Our friendship grew to a point where I felt far more comfortable with her than I reasonably should with an employer, but such was the existence of teens like ourselves.

  But even then, what I wanted to do would push that friendship. I desperately needed guidance, and being around the girls in my current state was not helping matters.

  Thankfully, Charlotte was so beyond me that I did not even think of her as something I could be attracted to and treated as a close friend who knew far more about the world than I did.

  I hope she could help with my predicament.

  So, in the dead of night, I snuck out of my house and went to hers. It was my first time entering the pce, and the first thing I noticed was how barren everything was.

  Everything was neat but cked life, like a painting one could look at but not a home one would live in. Also, the ck of servants became more apparent. I had only ever met the maid, but I had my suspicions that she was the only one outside of Charlotte who lived in this mansion.

  Finding her room was easy because, although I might not have any magical senses, I could rapidly enhance my natural ones. What kind of befuddled me was the sound I followed.

  Charlotte was sobbing in her room. I had never seen her so sad before.

  I was so concerned that I forgot where and what I was doing. I rushed into her room, my face the definition of concern.

  Both she and the maid jumped on my arrival.

  The maid went from surprise to fear to anger as she began to spout out something, but my attention was focused on the tears coming down Charlotte’s face.

  “What happened?!”

  I rushed to her side.

  “Who hurt you?”

  My face turned to the maid.

  “Who hurt her?”

  My friend was also very shocked at my sudden arrival. But instead of anger, her emotion turned to ughter.

  But it sounded more like a choked sob than any expression of joy.

  *Sniff*

  “Calm down, nobody hurt me or anything like that.”

  She answered, her face now supporting a smile which did little to change my mood.

  “Then why are crying?”

  I asked with a huff. Who would need to have their ass kicked for hurting my friend? That was a question I would to the bottom of right now.

  “It is not something for you to know, you insolent child!”

  The maid answered my question, her voice full of venom.

  “Have your—”

  The words died in her throat as Charlotte raised her hand.

  “There is no need for this, Sophia. I asked for him to come. The timing was simply earlier than expected.”

  “But my dy?”

  The maid looked indignant, and Charlotte only waggled her fingers.

  “Were you not the one who told me to make friends? Well, friends visit each other at odd times.”

  The maid opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but instead closed it and shook her head.

  “Very well, my dy, it will be as you see fit.”

  With that, she got up, took a silver tray from next to the bed and left the room, but not before giving a very stinky side-eye.

  When she was gone, Charlotte turned to me.

  “So… What compelled you to visit me at such a te hour?”

  “Oh! Wait! Before we get to that, why were you crying?”

  I had to ask before we got into my shit.

  “A secret.”

  She answered with a grin.

  “No.”

  Came my reply

  “No?”

  I took a deep breath and said.

  “We know each other for months now and I can confidently say we are best friends. And best friends don’t hide things from each other. Besides I am pretty sure I told everything about my life so it’s time for you to fess up!”

  My shoulders were now crossed as I looked at her intently.

  Her eyes went wide at the response.

  “Me?”

  Her finger pointed at herself as she asked.

  “I am your best friend?”

  “Duh! Now fess up!”

  I was getting very impatient.

  The waterworks began and my hard stance immediately broke.

  “What? Wait!? Why are you crying?!”

  I felt like an asshole and went on my knees next to her bed looking right up at her from where she sat on the bed.

  “It’s nothing, I am just so happy!”

  “Then why are you crying?!?”

  I asked hysterically, crying and happiness did not mix in my opinion.

  My outburst ruined her good mood and she puffed out her cheeks in exharperation.

  “Let me have this, alright?”

  She said indignantly.

  “Ok?”

  After a couple of minutes of awkward silence where she just stared at me with her giant emerald eyes she finally answered.

  “I am dying.”

  It might have been better if I never learned about her illness. Maybe she would have vanished from my life as suddenly as she had come, and everything would have been a dream.

  Instead, I learned that my closest friend had at most two years to live.

  What does someone say to that?

  The answer was simple.

  It was my turn to start crying, and I was a fucking man. That night sucked in so many ways, and at the end of it all, I did not even learn how to deal with my little issue.

  Not that it mattered anymore. I was so down from learning the truth that all those emotions I had been feeling evaporated into nothing but mencholy.

  I hugged her that night and wept so long that I fell asleep. My first night alone with a girl was me sobbing myself to sleep in her arms.

  Such a manly thing to do…