GUARDIAN | DORBYN ✓

27

when corbyn got home his heart was beating at an abnormal rate, sluggish when stepping into the quiet household as he removed his shoes.

there wasn't much of a care that ashley may not be up now, but he knew saskia had work again, so he couldn't go to her. his body weighed tenfold with heavy footing on the stairs, dragging himself up to ashley's door as he twisted the knob.

corbyn figured he should've knocked, but he gave a small, sad glance to the door and scoffed, leaving it open as he walked into the room.

ashley was awake, on her phone, attention immediately drawn to corbyn as she could see him shuffle over to the bed, moving the blankets to crawl in beside her. "what's up, corbs?"

"i'm sorry," he sniffled, the words barely audible as his hands moved to wrap around her. the phone was placed onto the bedside table, ashley sinking down farther from her upright position while her arms met at corbyn's back, holding him to her heart.

"no need to apologize, you know that." her chin dug into corbyn's hair, feeling his body shudder with a shaky inhale. one of his hands raised, wiping his nose harshly as he swallowed. his head shook in disapproval, eyes squinting shut.

"i'm such a baby."

ashley flicked his ear, one hand now resting at the top of his head as her own moved. although she wanted to look at his face, she knew he received the glare she was giving. "you are not, and you never will be. we all have emotions, and it's understandable that you're feeling this way. you've been put through the ringer, and we're all here for you whenever you need. i don't want you to ever feel like a burden or a baby or anything, you hear me?"

corbyn's shoulders relaxed and he adjusted his arms to hug ashley tighter, sighing into her shirt. feelings suck. everything sucks.

another day passed, possibly two, daniel didn't have much mind to it. he was practically rotting beneath the overwhelming bedsheets, he figured corbyn would have certainly bothered him by this state.

the blond was staying in ashley's room to ignore his desk, as she'd claimed that he didn't need to worry about daniel and he had to worry about himself more. although it was a struggle, considering he was so used to it, corbyn was beginning to heal.

instead of the pestering blond, his three friends barged in through the door to his room, daniel only now realizing that it had been a later hour than expected.

"you really need to get a new key spot." zach muttered, laying the key on daniel's desk as the brunet sat up.

"so i've been told."

jonah dropped a small stack of papers near his feet, and daniel's eyes fell to them with dread eating away at his heart. "the work you have to do. we're decent enough to show up and take notes."

jack, seeing the furrow of daniel's brows at jonah's rude tone, sat at the side of the bed. "so... how's jenna?"

daniel couldn't miss the clench of jonah's jaw, seeing his brow twitch.

"she's just lovely, y'know, i think i'll take her on a date soon."

they don't need to know our connection, he gave a small side smirk. i want to see jo's reaction.

"has she been here?" the tallest was easy to read, seeing his arms fold up around his chest as his eyes slimmed to daggers.

"oh yeah, every day. before and after school."

she hasn't shown up since her hissy fit.

jonah's teeth could've cracked from the obvious pressure he was applying. "so you're telling me that we've worked our asses extra to get all the right notes and work for you to be here, all this time, with her?"

daniel was a little caught off guard. "she goes to class, doesn't she?"

jack's hand landed on daniel's calf, a short purse of his lips given. "i don't think she's great for you, daniel, i'm not gonna lie."

he swallowed, facade faltering in the tiniest bit, as to not have it noticed.

"i agree with j, i think we all do, really. isn't she the reason you're missing school?" zach finally piped into the conversation, and daniel didn't want to meet eyes with any of the people in the surroundings. no, she's not.

"what i do all day is none of your concern." he muttered, hands crossing over his chest as a small shield.

"it should be, we're your best friends!"

jonah's outburst startled daniel, catching his attention immediately.

"you skip school for three days, don't talk to any of us like you've just fallen straight off the edge of the earth. you knew about the stupid assignments that we're getting this week, and i had to take all the notes for you, just to hear that you're wasting your days here with some whore that's probably just using you for your body!"

jonah swallowed, zach putting a hand on his shoulder upon seeing the conflict that painted daniel's face. "c'mon, jo... give him a break..."

"he's had his break, z. he's gotta pull his head out of the fucking clouds and realize shit still happens in this world. get off your ass, daniel, and when you figure out what the hell is going on come talk to me."

jonah stormed out of the room, zach nodded sadly toward daniel. "i— uhm... i'd better go check on him..."

daniel's lip curved into a hurt scowl, eyes meeting jack's as his head lifted. "no, no. it's cool, go follow him. i'm just wasting your time."

jack's words were caught in his throat, and daniel's leg folded up to remove the touch on his calf.

"go, please. i don't know if i'll be at school for the rest of the week but i don't need you guys to take my notes anymore."

the duo was reluctant, but they'd finally left, and it wasn't long after that daniel could hear jonah's engine revving off to the distance.

his head lolled back, eyes shutting momentarily with a heavy breath from his nose. daniel's mind was a wildfire, spreading each bad thought to ever surface his brain as his heart sunk and his breaths shortened. he tried to stop the warm tears that filled his waterline but the moment one of them rolled to his lip, he rose slowly.

the papers at the foot of the bed were picked up, and daniel, with all his might, threw them at the wall, watching them explode and sway to the ground.

"fuck!"

EXTRA NOTES
-hi im hoping updates will speed
up soon/ish i just needa put this together
[kinda like a puzzle (: ]

-this book hit 3k views and i'm so grateful for every single person that's even taken a glance at the cover 🥺🤧 
this is a lil dull but thank you!!

-okey so that's about it so i hope you're all having fun and staying safe  <3 ily!