will you stop bothering me?" Eric smiled "oh you're stuck with me now! And you're going to the play with me tonight! I don't care if you pay attention or not, you need to get out of bed for once".

James would've just let himself fade away into the darkness but he could see the despair in Eric's eyes. He knew he was losing his friends by the second but part of him didn't care anymore, he knew Eric wouldn't leave his side.

Even if he was still speaking with Otis and trying to pretend everything was absolutely normal. It wasn't, Otis was walking around with a broken nose and Ruby went back to her old habits.

Eric of course was his usual self and James was just depressed if anything but he didn't wanna be stuck like this forever. He knew moving forward with his life wouldn't be easy, Ruby had taken his heart and crushed it with her hands.

It hurt and he couldn't make it go away. He pretended like she didn't exist that he was happy, but he kept seeing her in his dreams, keep thinking of her. James didn't know who he was anymore and it terrified him, he knew everyone else could see the change.

James didn't know why he was here, Eric was always so convincing when he'd want something out of someone, but half the time James ignored it. Today he just did what the boy wanted in hopes he'd leave him alone after he realized James wouldn't change.

"You know I could stay over tonight and we can watch movies. It'll be like when we were kids and you'd sneak over to my house to sleep in my closet. I'd leave the tv on for you so you weren't scared".

James looked past Eric and his gaze meant with Ruby, she walked with such grace as she held onto her purse. She looked so beautiful and yet all James could feel was agony as he looked away from her.

Eric grabbed a hold of his arm slightly "we can even order that food you like, let's make a night of it?". James nodded weakly as he walked beside Eric towards the stairs "I'll try my best, to stay awake".

Eric patted James shoulder "you're going to be yourself in no time, I promise it'll get easier for you James and if it doesn't I'm always here for you".

James smiled weakly "I know Eric, but I don't think I'll just magically get better over summer. I just want to leave this place and pretend I'm fine but it's not easy. Sometimes I wish I just stayed alone and didn't fall in love with Ruby, I would've been so much happier if I stayed away from her".

James pushed his hands into his pockets before he walked away from Eric slowly "I'll see you later at the play, and then we can have a sleep over, just like the good ole days. I'll make popcorn".

Eric smiled "I like the sound of that, just promise you won't shut yourself out from everyone?". James would've laughed or made a joke but instead he just nodded as he walked off.

He needed to survive the summer, that's the main thing he wanted to focus on, moving on from Ruby Matthews wasn't going to be easy. So he'd do whatever it took to forget she ever existed.

—
authors notes:
meant to publish this earlier but I got so sidetracked, my friend was over so I was busy for most of the day and then I ended up getting side tracked with cleaning and playing fortnite. Now that I'm finally relaxing and have the time I finished the chapter, this marks the end of act two and I'm proud. It's rare I make it this far in books lol, anyways enjoy!