I hope you stay as my friend.

"Lydia what are you doing here?" Cyrus asked, "Isn't it obvious? I brought cake! I'm here to celebrate your birthday!" She replied.

"Who's that Cyrus?" Joe asked from inside the room.

Doing his best to sound friendly, "Umm! that's just my friend Lydia, she brought cake...for my birthday." Cyrus replied.

"How sweet of her! can she come in?" Joe asked.

Hopeful, "Can I?" Lydia asked too.

Sighing in defeat, "Whatever, sure! go inside." Cyrus replied.

As she walked cheerfully inside, "Hello there Lydia!" Joe greeted her, "Hi Uncle Joe!" she replied while putting the cake on the table nearby.

"You already know Who I am." Joe replied smiling.

While she pulled some plastic plates forks, a knife and candles, "I'm Cyrus's friend, of course I know about his dad." Lydia replied, "I know lots of stuff, like how much you love Watching drama tv shows." She added making Cyrus look at her with a puzzled expression.

"Wow, I didn't expect my son to talk to anyone about me, I'm surprised." Joe replied.

"Don't be, and for what it's worth...I think you're a good father." Lydia said while putting candles on the cake.

Her words made Joe's eyes shine with tears, "Although I don't think I have been the kind of father you've made me out to be, Thank you Lydia.

For your sweet words...and for being Cyrus's friend." Joe replied while Cyrus watched him with a somewhat guilty expression.

"It is my pleasure sir, your son has been a great support to me all these years." Lydia said then lit the candle.

"Wait, Are you about to sing?!" Cyrus asked half-horrified.

"Of course!...I know you don't like to celebrate your birthday, but I think your father would at least." Lydia said before she went over to Joe's bed and helped him onto his wheelchair.

After Making the son and father sit by the table, Lydia turned off the lights and then sat down with them, the candles light reflected in her eyes as she looked at the cake with a smile.

Taking a deep breath, Lydia started singing for Cyrus and Joe joined her while Cyrus listened as he stared at the cake in front of him.

"Happy birthday to you!... Happy birthday to you!..."

...[Tiny flashback]...

Under the dark nightsky, Outside Joel's house, "You came!" Julian said smiling as he opened the door for Cyrus, "I don't understand, You asked me to!" Cyrus replied, "I had to sneak out of the house for this!" He added.

"Well I guess I'm the lucky one since my uncle already knows about this, although he's not here now, he was called over about a fight down in the carnival."

"Wait, Julian...you didn't bring me here to celebrate, did you? I told you I don't want to celebrate."

"But I want to! C'mon!" Julian said grabbing Cyrus's hands and the two got inside, as they made it to the kitchen, Cyrus stared at a small cake on the kitchen table, with the candles already lit.

While Cyrus sat down, Julian turned off the lights and then sat with him, "Are you about to sing?" Cyrus asked.

"You betcha!" Julian replied happily before he cleared his throat.

"Happy birthday to you, my love...

Happy birthday to you...

Happy birthday..."

...[End of Tiny Flashback]...

"Happy birthday dear Cyrus! Happy birthday to YOUUUUUUU!" Lydia and Joe sang the last word then smiled at Cyrus, but both got surprised when he started crying.

"Son?" Joe placed a hand on Cyrus's shoulder, "Are you alright?" Lydia asked worriedly, "I'm okay...I think I'm happy." He replied chuckling through his tears.

...Few minutes later...

"When did you two meet?" Joe asked, "Highschool, I was going through some rough time and I had zero confident in myself especially in my artwork.

btw I'm an artist...the kind that draws." Lydia replied as she took a bite of her half eaten slice of cake, "Cyrus, was very supportive and complimented my work...but I have to admit, back then...I wasn't exactly as friendly as I am now.

I may even have been a terrible friend, but I'm here to make-up for it All." she added.

Hearing her words, Cyrus looked at Lydia then at his dad who nodded at Lydia, "I suppose we're driving the same road." Joe replied before finishing his slice.

"Oh! this cake is good btw!" Joe said pointing at his empty plate, "I made sure to pick the best for the occasion." Lydia replied.

"How old are you if you don't mind me asking?" Joe asked, "24, and I don't mind, you can ask me whatever you want!" Lydia replied with a big smile.

"You two are talking as if I'm not here in the room." Cyrus spoke-up, "I'm just enjoying her company!" Joe replied.

"I'm also enjoying your company!" Lydia replied back.

"See? even she agrees!" Joe said.

"Well unfortunately." Setting his plate aside, "Lydia here, is just about to leave...Lydia, let me escort you outside." Cyrus said standing-up.

"You're not really leaving, are you Lydia?" Joe asked.

Despite her confusion, "Yes, unfortunately I have to...I'm working right now...i had to sneak to get here."Lydia said, "See you later Joe!" she added and then followed Cyrus outside.

"Goodbye." Joe replied sadly as he watched them leave.

...Few moments later...

"Do you not want me here?" Lydia asked.

"It's not like that, I appreciate everything you've done so far for me, but you need to be careful, you can't just show-up unannounced, You're supposed to be working." Cyrus said.

"So you know I'm back to work already..." Lydia said, "Joel told me...I'm happy that you got your second chance, which is why you shouldn't be here, you might not get a third one with Radka." Cyrus replied.

Surprised, "You're worried about me!" Lydia said smiling.

"Of course I'm worried about You, you're my friend Lydia...and while I don't appreciate the stalking, I found comfort in knowing that you were looking out for me.

Now that I'm part of Radka's crew too, the last thing I want is for us to be on different sides." Cyrus replied.

Blushing, "You're being oddly...Nice, today." Lydia said before she lowered her eyes, "Cyrus..."

"What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry I haven't been a good friend, I shouldn't have given-up on us...what happened to my sister wasn't your fault, yet I pushed you away, I cut you off!" she said regretfully.

"And I understand...dealing with such loss, I've cut everybody else too." Cyrus replied.

Swallowing, Lydia decided to muster-up her courage, "There isn't...a day, where I don't think about that moment, The time that we first spoke in.

Cyrus let out a little laugh, "Yeah, the Library!" he said.

...[Tiny flashback]...

Cyrus eyed the girl sketching in the library, few seats away from him.

He was curious, she was always there every school day, the same time and same chair, buried in her work.

She wasn't particularly a strikingly looking girl.

No, she seemed ordinary, her clothes, her face, her hair, everything about her was ordinary.

Yet she never felt ordinary to him, at least not when almost everyone pretends that she doesn't exist like they do to him, he hasn't heard anyone call her name before.

Cyrus himself didn't know her name, but he didn't care that much, in the end if anyone did matter to him in this school, it would be just Julian.

As he decided to leave the Library, Cyrus stood-up dusting his black dress before he walked away, and as he did, he passed by this artiste girl.

He shot a quick glance at her drawing, and was amazed.

On the white sheet of paper, the girl was adding some final touches to a sketch of a beautiful smiling little girl with tiny flowers adorning her long hair.

There was this strange loving vibe coming out of the sketch, Cyrus couldn't help but gaze.

"Oh wow!" he said.

Surprised, the artist girl turned to face Cyrus who was still staring at her drawing.

"Idk your name, but Your drawing is amazing! keep-up the good work!" Cyrus said.

The girl smiled at him, in all of his time seeing her, Cyrus never saw her once react in anyway, a poker face was her only face, but she smiled and her smile was, adorable?

"Thanks."

"I'm...Cyra, you are?"

"Lydia."

"So this little girl, is she someone you know?" Cyrus asked, "Yeah!...My little sister! she's really cute...isn't she?" Lydia said happily.

...[End of Tiny Flashback]...

"You had an adorable smile back then." Cyrus said making Lydia blush again, "I guess I'm not adorable anymore." she replied.

"No, Your smile is still beautiful but it's lacking something." Cyrus said.

"It's lacking...love, maybe?" Lydia replied hesitantly.

"Or maybe hope." Cyrus said.

"Well, it's not that easy to be hopeful in real life, I mean we're living to die...it makes you wonder why we bother living at all." she said.

"Yeah, and to add salt to injury...not everyone gets to live life until they're old and wrinkly." he replied.

"Do you ever think about what would have happened, what would life be like for you and the person you lost, if they didn't die?" Lydia asked.

"All the time..." he replied.

"Can you tell me about it?" she asked.

Sighing, "If he was alive today, Julian would've been filming a new movie.

He'd be filming nearby so I would drive to the set to see him.

Once I make it there, I'll quickly go to where Julian would be acting and I stand watching from a distance as he and Nikolai act out Their scene together, and once it ends I'll be clapping with everyone else.

When Julian notices me and smiles, he'd run towards me with Nikolai and while Julian hugs me, Nikolai would tease him about me coming to the set, and I'd roll my eyes at him smiling." Cyrus said, "There's so much that could've happened...if only Julian didn't die." he added swallowing as he felt his throat tighten, Cyrus was on the edge of crying again.

Grabbing his hands in hers, "The Good ones, they always die young...I'm sure that Julian is living his dream in heaven." Lydia said.

"Though I'm not religious anymore, I was brought-up in a strict church...and I'm glad I left when I could...because that Church would say both Julian and I belong in hell." Cyrus said.

"I suppose I belong in hell too, I'm not exactly the Sunday school girl!" Lydia replied chuckling.

Chuckling back, "I'll meet you down there, then." Cyrus replied.

"We're so messed-up aren't we." she said, "We've always been messed-up, it's kind of our thing." he replied.

"Yay!" Lydia said laughing but she felt nervous all of the sudden when Cyrus gazed at her with thoughtful eyes.

"Lydia..."

"Yes?"

"I don't think this has to mean anything right now, I don't want you to think that this is anything but a 'thank-you' gesture, I mean I don't know for sure why I'm making this choice...I guess I just feel really grateful for you." Cyrus said flashing her a smile, "I hope you stay as my friend...I really appreciate you, Lydia."

As Cyrus said that, he placed a hand around Lydia's waist and pulled her closer to him.

Lydia's eyes widened as Cyrus lips pressed gently against hers, she couldn't believe it, he was kissing her.

Though it was only a peck, and Cyrus pulled right away from her, Lydia stood frozen for a second in her place.

Clearing his throat, "I gotta go back to...my dad." Cyrus said.

"And Thank you for everything, again.

I haven't really felt this connected to a person in along time...it's nice knowing that our friendship still stands even after years of miscommunication or pretty much, no communication at all." he added before walking away from her.