Jefferson Lake One-Shot Contest

McKenna's POV Chap.33

Hello Knightsrachel and readers! This is my entry for the one-shot contest for Jefferson Lake (MBBF Spin-Off) by the talented Rachel. I based my chapter off of Chapter 33, after Lee has had his major relapse and calls for the assistance of McKenna. The chapter is in McKenna's POV. Thanks for reading! <3, Libbi Lace

McKenna's POV, Chapter 33

After Lee had called me, I wasted no time in getting to his dorm. As soon as I hung up the phone, I was running down the stairs in my building, my hair bouncing against my back. Normally, I would have hurried to get to Lee, simply because it was impolite to keep someone waiting too long. But this time, the tone of his voice- the way he sounded, was so raw, I knew that there was something very, very wrong.

Recently, Lee had been more unstable. I could see it. I could see in his eyes that he was breaking down, that as time went on, he was growing tired of holding the facade that everything was fine. I would be too.

I didn't know much about Lee. I didn't know much about his life before he lost his parents, I didn't know much about his life before Cornerstone, and I didn't know much about his life pre- or post-attempt. I didn't know how he felt about Parker being his guardian, and I didn't know how he felt about me trying so hard to be close to him. But I did know that despite how he sometimes pushed people away, despite how often he claimed it would be better for him to be alone, he didn't want to be. He wanted someone to tell him that he was always worth it, that he would always be wanted, and would someday be missed.

And I wanted to be the person that made him feel that way.

A few minutes later, I knocked on Lee's door, panting heavily. I hoped that I would be able to catch my breath before he opened the door to let me in, but as soon as he did, it was knocked out of me again.

The look in his eyes squeezed the breath out of my lungs and held it captive in their stormy depths, like a prisoner at sea. It wasn't for another few seconds that I realized that he probably wanted me to come in, so I did. Lee said nothing, and I still had no air in my lungs to make any sound at all. I sat on the futon, and after a moment's hesitation, Lee joined me.

My fingers itched to touch his hands, to pull him against me and tell him that it was okay. That whatever was going on, we could fix it. We could make it right, no matter how long it would take. But I couldn't do that. It wouldn't make the situation better at all, and I couldn't promise that we could fix it, especially if I didn't know what the problem was.

"What's the matter?" I finally asked, turning back to look at him. I hoped to find something out just by searching his face, but all I felt was more hopeless despair poured into my soul, splashed onto me like tidal waves.

Lee was still silent, looking down at his hands and twisting his fingers together. When he noticed me looking, he flattened his palms against his thighs, and shrugged.

"Everything," he breathed, not looking up at me.

"Let's start a little less broad," I suggested, offering the smallest of smiles. Lee didn't notice; he wasn't able to tear his eyes from the floor. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, his eyes flitting up at me for less than a second before he took a deep breath, and spoke again.

"I've fucked up real bad," he said, his voice ready to break as his eyes met mine. I nodded, my expression remaining just as worried but stoic as it could. I had to remind myself that I was here to support him, and that pity was most likely not what he was looking for.

Lee's eyes squeezed shut, and he ground his jaw. I knew what he was doing, and the fact that he was so close to tears was ripping at my heart. He was ripping at my heart.