TUESDAY

Its half five and im wide awake. I've slept since Skyar put me in bed, and now feeling refreshed and all drugged out, I leave a message on A and BB's answering machine hoping they're ok and wondering whether or not they'll be coming to school today. I have a shower and I take my time doing so. I rethink everything, revise my timetable in my head and wonder what the day ahead will be like. The shower is calming to say the most, and refreshing, but my rumbling stomach reminds me that I haven't eaten in a while. I change into my uniform and head down stairs. The clock chimes quarter past six and I head into the kitchen. Chef's making what looks like pancakes, so I sit quietly on the counter as he does so and wait for him to finish. When he's made six, he passes them to me and I smile in thanks, taking them to the table and eating them slowly. Misa's not around, and the sign on her door displays the big fat "AT UNIVERSITY" sign. I eat breakfast alone, in silence. Rod nor Skyar come to eat with me, much less anyone else, and I'm left to wonder if my isolation is because of last night's stint. There's nobody to say goodbye to, so I check my phone before I leave.

From: BB.

To: Mello

Message: Staying home. Figures.

I stuff my phone in my pocket, take my pre-packed bag from the bottom of the stairs and decide to walk it. I'm up early anyway, walking won't make me late. I lock the door behind me, I plug my earphones into my ears and turn the volume up full blast, my steps matching the pace of the beat unconsciously. I walk blindly to school, my feet finding their way there whilst my mind is somewhere else. After the commotion of the past few days, everything just seems to be blank now. I wanted Rod to say goodbye to me, or at least to be there and say nothing at all. Having nobody there at all when I woke up seemed a bit eerie, but I've grown up with Rod disappearing every now and then, so it doesn't bother me so much just yet. I text Misa, just to feel like someone is actually alive in my head-world, asking her how Uni is going and if she's planning on coming home tonight. She texts back almost instantly, cause she's a socialite like that, just as I enter the gates.

From: Misa

To: Mello

Message: Uni's great Mel! So many things to do with lotsa' cute ppls! But m' sorry lil' bro, going out for dinner with some managers and photographers and model-y peoples ): you have the house to yourself! Stay outta' trouble! Xox

"Why the long face?" Oli jogs up to me, his annoyingly cheerful face for a time so ridiculously early catching me by surprise. "You alright?"

"Mmm..." I pocket the phone and sigh.

"No BB an' A?" I shake my head. "Awh, how come? The day's not complete without their antics" An easy chuckle and I feel slightly less awkward with the Jock.

"A's...ill...so BB won't come in" Oli smiles lightly.

"Somehow its more acceptable and justifiable like that" He gives a shrug. "I'm sure A will be better soon" I nod. "C'mon" He readjusts his bag on his shoulder and starts walking.

"Eh'?" I frown.

"Well you're going to be a billy-no-mates for the rest of the day, so you can hang out with us 'til they're back"

"Why are you always so...nice..." I mumble.

"In all honesty?" He sighs. "You see the most of them..." He eyes his team mates, his supposed friends, but not the close ones he's encircled with permanently. "They all look for the typical jock, y'know?" I nod. "I don't want to be just another stereotype, there's nothing wrong with being nice, and if it helps yourself as well as others then it cant be that wrong"

"I agree"

"Like you" He laughs.

"Eh?"

"You're..." He struggles and looks away, like most straight guys do when they're discomforted.

"Bi" I announce.

"Yeah...you're—and you... I don't want to offend ya' haha" He laughs and sighs. "You look gay, but you're bi" I nod. "You strut around in that" He indicates to my leather outfit. "Proclaiming your king of the school – which you are, all mr. Popular n' all... but there's still..."

"Someone who looks and acts like I do shouldn't really be seen much less friends with a freaky mad pair of mental-institution-escapee's like BB and A?" He thinks over my words and then nods.

"Its nice though, don't get me wrong. It's like you're challenging people – you do it all the time, even if you don't know it. You're just..."

"Weird?" I scoff. "Yeah"

"Unique" Oli smiles. "I feel totally gay saying this – excuse the pun – but I admire you for that" I give him a nod in respect, gratitude and thanks before smiling.

"Thanks..." Oli sighs as we close in on his circle of friends. I recognise all of them, know most of them, talk to a few of them but only really like a couple. None the less, my Publicity Persona takes over and I'm great with them all, because the social skills both me and Misa learned (in how to basically get along with (more like manipulate) everybody) come in handy. The bell goes for first lesson and we head off. Despite the social morning, I feel very bare without my two companions.

Lunch comes slowly, and I'm not hungry. I'm reminded by the alarm on my phone about the anger management session, so I spend the next ten minutes finding the room and remembering that her name was 'Tori'. She's nice, annoyingly so, but she seems confused at my mellowed out state.

"You don't seem like the type that would need anger management Mello" She smiles. "So tell me, why are you here?"

"A guy offended me, pissed me and my friends off, then vandalised my ride, so I hit him back. And then he does this" I indicate to the room in general. "But it happens alot, so I hit him back alot" I shrug.

"Why does he annoy you, Mello?" She taps her pen on the paper and scribbles something. "When did this start?"

"He annoys me cause he's an asshole who picks on anyone who's not like him. My lack of a straight sexuality brings me into that category so he makes my days annoying when he can. He's always done it; since we met in our first year" She smiles encouragingly. "But doing this isn't helping me; if you want to help, try putting him in a social equality lesson and pray that he has a brain to understand it" Tori looks at me blankly. "He's the problem" I mumble. "Not me"

I survive the day with no fights, a lighter mood and a bit of a smile. Oli and his gang kept me talking long enough, the teachers kept me learning enough and occupied enough to forget – or at least push to the back of my mind – A and BB's absence. One of Oli's friends, Mikk, offers me a ride home; so I take it thankfully and we, along with three back passengers, sing along stupidly to the radio until my house comes up and I leave. As soon as the car's gone, I feel guilty for enjoying the day without BB and A. I text them, wishing they had a good day and that everything's ok. Once inside the house, I drop my bag on the sofa and announce that I'm home. Just as empty as I'd left, I receive no reply. I debate heading to my room to change, but something compels me to head to Rod's office; maybe that's his most likely place to be. Thankfully, he is. After knocking politely and trying the handle, I open it to find Rod sat with his earphones in, feet propped up on the desk with his hands clasped together in a calm way. He tugs out the earphones which are blaring some kind of weird music and faces me.

"How was school?" I shrug. "Did you go to anger management?" I nod. "Good" I look at him blankly. I'm really not sure what to say to him. I just want his company, hell, any company will do. I'm a social person, even if I have two social recluses as best friends, I need conversation. But I don't want to risk Rod snapping at me. I glance at his desk, unable to hold his stare any longer. It's been cleaned; there's some new CCTV tapes on his desk, and the pens are all arranged in height order in his pot. "I err... sorry no'one was here this mornin'...we err, there was something we needed to sort out" And there I was thinking I was part of The Family – aren't I supposed to be included? "Oh fuck it, why the long face Mel?"

"You-" I begin, not even knowing where to start. Ranting would do no good, I need him to listen. "Do you have a few minutes?" He nods encouragingly. "You in a patient mood?"

"Depends..."

"It's about...those two" He sighs and indicates for me to draw up a chair. "Y-...you know they mean a lot to me, right?" He nods. "You know they're important...that they're my best friends and I need them?" Again, he nods. Feeling ever so slightly assured, I bravely continue my speech.

For an on-the-spot proclamation (not a rant) I think it went pretty well... Rod seemed to get the gist and I felt better afterwards. I told him about the fun times I'd had with BB and A and the bad times that weren't so good, I think he seemed to appreciate that those two had grown up with me. They really were like my family, and after sitting down and explaining that to Rod, I felt like we'd cleared up some old rubbish that didn't need to be fought over. I explained about defending them, about A's situation and where they were currently at. Despite the concerned look on Rod's face, he seemed to accept my speech as the Law and appeared to have a much nicer attitude towards A and BB now. Or at least, that was what I was hoping for. I skip dinner and go to bed for an early night. I get a surprise text from A saying that they'll be in tomorrow, BB's made him 'all better and shiny' now, so... it can only be good. Misa texts me with her usual 'Goodnight!x' text when she's at Uni too, but I switch my phone onto silent and get my early night, sleeping until my alarm went off the next morning, and I wake to a rainy day, a cup of hot chocolate and the mention of chocolate cereal. Hallelujah.