Thanks for all the reviews guys, means a lot!

"Nothing...sir" Finn replied, clamming up , realising that he was again getting close to revealing the truth about his life

"Finn, I know we haven't seen eye to eye mate, but if you need anyone to talk to, you can talk to me" Tom said calmly, watching the younger boy, wondering if there was any way he could get through the barriers that he seemed to of put up

"Its just hard" Finn said, weakly leaning against the toilet and giving up all previous inhibitions. It seemed impossible looking into Tom's kind, caring eyes, so different to those of his parents, Tom nodded kindly

"My mum, my dad. They're never there" Finn said, and Tom nodded again. It was a start; Finn was starting to open up, trust him

"That must be hard" Tom said, and Finn smiled softly through the pain in his expression

"I should be used to it. They're never at home. I just thought after...summer..." Finn started, suddenly feeling cold at the thought of his suicide attempt. He shuddered at the thought of people knowing about it, discussing it as if he was some sort of sad case. But he could tell by the vacant expression on Toms face that Tom knew exactly what he was talking about it

"So that's why you're drinking?" Tom asked, watching Finn bow his head and nod slightly

"I wanted to forget for a couple of hours" Finn claimed, burying his head in his hands, feeling more messed up then ever. And there, Tom finally saw it. The vulnerability, the small boy that just begged for nurturing and reassurance, but got nothing from his parents. He saw exactly what the problem was, and now he was going to help, or at least try.

"Alcohol only heals things for a small while" Tom admitted, and Finn turned

"Then you feel like crap for the day after and things get worse" he muttered, and Tom rubbed his back

"You feel upto any breakfast?" Tom asked, and Finn shook his head

"Definitely not" he replied, quickly, and Tom chuckled

"Well, ive gotta go to school, but Josh is going to stay behind" Tom said again, before exiting the room and leaving Finn in his own thoughts


"Wheres Clarkson?" Lauren asked, taking a seat in English and looking annoyed at the cover teacher immediately

"Mr Clarkson is taking care of someone who isn't very well..now pipe down" the supply teacher said, clearly trying to assert authority onto the class, and failing. Lauren saw the empty seats in the class

"Oh my god, Josh is ill!" Lauren said, and Sam rolled her eyes. She was going to be stuck with this all morning. Great

"Im sure hes fine" Sam said, her mind drifting off and wondering how Finn was doing..maybe she should ask Tom..or was that too overbearing?

"Yeah Lauren get a grip" cackled Amy, suddenly taking notice of the other absent seat

"Finns not in either" Amy said, more to herself

"He always bunks off though" Lauren laughed, and sighed and rolled her eyes as the supply teacher gave her another annoyed glance, and put her pen to paper


"Alright mate?" Josh asked, as Finn slowly came downstairs and sat on a sofa opposite Josh

"Never better" Finn said, a little too quickly for Josh to believe

"What made you drink like that last night?" Josh asked. Tom had told him not to push things, but he never did listen to his dads advice

"I-.." Finn started..he was trying so hard to fight his barriers, fight everything, everything his heart was saying. He so desperately wanted to confide in Josh, to have a mate know everything about him, but it made him so vulnerable at the same time, he didn't like being pitied at all. He suddenly felt his eyes betraying him and burning slightly, as if the sensation of tears were going to start. TEARS? He couldn't cry, he couldn't do anything like that

"Finn?" Josh asked again, in a softer tone, and Finn wondered whether Josh knew..he knew Josh had certainly been more attentive lately, but maybe that was because he was growing up

"Josh..do you know about.." Finn faltered again, he couldn't say it. Saying the word "summer" was bad enough, hearing the word "summer" even without a relation to him sent a shudder down his spine. He looked up to see Josh nodding slightly

"Im not messed up" Finn said, defensively

"Nobody said you were mate" Josh quickly reassured him

"Things are just..crap.." Finn said, trying to draw little emotion out of his sentences, but the small break in his voice was ruining this

"Like what?" Josh probed, in a soft caring tone, one that made Finn want to talk..


"Mr Clarkson" Sam said brightly, catching up with him in the corridor, as he was nursing two big bags under his eyes and a coffee

"Alright Sam?" Tom asked, laughing slightly at her enthusiasm "miss me in English did you?" he asked her, grinning

"Well yeah, the supply teacher looked like a bulldog, but that's not what I wanted to talk about" Sam quickly said, and Tom laughed helplessly at her comment then looked interested

"Everything alright with Denz?" Tom asked, and Sam nodded

"I was just wondering..well this morning.." Sam started, and decided to come out with it as she saw Tom's expression of confusion "my mum told me Finn was ill and that's why you were off..is he ok?" Sam finished. She didn't know why she was so concerned about her classmate that she had only recently started sharing conversations with, but things she had heard about him, the way he was. She just wanted to look out for him, the way he did for her when Kyle shoved her

"Hes doing fine now, just drank a litre of vodka.." Tom smiled slightly into the distance and watched Sam looking a little nervous

"Is he ok..like..mentally..sorry Mr Clarkson..im not trying to be nosy its just we've been talking lately and I was wondering if I could help" Sam finished, finally satisfied with her answer, well satisfied enough to stop talking, and to watch Tom reply. To her surprise he smiled softly

"Hes just a kid going through a rough patch..but having some people on his side is whats gonna help him" Tom replied, and left Sam thinking. Could she try and be on his side and keep Amy and Lauren happy?


"Hows our invalid doing?" Tom asked cheerily, walking through the door and spotting Josh in the kitchen, making a drink

"I managed to talk to him a bit, hes sleeping now" Josh concluded, stirring round the tea thoughtfully

"Yeah?" Tom asked, looking at his son and wondering what else was troubling him

"I didn't realise how unhappy he was. And im meant to be his best mate" Josh frowned, and Tom sighed

"Don't take it too harshly Josh, hes been raised not to speak to anyone about his problems, this is all odd for him" Tom quietly replied, boiling the kettle himself

"Yeaah.." Josh muttered "thanks dad"


"Denzil..homework!" Sam heard Rose shout, and she heard Denzil's cheeky reply, and laughed

Rose came and sat in Sams room "when did he turn into such a little tiger?" Rose asked, and Sam chucked

"Its always been there mum!" Sam laughed slightly

"How you feeling eh?" Rose asked, putting a hand on her daughters shoulder gently, and watching Sam frown

"Better" she smiled, and Rose nodded

"Well that's all we can ask for love..sleep tight" she replied, and crossed out of the room

Sam miserably trailed through Facebook posts before finding Boltons profile, and she taunted herself, watching every exchange that him and that skank had made, their pictures together, their comments even whenBoltonwas with Sam. Everything about them just made Sam uneasy, annoyed, and hurt. The pain was still raw. Very raw.

She contemplated messaging him, but she didn't want to be one of those moany ex girlfriends. She didn't want to be the one that was still attached, she was way stronger then that. Nobody had seen the side of her displayed when she was hurt. And she certainly wasn't going to start publicising that side of herself now

She looked at he photo of her andBoltonby her bed and wondered to herself why she hadn't shoved it down or thrown it at something. She picked up the photo and put in her drawer. She still half hoped that she would be able to use it again..but she was stronger then that..