(Request. I did my best.
Also, odd question, but are the story parts out of order, or is anything weird with this book? Cause from the screen where I make new parts, oneshots like the Hide & Seek one are now in the back of the book.)
"Hey, Zane!"
Zane looked up from the ground, turning his head in the direction of the voice. Running up to him was his newest best friend, Gene Charleston. (When you realize that Charleston is a legit name of a place but you too lazy to change it because you'd have to do a ton of editing with OCs and stuff...)
"Hi, Gene.." Zane greeted, facing the other male.
"Why are you out here all by yourself?" Gene asked, raising an eyebrow. "Are you having depressing thoughts again?"
"Alright, yes I am. You know I can't help it!" He groaned, pursing his lips at Gene's face. "...... At least... not yet, I guess."
"Hey, hey, there's nothing to be ashamed of with that!" He reassured him, pulling Zane in for a hug. "You're getting better! You've already stopped cutting, which is a big deal!"
"Yeah, you're right...." He agreed with a sigh, forcing a weak smile.
"What did you do while you were at Hollywood with your brothers?" He asked, starting to walk alongside Zane.
"Other than stay in bed on my phone and laptop?" He said in a joking way, making Gene grin. "I got over my fear of ghosts."
"That's the spirit!" He chuckled, before his face went straight at the nervous one of Zane.
"Oh shit.... where? Where's the ghost!?" He asked nervously, frantically looking around.
"..... So what were you saying about getting over your fear of ghosts?" He questioned, eaising an eyebrow with a smirk.
That's how things had always been between them. They had been best friends ever since Zane became a member of the Shadow Knights, if only temporarily.
However, they started to open up to Zane. Aphmau, Aaron, Katelyn, Travis, all of them. In return, Zane opened up to them little by little as well. Now, of course Gene had been happy for Zane. One of his best friends was getting help for his depression, and he wss getting more friends.
But... Zane had stopped hanging out with him. Every time Gene asked if Zane wanted to make plans, he always said he already had plans with one of the others. Gene missed his friend, he wanted him back.
One day, while he was taking a walk to clear his head, he saw Zane and Travis talking. As he got closer, he could hear them making plans.
"Zane, why don't we go to the mall for lunch?" Travis asked him, blushing lightly.
"But I wanna hang out with Gene today..." Zane replied, which made Gene happier.
"I heard this one place there is selling these cupcakes to die for!" He laughed, dragging Zane alonng as he spotted Gene. "Come on, Zane! It'll be just the two of us!"
What was that about? Gene thought, before Travis glanced back at him with a smirk. Oh, he's trying to take Zane? I won't allow it.
~~~~
"Zane!"
Zane sat up with a jolt, nearly headbutting Laurance. He looked at the door, where Aphmau was standing. She was gasping for breath, like she had run a marathon or something. Garroth handed her a bottle of water, which she gulped down greedily.
"Aph? What's wrong?" Zane asked her, going over to her.
"It's Travis.... he's dead....!" She sobbed, her voice breaking.
