The white snow crunched under the six pair of black shoes, the cold winter breeze numbing their hands and making the day even bitterer than before. The sun was hidden away behind grey clouds, the lake under the deck frozen, and the naked skeletical trees surrounding them. It seemed as if the universe had gotten togheter to make this day as sad as possible.

None of them was expecting been waken up by the horrible news that their friend, Neil, had commited suicide the past night. He wanted to be an actor, his parents didn't, his father signed him up for ten years of military school and he simply.. decided that he preferred to die doing what he'd have lived for than living for something that would kill him inside.

Charlie and Steven had been the first ones to get informed, crying in their room —hugging. Then Knox and Gerard followed, then Richard.. then Todd. He woke up by Charlie's hand on his shoulder gently shaking him awake. "he's dead", the boy had said, and Todd's world shattered to pieces.

He couldn't react at first, he was in shock, he couldn't believe it —refused to do so. Still, all emotions came back like a tidal wave once they were all outside.

His body reacted and he ran towards the frozen lake, ignoring the boys' panicked yelps as they quickly rushed to hold him down.

Steven and Gerard ran inside the school to get someone to help them with the hysteric boy, and they rushed to you. The only female teacher in the school, a nurse too —Todd needed gentle handling.

When you reached the group, guided by both of them, Todd was knelt on the ground with Knox gently —albeit forcefully— shoving a handful of snow into the boys' mouth after he had puked his guts out. Charlie was still holding him down as the boy wailed, when his baby blues focused on you —now knelt next to him— he quickly turned to you.

"he didn't do it!" he pleaded through the snow in his mouth. "it was his father! he did it! Neil would never do it, he loved living!"