[X] Cry tears of joy. "Thank you..."
-[X]Hug your two friends for all you're worth.
-[X]Stay that way as long as possible.
[X] After the hug, check your Soul Gem. Cleanse if need be.
You nearly choke as you try speaking out to your friends. With every word your friends say to you, it becomes harder and harder to maintain even the slightest semblance of you remaining composed. It's more than you can handle with the maelstrom of emotions running inside you.
It starts as a strained cough, that quickly grows into a series of increasingly clearer sobs. You don't-
can't hold back anymore… So you let it all go, allowing every single one of your bottled up tears fall free across your rose-tinted cheeks.
Your hands shake uncontrollably as you lift them from your chest and let the distant thumping of your still-beating heart fade into the back.
"E-e-everyone, I-I…" you desperately whisper out between the sobs, but can't seem to follow it with any kind of meaningful or coherent sentence.
And to be honest, what need was there for words except for the two most important ones?
"Th-thank you..." you cry out to your friends and wrap your arms around your friends' shoulders to hug them, to keep them closer to you for as long as you need and can. At the same time, your weakening legs give in under you a little, and you have to lean on them for support. You're vaguely aware of both of them shifting their posture to allow you this movement.
This suits you fine, you're not ready to even considering letting go of them yet.
"It's okay…" you can hear someone whisper in your ear, but the voice is too distant to be made sense of under your loud sobs and cries. It doesn't matter, though, you know your friends are there. You can feel the warmth of their bodies and breath, the reminders that you are not crying alone in a cold, empty room.
If you could, you would stay like this forever, embraced by care, warmth, and love. You don't know about gods… But this is the closest it gets to Heaven for you.
And in your messed up and overwhelmed state of mind, you completely lose the track of time while you bask in the warm caress. It is only when you hear someone ask,
"You feeling better now, Tamiko?" do you snap out of your haze long enough to make sense of your surroundings.
You become aware that your throat feels extremely coarse and dry, but you're not sobbing anymore. It's quite quiet on the roof actually, with only the distant sounds of the city and whistling wind in the background. Your cheeks feel like they're freezing too, and it's difficult to keep your eyes open.
But still, you think you're fine- will be at the very least.
"T-thank you, again… For everything... For being my friends."
"I-it's fine, we understand."
You can only nod quietly as you lift your right arm from the strong shoulders it's resting on, and stumble to reach for your Soul Gem. It's almost a reflex by now for you to check it after moments like these.
242/2000
You don't think you need to cleanse just yet the black layer at the bottom of your polished steel-colored gem remains a mere bottom layer for now.
"S-still… I-I just cannot thank you enough… for being there… W-with you there, I'm just… I'm just happy to be alive."
"Anytime, Tamiko, anytime," you hear,
"But how about we all go and eat lunch together now? This must have taken a lot out of you."
What do you do?
[] Keep. On. Hugging.
[] Go and eat lunch.
-[] Talk about something.
--[] Share the last few details about your 'curse'?
--[] Plan for the rest of the day.
[] Contact Ami. You haven't even agreed on a proper place to meet up after you're done in school.
[] Write-in.
===
It's quite the day for social!