All the Best People Are | ✓

•7•

When you can't look on the bright side, I will sit with you in the dark.
~Alice
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Listen to Never be Alone by Shawn Mendes for this chapter.
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When the flashback was over, I looked beside me to see Leo's eyes brimming with tears, as if he were just reliving the same moment.

I reached over and took his hand, like he had done for me only minutes earlier, and squeezed.

"Look, I know how much you want this, but we really don't have to go on," I whispered. He turned to face me with a stoic expression.
"No. I said I was going to change your mind, so I will."

I smiled. "Maybe there really is someone more stubborn than me in the world."
He smiled back. "Your stubbornness is something I love about you."

"That's a first," I said, it sounding more sad than I'd hoped for.
Leo's expression hardened. "Skott, it's not your fault for being who you are," he said, and started to walk away.

I scowled and ran to catch up with him. I hated how discreet he was being. "What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, growing flustered.

"You know..... You're just different," he finally said, then threw his arms up in defeat." But that's a good thing, I swear!"

My temper started to flare. I didn't like myself when I felt this way, but I couldn't stop. "Different? You're just like everyone else, aren't you? You think I'm mad. That I've lost it.
So tell me then," I spat out, and stared him down hard. "Tell me what's wrong with me."

"Skott, I-" he hesitated.
"What? Look, I'm sick of people only telling me that there's something wrong with me, but not telling me what it is!" I sounded like a complete madwoman, but I didn't have it in me to care. "I've gone to plenty of therapists, taken several doctor's appointments, but everyone's saying that nothing can be done. Madness has no cure." I paused, letting the words sink and have full effect.

"Skott, listen to me." Normally, this was the point where I would continue with my full-fledged rant up until the point where the other person would realize I was insane and regret even striking up a conversation in the first place. This time, however, was different. Something told me I needed to listen to Leo. That maybe what he had to say was worth hearing.

"Nothing is wrong with you, okay? Nothing. Those doctors can diagnose you with whatever the hell they want, but you're still going to be perfect to me."

He drew a sharp intake of air. "You might not remember me,"he started again," but I remember you. And I remember being fascinated with you from the start," he said, then lifted my chin up so that I was looking straight into his dark grey eyes.

"You're not normal, Skott. Not even close. You're mad, bonkers, off your head. But I'll tell you a secret," he said, and I smiled, knowing exactly what he was about to say.
"All the best people are," we both said at the same time, turning to face the building we'd found ourselves in front of.

Somehow, smiling became a rather natural extinct for me when I was around Leo. All his little quirks, like when he'd run a hand through his hair or drum his fingers on the ground when we were sitting on the grass. I liked how the corner of his mouth twitched when he was about to laugh and the twinkle in his eye when he made me smile.

"I hope this works," he said, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

I surprised myself by saying," I hope so too."

• • •

It had been five years since the accident and every day grew more lonely than the last.
I missed our late night conversations during sleepovers and our tea parties with Gran. I missed how I used to ask her if there was any chocolate left on my face after eating ice cream and our wacky code names for people that no one could crack. Sometimes I even missed those little fights we used to have when there was only one slice of cake left in the fridge.
Robin really was more like a sister to me than a best friend.

I think the loneliness around the house started to grow on Mom and Dad too, because they had finally decided to give me a baby brother.

I still remember the night he was born. We were in the very same hospital. The sky was a rosy tint of red that blended in with the orange of the sunset. The air smelled like any another hospital- too clean, too crowded and merely haunting.

The most vivid memory of that day was hearing Mom's screams of pain while I stood next to her as a reassurance that everything would be alright.

I knew her and Dad were especially worried about this baby, considering that I was already messed up. Having two children with special needs seemed like a weight neither of them could carry.

I patiently held onto Mom's hand as she shouted out a string of curses. Dad rushed from one end of the room to the other getting water bottles towels, anything, so long as he felt like he was being of help.

Honestly, he looked worse than Mom.
And he wasn't even the one giving birth.

The last few moments went in a blur. Mom's grip on my hand was so tight I started seeing stars pop in my vision. Nurses bustled this way and that, calling out instructions to one another. Dad was standing at Mom's bedside and giving her as much motivation possible.

And then he came.
Mom was shaking so much the doctor didn't hand over the baby until Dad had managed to calm her down. Instead, he handed over that tiny bundle of joy.... To me.

The moment I looked into those eyes like the ocean, I knew that I would take care of him every chance that I got. It felt like life was giving me a second chance at having a best friend. I finally felt like I was gaining back all that I'd lost.
When he smiled, I saw every last bit of Robin inside of him.
From that moment I knew he was going to change my life.
And he did.

They say that the first person to hold a a newborn baby automatically assumes the role of the mother. Usually, that happens to be the woman that gave birth to the child. But this time, it was like fate had wanted me to be the first to hold my baby brother that night, knowing that one day, I was going to be its mother.

Mom, Dad and I spent days on end trying to find the perfect name for the baby and you can only imagine why. Of course Mom was particular on it being a girl's name, so I went forward and suggested Robin. After all, it worked for both a girl and a boy, meaning that that my little brother would make it through school bully-free.
Both my parents were on board with the idea, thinking it'd be a great way for me to have a part of my memories with her forever.

However, I started to doubt my decision the more I thought about it. It felt more like I was replacing Robin rather than remembering her. It felt like I were mourning her death more than I was rejoicing a new addition to the family. Soon enough, we'd fixed on Tyler because Dad said it was only fair he got to pick the second kid's name since Mom picked Skott for me.

For the first year, things were great. Both Mom and Dad were so preoccupied with the baby that I got them to lay off me for a while. I was free to have as many tea parties with Gran as I wanted.

You know the thing about love? It isn't hard to give away. It only gets hard when it isn't given back.
Only your heart gets given back.
Shattered, in a million pieces.

I hated to admit it, but I was scared of loving Tyler. Terrified, even. I'd already lost Robin and I was paranoid that somehow I would lose him too.

Never did I think that instead, I would lose someone else, in that very same hospital.

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A/N Hello!!!! I'm so sorry for the late update, but I really hope you liked the chapter! Did you notice how every happy backstory has a sad one following? Any idea what the next one might be? I'd love to hear what you think.
Thanks for reading❤
~Olivia