"Hey." Tiffany said, sitting in the seat next to Leo in their silence class.

"Hey." Leo replied, but he didn't lift his gaze from the table. Tiffany went to say more but in that moment Mrs Lowsley came into the room.

"Alright everyone quiet. Your exams are on the desk and no speaking." She said. Tiffany looked towards Leo but the younger had already turned the paper over in front of him, ignoring Tiffany sitting there. Silently, Tiffany did the same but she could concentrate as she read the questions, to worried about Leo. She just hoped they could cheer him up at least a little because she hated seeing him so upset.

"Put your ponds down now." Mrs Lowsley called an hour later. Tiffany glanced over at Leo again, shocked to see how pale he was. There was a thin film of sweat across Leo's face and glancing at where his jumper had risen up, Tiffany could clearly see dark purple bruises on Leo's wrists. Tiffany hadn't looked at Leo too closely since she'd found out, afraid of making Leo feel self-conscious but now she did. There were dark purple bruises under his eyes, assignee hadn't been sleeping, or at least not well, and he looked thinner than he had a few weeks ago.

"Leo, why haven't your written anything?" Mrs Lowsley asked as the bell went for next lesson. Leo opened his mouth, closing it again when he couldn't think of an excuse. "Tiffany, you can go." The teacher said but Tiffany didn't move, wanting to help Leo out but not knowing what to say. "You've been off for the last week you should have revised." Mrs Lowsley said and Tiffany saw some of the pupils were loitering at the door.

"Miss, Leo was sick so he couldn't."

"I doubt that." Mrs Lowsley snorted and Tiffany felt a stab of hatred towards the science teacher. She went to say something more but Leo sent her a sharp look, shutting her up. Of course Leo wouldn't want anyone to know what was wrong.

"That's it, cooler now." She said and Leo slowly got to his feet.

"Miss, that's not fair." Tiffany shouted.

"Right, you can go to." Mrs Lowsley replied.

"Miss, Tiffany didn't..." Leo started but Mrs Lowsley wasn't paying attention to either of them.

"Cooler now, both of you." Seeing no way of arguing, tiffany grabbed Leo's arm and led the way to the cooler.

...

Leo sat on the table in the cooler, head bowed as he looked at the paper in front of him. Mrs Lowsley had re-given him the science test and Leo closed his eyes, wishing he hadn't come in today. He couldn't focus enough to read the questions, let alone make sense enough for him to formulate an answer. Leo should have known he wasn't well enough for school but he hadn't wanted to admit that. Hadn't wanted to worry his family any more than he already so obviously had.

Tiffany pushed a paper onto his desk, causing Leo to look up. Mr Windsor was on duty, reading a paper so he hadn't seen the note. Slowly, Leo unfolded the paper and smiled a little at the writing inside. Mrs Lowsley's a bitch.

Taking out his pen, Leo wrote back: Yeah she is. This exchange lasted a while longer, Leo managing to ignore the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach and the continuous ache in his body as Tiffany exchanged notes with him. At least, until Mr Windsor looked up and saw what the two were doing.

"You're hear as a punishment not for your own entertainment." He scolded, getting a stifled laugh from Leo and Tiffany which only caused the teacher to frown deeper. "I don't need to tell you two to be quiet again or do you want me to get Mr Fitzgerald." That quietened them, neither wanting to get Vaughan involved.

After that, Mr Windosr kept glancing up, meaning Leo was left alone with his thoughts, which really wasn't a good thing. Hoping his work might distract him from the sick feeling, Leo turned to the paper only to have the words keep swimming in his vision. He couldn't understand why he couldn't concentrate enough to think straight. "Excuse me, can you stop that." Mr Windsor said and Leo realised he'd been tapping his pen on the desk.

"Sorry." He mumbled, refusing to look in Tiffany's direction because he knew she was probably looking at him in pity. His throat was starting to burn a little; bile rising up from his stomach and Leo silently cursed Justin for making him eat that sandwich at lunch.

"Sir?" Leo asked, getting an exasperated look from Mr Windosr.

"Yes, what is it?"

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Fine, but be quick about it." He said and Leo quickly got to his feet, heading for the bathroom. Leaning against the toilet, for the second time that day, Leo wondered if it just wouldn't be easier to find his Dad so he could go home.

…

Allie was a little surprised when Floyd stayed behind after class to talk to her, Justin lurking in the background. Actually, she'd been a little surprised all lesson when neither boy, while not speaking, hadn't sent any remarks the others way or even glared at each other across the classroom. "Mum, do you think you and Vaughan could go out tonight?" Floyd asked and Allie frowned, wondering what Justin was pushing her children into.

"Why?" She asked and Justin snorted in the background, probably having guessed what she was thinking.

"We've got a movie night planned so we can cheer up Leo." Floyd replied and Allie, while thinking it was a good idea, was a little shocked that Justin had agreed to it. From what she'd seen, Justin was protective of his little brother.

"Of course that's fine." She said, knowing that Leo could probably do with being cheered up. He'd been looking extremely down this past week, thanks to his sickness, and from the few times she'd glimpsed him in the corridor today, she knew he wasn't doing brilliantly.

"Brilliant, thanks mum." Floyd said, heading out of the door. She expected Justin to go with him but Justin stayed put, making Allie nervous. The last time the two had been alone, he'd pushed a door in her face.

"What is it Justin?" She asked as Justin pushed off the wall.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry." Justin said, even if his tone said he didn't mean it.

"Why?" Allie knew she should take the apology but she couldn't believe that Justin, of all people, actually meant it.

"I think we should try and get on. For Leo's sake." Justin replied and Allie nodded. Of course it would be for Leo, Justin would never voluntarily apologise to her or allow Floyd and Tiffany to try and help if he didn't think it would help Leo.

"Okay that." She agreed, watching as Justin left the room. For all of Justin's faults, even Allie couldn't deny he would do anything for his little brother.

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed. Next chapter will be Leo getting cheered up