I woke up with a heavy head, the kind of dull ache that comes from staying up too late overthinking. It wasn't my usual way of doing things—I always kept my routine tight, my schedule consistent. But last night had been...different.
Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way to the kitchen. The muffled sound of the TV reached me first, and as I turned the corner, there they were—Zach, Owen, and Ethan, already awake. They were sprawled on the couch, still in their casual clothes from the night before, looking like they hadn't even thought about school.
For a moment, I stood there silently, the cool air from the fridge brushing against my face as I grabbed a bottle of water. None of them said anything, but the atmosphere felt...intentional, like they'd been waiting for me without saying it.
I took a seat on the far end of the couch, keeping my distance. Ethan's eyes were glued to the screen, the faint glow of the TV reflecting off his face. I scrolled through my phone, pretending to be busy. The silence wasn't awkward, but it wasn't entirely comfortable either.
"You guys eating?" I asked casually, not looking up.
Ethan, without missing a beat, muttered, "Nope," his eyes never leaving the TV.
Typical.
I hesitated before asking, "So...you're not going to school either?"
Ethan smirked, finally breaking his gaze from the screen. "Champions need rest, man. Do you even know how much effort it takes to carry this glory on our shoulders?"
It was a joke, but his tone felt oddly reflective, like he wasn't entirely joking. For some reason, it struck me as familiar—too familiar.
Before I could respond, the doorbell rang, followed by a series of quick knocks. Seconds later, Ryan strolled in, dressed like he'd walked straight off a fashion magazine cover. Behind him were Logan and Julian, each carrying bags of food that smelled incredible, even from across the room.
"Morning, losers!" Ryan announced with a laugh. "Hope you're hungry."
The noise level shot up immediately. Ryan's voice carried through the room as they unpacked the bags onto the table, pulling out boxes and containers of breakfast. I caught the scent of freshly baked croissants, pancakes, and something savory—probably egg sandwiches.
Adrian's voice came from the hallway. "If you'd taken any longer, I would've cooked something myself!"
The group laughed, already crowding around the table and digging in. I stayed where I was, glued to the couch, my gaze fixed on the TV. The laughter felt distant, like I was watching it from the outside.
I stood and Just as I was about to leave, Ryan cleared his throat dramatically. I knew it was for me. Reluctantly, I turned to face him.
"Daniel," Ryan started, his tone softer than usual, but there was something deeper in his voice now, like he was opening up about something important. "About yesterday... Leah told us what was going on."
I blinked, caught off guard. It wasn't like Leah to open up like that. Ryan must've seen the confusion on my face because he raised a hand to stop me from speaking.
"Look, I know what you're thinking—why would she tell us, right? But it's not as simple as it seems," Ryan said, his words coming slower now, more deliberate. "There's more to it than you know. She's not the type to betray your trust. She just understands how a friend group works. She knows that, at the end of the day, we don't leave each other hanging. For us, friends really mean something, man. I don't know how that works in outside world, but here? It's not just a word. It's a bond."
He paused, glancing at the others. They were all listening intently now. Ryan took a deep breath before continuing.
"We thought you were relying on us, man. But you know what? We were wrong. We thought we were the ones holding you back, like we could never reach your level. You're always the one leading, and we didn't know how to keep up. We were all in our own heads, feeling like we couldn't measure up. But Zach—he wasn't frustrated because he lost that game. He was frustrated because he wanted to win for you. He knew you were the best player Crestwood had, and if you lost, it was on him. Every time he challenged me, he said he was going to win for you, Daniel. For you."
Ryan's voice trembled slightly, but he steadied himself, pushing forward. "After the fight with James… we were all in a bit of a low. Seeing you there, fighting alone, bleeding like that—it messed with all of us. We couldn't do anything. We were just standing there, watching you handle it, and it made us feel like we weren't good enough to help. Zach wanted to win the finals for you. It was like… like the one thing he could do to show you that he had your back, that we all had your back."
The words hung in the air for a moment, each of them weighing heavy in the room. Ryan continued, a little softer now. "If we seemed distant after that… it wasn't because we didn't care. It was because we were scared to remind you of the fight. We couldn't do anything when you were out there alone, bleeding, and we didn't want you to think we were too weak to step up. It wasn't about us not caring. It was about us realizing that we couldn't protect you in that moment, and it hurt."
Ryan's gaze met mine, and I could see the sincerity in his eyes. "We're just a bunch of shitty friends, I guess. But we're your shitty friends, Daniel. And you don't have to carry everything by yourself. You're the one who's always been there for us, but now it's our turn. You're the core of this group. You're the one who holds us together."
Ryan paused, like he was lost in thought for a second, before he broke the silence with a quiet chuckle, almost to himself. "What was it we used to call ourselves again? Oh, right! Vanguards. Yeah, that's what we are, huh?" He looked around at the others, each of them nodding. "Vanguards. We've got a bond that can surpass anything, man. Just… rely on us, okay?"
I looked around the room, at each of their faces, and for the first time, I saw them not just as teammates or friends, but as something more—something that ran deeper than I ever realized. They weren't just standing beside me; they were standing for me.
A sudden smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I turned around. Zach grinned, always ready with a joke. "Come here, you shitty friend," he said, his tone light. "Have your food, all of this was for you."
I raised an eyebrow. "I was just going to brush my teeth. I've never learned to eat before brushing—can't teach an old dog new tricks. I'll be there in a minute. Don't finish it all before I get there."
Laughter spread through the group. It felt real, but something in me wondered if they were just trying to make me feel better. I shrugged it off—after all, they were my friends.
I brushed my teeth, but as I stared at the mirror, my mind drifted back to what Ryan had said earlier. The fight. His words kept echoing in my head. Was the message serious? Should I tell them, or was it just a prank? I didn't want to cause any more trouble for them, so I tried not to dwell on it. I'd respond to the message later—make sure I knew more before any more rumors spread at school. Better safe than sorry.
When I returned, the guys were holding my breakfast, waiting for me. I couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Are you really taking this that far?" I joked, pretending to be offended. "I'm fine, guys. This is just my main character arc. You know, the transition from the old me to the new me. I guess I need those doubts to fuel my future. But enough of this. Just eat already, don't treat me like I'm some outsider. It'll only make it worse."
I threw them a sad, exaggerated face, and they all cracked up. For real this time. They were actually smiling.
We dug into breakfast, but the conversation quickly shifted. "Wait, you guys are planning an outing?" I asked, a smirk playing on my face. "I thought you were bunking class to rest up. Don't forget we have the sports event the day after tomorrow. Make sure you get some rest. We're in third place overall, and with the track events still left, we'll grab second and push for first."
Ethan shot me a playful grin. "Let the dream be a dream, Daniel. You really think you'll win? I'll make sure you never get past us."
Julian leaned back, his grin mischievous. "How about we hit the woods, then swing by the mall in the evening? We can have a campfire set up and just chill. The only thing that might suck is that the girls won't be there. Sarah, Lena, and Nina already went to school. So, it'll be just us—no distractions."
I raised an eyebrow and shot a teasing glance at Julian. "Ha, so now you're thinking about the girls? Either way, we're not taking them to the woods, and anyone other than you isn't concerned about girls."
I leaned back, smirking. "Let Sarah, Lena, and Nina enjoy the school trip when it comes. For now, let's make it a boys' night." I paused, then added with a slight cringe, "Or should I say... men's night?"
I couldn't help but shake my head, but the grin stayed. "Anyway, let the name VANGUARDS be the legacy of our bond. Yeah, it's cringe, but it's ours. Let it leave its mark on our days at Crestwood."
The guys burst into laughter, and I couldn't help but join in. Ryan clapped his hands, breaking the moment. "So, it's settled. To the woods, then the mall. Let's do this."
The cheer that followed was contagious. Without realizing it, I found myself cheering with them.