Detached [boyxboy]

t e n

Four Months Later

"I'm doing good. I got an A on my calc test, and Amy invited me to a party this weekend."

"Are you going to go?" Asked Seth, cocking his head to the side as he observed the boy sat across from him.

"I don't think so. But Amy said I can sleep over at her house after. With the others." Noah said hesitantly, absentmindedly fiddling with the bracelet on his wrist. It was a simple gold clasp, with just a single name engraved into the band. Cas.

"Well that's good, right?" Seth asked with a smile, which Noah returned.

"Yeah. Just different I guess."

"Good different?"

"Good different." Noah confirmed, nodding his head firmly.

"What about Christmas? Got any plans?"

"Well, I'm thinking of visiting the Daniels on Christ eve." Noah said. He had made a habit in the last two months of visiting Casimir's family. He sometimes felt like they were the only people who shared his grief. Besides, he knew that Juny appreciated his company.

"That'll be nice." Seth said with a warm smile, which Noah returned as best as he could.

There was a moment of silence wash over them, before Seth started to speak again.

"Noah, you know why your parents scheduled an extra appointment with me this week. Don't you?" He asked, and Noah nodded weakly.

"Do you want to say it?" Seth asked gently, and Noah swallowed the lump in his throat.

"It's the anniversary. One year to the date." He managed to say, throat dry and raspy.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't know what to say."

"Say how you feel."

"I feel like I miss my best friend."

"Which is a completely natural reaction. I never met Casimir, but from the sounds of it he was something else."

"Yeah." Noah said, unable to stop a fond smile from spreading across his features. "Yeah, he really was."

"Do you still cry a lot for him?"

"Occasionally." Noah admitted. "But not as much as I used to. I think I'm slowly starting to heal." He said, feeling slightly guilty.

It seemed Seth could sense the unease in Noah's tone. "Noah, you don't need to feel guilty for trying to move on."

"I know. But- I don't know. I guess I just feel like I'm betraying him."

It was a truth that had weighed heavily on Noah's mind. Deep down he knew Cas would want him to move on, but every time he laughed with his knew friends he felt a little stab of guilt hit him in the stomach.

"I may not know Casimir personally but from what I gather from you, I feel like he'd want you to move on."

"Yeah?" Noah questioned, voice uncertain.