Synopsis: After your best friend's beloved horse gets killed, you are there to give him comfort.
Warning: This character and GIF are from the 1975 movie 'Sarah T. -Portrait of a Teenage Alcoholic'. It would be better if you have seen this movie before, because the plot structure is heavily reliant on the movie and its characters, but it's not necessary at all.
Your life has changed drastically over the last few weeks, not just because you've entered your senior year and need to start thinking about college, but also because of the new sophomore who started school here and currently has all of your best friend's attention, Sarah Travis. The fifteen-year-old can't be blamed; of course, she was just the new kid, and you were more than happy and proud of Ken for taking the role of giving her a warm welcome and showing her around, but you didn't expect him to give all of his attention to her. Maybe there was a bit of jealousy involved; you harbored feelings for Ken since your first meeting when you were seven, but you would rather dig yourself your own grave than tell that to him and ruin your only real friendship, but there have been a few moments lately where you could catch him staring at you for a moment too long or him constantly grabbing and holding your hand, so, he had you confused. You know there was also concern; you heard rumours around school that Sarah loves to drink, even bringing the drinks to school! Obviously, you haven't asked Ken about that; you understood that some things are meant to be kept between Ken and Sarah, and no matter the concern for him, he was his own person; a grown 17-year-old can take care of himself. All of this Sarah stuff will probably be over in a few weeks, and the two of you can start hanging out again.
It has been a few weeks now, and you feel like things have gotten worse. Ken hasn't talked to you at all, still having his mind circle around Sarah, but now you struggle to even defend the girl. You yourself saw her drinking vodka at one of the class parties. Your mom has also been on your case about your lowering grades but you couldn't focus on academics, you were just feeling too lonely to have motivation for anything, your dad did notice it though and he has been asking why you don't take a walk with Ken, you told him that he's busy studying so he could get into that veteranian school he always wanyed to go to, you would feel humiliated if you told him that you felt sutpid for asking Ken to hang out more than once, you weren't some needy and obsessed girl who acted like Ken was hers and hers alone! Still, you missed your best friend, his smell, his soft eyes and hair, and the way he would take your hand and hold it.
One morning at school, you were walking towards the cafeteria when you saw Ken walking with Sarah. Anger immediately popped into your head, but you decided to engage in this situation with calmness. "Ken!" You called for him while slightly speeding up your walk. Ken turned around. "Oh, hey yn, something wrong?" He asked, being the dear friend he is. Out of the corner of your eye, you could see Sarah looking at you with a dark look. You swore you could see a tinge of jealousy, but she also looked drunk? Oh my God, no way that girl came to school while filled with booze!
"I uhm, yeah, there is. Can we talk?" You glance at Sarah. "Alone?" Ken nodded. "Of course." he looked at Sarah and followed you to a secluded part of the schoolyard. "What is it?" He cooked his head to the side a bit; you let out a big sigh. "We haven't really been talking lately." She said. Ken nodded and chuckled. "Well, final exams tend to do that to friendships." He said casually; you felt your face get red with anger. Is this what he was blaming this on, final exams? And friendship? Is that what they are? Friends? Well, you knew that you guys weren't in a relationship, but it definitely was something more than a friendship! .... Right...? Suddenly, your face went from anger to embarrassment. Was all of this in your head? Does he truly see you as nothing less than a childhood friend?
"Listen yn, I'm sorry, but Sarah needs me; she's in a vulnerable state right now." You felt anger all over again. "Vulnerable state? Is that what you call getting yourself drunk so you will forget all of your troubles?! I mean, what are her troubles even?! She has too much money?!" You exploded; you didn't believe any of these things, truly, but you were too emotional to care right now. "Yn!" Ken yelled, "You can't say that! Have some understanding for her; we don't know what she's going through right now." He said, crossing his arms. You don't know what possessed you to say what you said next; maybe a part of you finally admitted that you did feel jealous, that you are in love with your best friend. "Oh, but you're going to find out, huh?! What, does her mouth speak another language when it's kissing yours?!" You turned around and started to run towards the school bathroom; you couldn't let Ken see you like this. "YN WAIT!" He heard him calling for you; he was about to run too, but Sarah took his arm. "Come on, she's fine, it's probably just her period." She kissed Ken's cheek and dragged him forward. Ken glanced one more time at the school doors before letting Sarah pull him forward.
You didn't really go out after that, even school, you managed to convince your mom that you were sick and the doctor too somehow, so you got a week but the week was over and it was time for you to go back to that world you dreaded going back to. You got out of bed as slowly as possible, picking out your favorite sweater to at least feel a bit of comfort, it was a pink one with a flower design at the collar, your dad got it for you for your sixteenth birthday last year. Going to the bathroom you brushed out and styled your hair, not having much energy for makeup you just put on some chapstick and called it a day.
The day went surprisingly normal, you and Ken didn't have any periods together and you didn't see him in the hallways, so it was a great day for you. As you left the school you saw Sarah walking out of the principal's office with whom it looked like her mother, you saw the dark circles under her eyes and couldn't help but feel sympathetic, you were thinking about talking to her, giving her comfort, but after you remembered what she said about you that day, you decided against it, you were having a good day, you really can't bear to ruin it now. Even as you got home all you could think about was Ken, you have been thinking about him throughout the week, you felt terrible, you shouldn't have lashed out like that, you knew that was unlike you, Sarah is still new and younger than you, her parents are divorced and her mom strict, you should have had more sympathy.
Those thoughts plauged your mind as you ate dinner and tried to do your homework, you needed to go see Ken and apoligize to him or you won't be able to do anything the entire day. You got dressed and qietly opened your window before sneaking out.
Your first destination was his house, you parked your bike on the side of the house where the window of his bedroom was, but you immidietly noticed that he wasn't there, the room didn't have any lights on and it was a dark 7pm, you then realised that he was probably at his stable, taking care of his dear horse Daisy. Grabbing your bike and getting back on the street the next stop was his stable, it was old and run down but his. It was very dear to you too, it was often your hang out spot, at this stable you learned how to ride a horse, the horse being Daisy and Ken sitting right behind you, this was also the place where you and Ken did your homework on perticulary hot days. Ken was moving the hay around, finishing it up and about to call it a night, he walked out, seeing you. "Oh, yn" he was surpised, you gave him a slight smile "Hi, you uh, you weren't home so I thought you might be here." He slowly nodded, an uncomfortable tension between you.
"Listen, about-" You couldn't even finish when the two of you heard footsteps, looking out at Daisy you noticed Sarah, you couldn't control the urge and you rolled your eyes, must she always come at the most vulnerable moments? "Sarah?" You heard Ken's soft voice call for her, she was holding an empty bottle of tequila, before either of you can process it she was up on Daisy and riding it the street. "Sarah! Sarah wait!" Ken rushed for her, without thinking grabbing your bike and going in the street following her. "Ken!" You yelled, runing towards him. Of course you couldn't keep up with them but after a few moments you saw a car, rushing into Sarah and Daisy, Ken immidietly jumped off of your bike and rushed towards the scene, after a few minutes the police arrived.
'"Sorry son, she didn't make it." The officer said after feeling for the horse's pulse, you immidietly look at Ken, not taking a step forward, knowing him long enough to know that he needed some time to process the information, he sune started to cry, Sarah waas crying too, she took a step forward "Ken I'm so sorry." She said, her lips trembling, Ken started walking away from her, not even looking at her. You quietly walked alongside him, looking back once at Sarah, unable to hold back the presumably dirty look you gave her.
After a few minutes of you and Ken walking in circles, you patiently waited for him to calm down a bit, you carefully rubbed his back. "Let me walk you home, hm?" He nodded, sniffling and hiccuping "Shouldn't the guy walk the girl home? Not the other way around?" You gave him a soft smile "Well then, you'renwalking me to your home." He nodded a bit. Afternanfew minutes you guys reached your bike, which you decided to leave in his stable and to grab tomorrow morning, you had something more important to worry about right now.
After doing so, you turned around to see Ken still crying. You walked towards him, gently taking his hand and pushing his hair to the side. "It's okay, let it out." You kissed a tear from his cheek; he blushed. He cried harder; you held him on your shoulder. "How about we sit down for a moment?" He nodded, and the two of you sat down on a log. You let him lean his head against your chest. You gently brushed your fingers through his hair, whispering sweet things to him.
Eventually, you got him home and went home yourself. Sneaking back in and changed into your pajamas. You struggled to sleep, only really able to think about Ken. You then decided to do something nice for him tomorrow morning; he deserved it. With a happier thought of his surprised face to your present, you managed to fall asleep a lot easier. The next morning, it was a Saturday, and you woke up early, rushing into the kitchen and starting the oven. After an hour, you had a hot batch of chocolate chip cookies. You packed a few into a container, writing 'Ken' on it with a drawn heart before getting in your car. You assumed he was at his stable; it was his sacred place, especially if he was feeling sad, but not today; his memories were probably too strong. Instead, you packed your bike into your car and started to drive towards his home, grabbing thecontainer andd ringing the doorbell.
His mother answered, "Oh, yes!" She smiled, immediately hugging you. "Hello, miss--" She interrupted you. "I do hope you're here for Kenny? Oh my poor boy, he hasn't gotten up yet! He hasn't taken Daisy's sudden death well; that girl was 11, I'm surprised she made it this far." You nodded, realising that Ken hasn't told his mother the actual cause of Daisy's death. His mother led you inside; even though you knew the place with your heart, you let her, not complaining. Inside his room, you could see a lot of things that made up his personality: a lot of movie posters from magazines and a few photos of animals hanging, but that didn't concern you right now; rather, it was the tuft of hair that peeked from under the covers. "Ken? It's me, yn, I brought you something." You slowly walked towards him like he was a wild animal. He put his covers down, revealing his messy hair and tired face. You felt your heart clench. "Yn?" He weakly asked; you nodded, "yeah." He sat up, revealing his sleep shirt. You sat on his bed, giving him the container. He was confused, but when he opened it,t his face immediately softened. "Yn... You shouldn't have." You shook your h. "Nuh uh, shut your pretty mouth up and eat with it instead." He softly smiled and did so. He moaned, "sooo good."You blushed from the praise. "You like them?" You nervously asked, "Like 'em? I love 'em!" He said, taking another bite. You smiled.
You waited for him to finish eating before turning towards him. "So, I was thinking of taking my Saturday morning walk, but I thought that maybe you should join me today?" You smiled at him; his eyes widened. "Today?" You nodded. He was still surprised, "but I'm a mess! I mean, look at my hair!" He said, you scoffed, "What are you talking about? It's adorable!" You messed up his hair, which made him blush, which in turn made you blush too. "... Fine..." You smirked, pulling him up. Come on, pretty boy, let's turn that frown upside down!"
Sitting down in the living room, drinking the tea his mom put in your hands without question, you waited for Ken to get ready.
Now the two of you were sitting on the bench in your favorite park. You listened to him complain about Sarah needing to get it out of his system. You didn't judge him. You didn't give him advice; you just listened, because that's what he needs right now. Afterwards, you made a joke, which caused him to make one in return. The two of you were cackling on a bench in a park on a Saturday morning, looking like crazy people you suspected. Ken and you calmed down after a bit. He turned towards you. "Thank you," he said. You shrugged, looking down, feeling your heart flutter. Ah,h it's nothin'; we just walked to the park." He shook his head. "No, thank you for everything. Without you, I would still be thinking about Sarah, thinking everything was my fault. At first I thought I was the one who got her addicted, but after that fight with you in school... I know now that she started way before I ever came into her life." You nodded and smiled at him. You took his hand. "But no more Sarah talk, okay? It's over." he nodded. I'm sorry for ignoring you like that. I was too caught up in Sarah; I forgot to pay attention to my favorite person." You blushed, deep red; he definitely noticed.
You were looking down before he lifted your chin with his finger. "Do you forgive me?" You nodded. Of course." The two of you continued to stare into each other's eyes, his hand still on your chin. The air around you changed; it was thicker, the time was moving slower, seconds feeling like days. Suddenly, Ken broke the tension with one question.
"May I kiss you?" You were surprised, but your body answered for you, nodding. Before you knew it, the two of you were kissing, his soft mouth on yours. It wasn't sexual or hard; it was soft, passionate, made up of years of hidden and suppressed love; it was the best moment in your life.
And, if he lets you, you will kiss him like this for the rest of his life.
Tags: @mydietdrkelpy @sofiaskywalker @stertlingfit @luciskywalker
