It was just another day of community service, we had been taking a break lying on the stairs when Nathan shouted out "Pervert!" The sudden commotion drew me in as Simon came out from behind a corner reaching for his phone, now in Nathan's hands. "What are you doing?" I slowly looked between the two boys as Simon spoke louder this time. "Give it back." Nathan ignored him "Come on, we'll do an interview." Simon reached forward quickly hoping to get his phone back but it didn't stop Nathan "First question. Have you ever had sex with a piece of fruit?" Simon was getting annoyed "Give me my phone." Nathan took that as an answer continuing while I got up to try and stop him "Second question. Was it a melon?" Simon tackled Nathan before I could actually get close, the action causing me to jump back, as they struggled for the phone Nathan started crying out. "He's trying to kiss me!" I couldn't see any real way to get between them. "Just give it back!" Simon demanded. They had seemed to stop struggling so much as I hit Nathan on the back of his head "Give him his phone back, you prick." Nathan turned around annoyed "Stop hitting me!" But gave Simon his phone back unable to resist one last jab. "Have your little toy. Melon-fucker!" I looked over at Simon to make sure he was okay but he wouldn't stop glaring at Nathan "Don't touch my phone." With the fight over we all made our way to the community center. Simon walked slower than the rest of us, I looked over my shoulder worried but ultimately decided he'd be better off alone right now catching up with the girls to discuss the latest things in our lives.
When we came in Sally called us into her office one by one. Kelly went in first, followed by Nathan, Curtis and Alisha. Then it was my turn. I sat down on the couch facing her looking around the office before asking "What is this?" She sat there holding a pen looking annoyed "This is your chance to talk about community service." I nodded my head a little honestly just wanting to leave "Do you think that you have learned anything?" So it was just gonna be basic questions how fun. I rolled my eyes but still chose to reply "No." She gave a little grimace. "Fine." Looking down at the paper she found another question to ask "How do you think you've changed?" I folded my arms "Sally, I'm gonna be real with you it hasn't. There ain't anything you want that you're gonna get out of me because I'm not remorseful I'm pissed off." I stood up to go leave and she didn't fight, "Can you get Simon for me." She said quietly looking down at her paper clearly exhausted. I didn't respond but went and got him anyway before going to help the others. We had been told to clean the community center while we waited, it wasn't exactly something that required a lot of brain power so we were all bored. Kelly looked over at the office quickly before asking no one in particular "Why has he been in there longer than the rest of us?" I looked over curiously, it made sense that he'd actually talk to Sally but I still felt a little worried. Nathan spoke up then "He's obviously making more progress. He's such a little arse-kisser." His face suddenly lit up "I have an idea. He went and walked past the window behind Simon being stupid like always. Kelly had followed him at a different angle to watch, and I followed more curious about what was happening with Simon and Sally than Nathan. He appeared... comfortable, it was strange seeing him smiling and talking to her. He got up to leave then. Stopping at the door as she made another comment. Watching them it almost hurt but instead of letting anyone know, surely it would only get me ridiculed if I actually cared about what happened to someone I considered my friend. So I walked off pretending nothing had changed. Because it hadn't, it couldn't.
After Simon finished talking to Sally we had been told to move on outside and start peeling posters off the notice board. As we'd started peeling them off each taking a bit of wall I remembered something, turning to the others, "We never did find out who was putting notes in our lockers." Nathan replied seeming rather annoyed any of us had cared about it to begin with "What did I say? I said they had nothing. They were just pissing in the wind." Curtis looked over his concern obvious as he said seriously "You don't know what they got on us." Simon leaned forward them at the other end of the line "Maybe they're watching us right now." Once again Nathan spoke up, as well as being the only one without a power he was the only one who didn't really seem to take this seriously. "This shit is old news. We have outfoxed the fox, which makes us very bloody foxy." Kelly stifled a laughed causing Nathan to turn to her smiling "You like that, huh? Yeah."
We had continued cleaning up the community center, today we were washing windows, when Nathan suddenly turned to Kelly. "What if I can talk to animals?" He asked her sounding almost hopeful she just gave him a strange look. "Why would you even think that?" By now Nathan had stopped cleaning the window fully invested in his story. "I saw this basset hound eating a kebab off the pavement. I was like, 'You dirty bastard,' and this basset hound gave me a right funny look." I rolled my eyes "He probably thought you were a twat." Nathan disagreed "No, it wasn't that kind of look. It was more like, 'Are you talking to me?'" Nathan took a look inside and pointed to some women walking past with their babies "See? Babies. That's why I always use a condom. And if the girl looks dirty, I use two. Belt and braces." I looked off to see Simon also looking through the windows inside, I took a step closer trying to see what had caught his attention, it was Sally, he was staring at the probation worker. I quirked my eyebrow at him as he pet his hair down with the palm of his hand, something he seemed to do when nervous. I turned away it was ridiculous trying to understand what he was thinking. Almost immediately a woman walked in gaining both the attention of Nathan and Simon. She looked around for a second ignoring the fact that Nathan had whistled at her when she walked in before turning to us. "You seen Curtis?" Curious we all stopped cleaning and Kelly walked towards her "Who are you?" Unfazed she simply stated "I'm his girlfriend." Before looking at all of us again, "Do you know where he is?" We all kind of froze in shock. Curtis, our Curtis who had been dating Alisha for a little while now, eventually Nathan sputtered out an alibi for our friend who was actually in the backroom getting as close as he could to sex with Alisha. "He's been arrested." She looked shocked but at least she didn't know what her boyfriend was really doing "What for?" Nathan thought quickly coming up with an excuse "For exposing himself." She just seemed more confused, I felt bad for her but was it really our place to tell her what was happening? "What?" Nathan had picked up momentum with his lie "Yeah, flashing." Simon had joined in while I just watched from the side "At some Scouts." The innocent almost surprised look might've sold her on it but still Nathan continued never knowing when to shut his mouth. "Try tying a knot in that! Or maybe you have." She looked at him in disgust "Very funny. When you see him, can you get him to call Sam?" Nathan sprayed at her as she left. "She seems nice."
After finishing up with community service for the day I had gone back to my friends place of which I was now an official flatmate, helping pay the rent and everything. I had been lying on the couch waiting for her to show up. It didn't take her too long, she walked in the door and upon noticing my body called out, "Ok then, let's go get a drink." I sat up smile on my face, as I grabbed my purse, "I'll buy the first round!" I walked past her still in the doorway and jumped in her car. She shook her head but followed me out and drove us to a nearby pub It was a long skinny place that had lot of lights seeing as it was underground. I looked back at my friend as she went to go find us a table, I had gone to get us some drinks when I noticed, someone familiar standing at the bar. Simon. Fuck. I looked back at my friend almost panicking. I quickly ordered us two beers, my eyes still watching Simon, curious. I followed him back and was just about to see who he was with when my friend popped up into my vision. She looked confused at me then back at Simon, who I'd been following "What are you doing?" She asked me, thankfully Simon didn't turn around and see me. I quickly and quietly responded. "I know him. He's part of my community service. I'm just..." I looked over her shoulder, unable to explain what had happened when I saw who he was sitting with. Sally. Intrigued I guided my friend to a table near by, hoping to listen in and learn a bit about what was happening. My friend just looked me up and down "You like him or something?" I sent her a glare hoping to discourage her while I listening to what was happening. I had just managed to hear Sally mention to Simon "I reckon you're quite cute when you're drunk." when some guy walked past looking right at Simon while Simon watched back. "Who's that?" Sally said at the same time as my friend. I didn't even at her while I shrugged my shoulders waiting for Simon's response "I went to school with him." He took a drink almost looking scared, my friend rolled her eyes at me whilst Sally asked something. "A friend?" I shook my head before Simon even got to respond. I didn't think he had other friends, it explained why he tried so hard to befriend us down at the community center even probably why he was here with Sally now. "He lives next door to me. He stopped speaking to me when we started secondary school." My heart ached I felt so bad for Simon but there wasn't anything I could really do given he wasn't even telling me. He didn't trust us with this information.
"Did he give you a hard time?" Simon gave a little nod barely noticeable "Every morning when I woke up, I felt sick just thinking about it. I told my parents and the teachers. They knew it was happening." He shook his head a little as he remembered all the bad things "No-one did anything." I looked down at my own drink, feeling slightly guilty about what I was doing, I looked up to see my friend her own eyes filled with sorrow. "Was it his house you tried to burn down?" Sally finally asked. My head turned quickly I hadn't really thought much about what Simon did to get in community service, he wasn't like the rest of us. I listened even more intently. "A few months ago, he sent me a text inviting me to this club. I-I thought he wanted to apologize. I get to the club, I walk up to him and his mates. He texted me by mistake." I furrowed my eyebrows trying to imagine Simon at a club, it seemed so strange. I thought back a few months to my own arrest. Almost dropping my drink as a gasped, but Simon and Sally continued to talk. "It was so humiliating. I was so angry, I-" He paused my friend looked at me confused by the shock on my face. I quietly mumbled to her. "I was there." Hesitant I don't know if I trusted my memory, "I think I helped him order his drinks" She looked at me in shock while I just turned away, Simon had already continued his conversation with Sally, I couldn't afford any more distractions. "-Everything he did to me at school. I lost it." Sally watched him intently while he swallowed "I went round to his house. I made sure his family were out. I soaked some tissues in lighter fluid. I lit them and dropped them through the letterbox." Simon didn't look all that happy, I assume he wasn't proud of anything he'd done. "There was a cat." My eyebrows rose, did I hear that right? Sally also looked for confirmation "A cat?" He looked into her eyes, occasionally glancing to the side, I couldn't look away. "Inside the house. I thought, 'The cat didn't bully me at school. He hasn't done anything.' The carpet was just starting to catch alight." He started to reach his hand out I don't know if it was a gesture to show the fire or if he wanted to reach for her hand but stopped himself, I felt my chest dropping "The cat was freaking out." Sally seemed calm, curious "What did you do?" Simon's eyebrows had been slowly furrowing closer and closer "I put the fire out." He looked down at the table and his drink. "How?" Sally asked bluntly as he seemed to stall, he looked over to his side, as I quickly covered my face, I couldn't let him catch me now. It'd be embarrassing for the both of us. "I pissed through the letterbox. This is when his mum comes home. She starts screaming. You know what it's like once you've started. It's hard to stop." He started off quiet and slow but ended up louder than his normal soft speaking volume. Calling her out as she started to giggle same as my friend. "It's not funny." My friend looked at me jokingly I wasn't gonna be able to stop her from making stupid comments when we got back home."Sorry." Sally apologized laughing a little more as Simon smiled. I hadn't realized but my face had fallen. My friend's amused expression fell from her face, as she quickly gestured for me to drink up. We quickly left hoping neither Simon nor Sally would look up and recognize me as we made our escape.
The next day Alisha, Curtis, Kelly and I were picking up trash in the community center parking lot. When Simon came running up to us. He didn't know I'd heard everything yesterday and I couldn't bring myself to look at him at first. Then he said "I think I've just seen Nathan stealing a baby." We looked at each other in shock and without another moments hesitation dropped our stuff and ran into the building following Simon "He just ran off with it." Alisha spoke up confused "Why would he take a baby?" Curtis looked at us as we walked concerned "If he gets caught, he's screwed." Even though he was a bit of a nightmare to deal with he was still a friend, I tapped Kelly's arm exclaiming to her "Call the prick." We had slowed down to a walk while Kelly attempted to reach Nathan. "Switched off. We need to find him. Fuck's sake." We walked outside unable to see Nathan anywhere we started to get desperate. Then Curtis looked up, "What's he doing?" Nathan was on the roof holding a baby. We all ran as fast as we could before Nathan could do anything. We reached the roof when Kelly called out "What the fuck are you doing?" It caused Nathan to turn around, something seemed off, "There's no need for language like that. Don't listen to her. That's a very bad word and she should know better". Everyone started talking trying to stop Nathan while Kelly just stared confused. "The baby, he's got power." She gained confidence as she got confirmation from the baby's mind "He's making you think you're the dad." Nathan looked down at the baby in his arms speaking softly "He needs a dad. I know what that's like. My dad was never around. Look what it did to me." He looked up smiling at the rest of us "I'm gonna be his daddy." I looked at him confused Kelly was right this wasn't Nathan "You? You're gonna be its dad?" I said thinking back to what he said yesterday. "You're a homeless. You're living in the community center." Kelly tried to reason with him. Curtis spoke up next. "You got no money, no job." Alisha agreed "You're poor." Simon pitched in "And you've got a criminal record." My was beating fast worried about what would happen to Nathan if we couldn't get the baby back. "You can barely look after yourself." Curtis almost smiled trailing off "Social Services will take one look at you..." Kelly just looked at Nathan determined to help him. "Seriously, the kid deserves better. Way better." Nathan couldn't be swayed. "Him and his mum can come and live with me at the center. I can get free food from the vending machines. I'll steal booze from the kitchen. I'll steal from other babies. I'll go to the park and forage for nuts and berries." Suddenly his face started to move in disgust as he held out the baby. "Why am I holding this baby? I'm not being sexist but one of you girls needs to take this off me before I drop it on its head." Kelly stepped forward while the rest of us just relaxed a little. I looked at them still a little worried. "You gotta go take him back before this gets any worse." Kelly nodded and headed off with Nathan following her.
The next day as I was getting ready to leave the community center I saw Curtis standing in a doorway watching something. I stood next to him and saw Simon and Sally again. She had her hand on his face, then she quickly turned around and walked off looking over her shoulder as she called out "I'll see you later." Simon watched her go as I tried to calm my heart. "No way! What? You and her?" Curtis loudly said in disbelief, Simon looked between Curtis and me trying to play it off "What are you talking about?" I shifted in Sally stepping forward laying a hand on his face as I spoke "I'm talking about this" He quickly stepped back from my hand "Don't tell anyone. Don't tell Nathan!" The words just rushed out of his body. I transitioned back and tried to look in his eyes and calm him down. "We won't tell him anything." Curtis looked off to where Sally had disappeared "Fit older woman. Heavy." He slapped Simon on the shoulder in a congratulatory manor before walking into a supply type room, Simon turned "Curtis, thanks." I simply nodded at Simon before he quickly went down the same corridor as Sally. Curtis looked back after Simon and then back at me still smiling "What I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall for that conversation." I hadn't used my shifting abilities to turn into anything other than a human but since I had been learning to control them I focused on turning myself into mouse, because there was no way I was gonna become a gross bug.
I had silently situated myself by Sally's couch after successfully turning to a mouse. When Simon walked into Sally's office, he had changed out of his jumpsuit and was now in some regular clothes. "I saw the light was on." I was unable to see anything for fear of being seen myself but I could hear Sally quietly question him "Have the others gone?" Simon seemingly couldn't form a response just kind of grunting in affirmation. There was a couple moments silence before Sally walked up to him. "This, seeing you like this I could lose my job." Simon seemed slightly desperate "I won't tell anyone." I felt a bit of guilt, this was the second time now that I was purposefully eavesdropping on his private life, and it didn't seem like he had much to begin with. "But I'm your probation worker. It's wrong." A moment's hesitation from Simon "Do you want me to go?" She responded immediately "No." The only thing that was wrong was me listening to all of it. I started feeling a bit sick, I'm a horrible person I thought at the same time Sally spoke again. "I'm such an idiot." Simon argued of course, he's much to kind. "You're not an idiot." She asked him "Do you want a drink?" I assume he nodded his head because she walked over to her desk "You get some wine from the kitchen. I'll lock up."
While they had both left I quickly ran out and into the bathrooms, transforming back into myself and almost throwing up in the toilet. I really fucked up. I sat on the floor, making sure I felt well enough to walk back home. I had just gotten up and started for the door when I heard someone walk in. It was Sally. I thought I was done for when she started to pace back and forth and I heard a video start to play. "Pervert." And another "Here have your little toy." That-that was Nathan. It was taken on Simon's phone what was happening. Sally started to pace faster quickly flipping through videos. She was searching for something. Then I heard something really horrible. Once again it was Nathan's voice. "It's like that is it? So much for being united by a horrific, life changing, shared experience. Last week? You know? The situation." Then my heart stopped as he said it. "We killed our probation worker!" She dropped to the floor. I was slowly starting to recover, as she started the video again. Then Simon appeared. He had been invisible "You shouldn't have taken my phone." His voice sounded strong, there was a certain amount of regret that could be heard but mostly he sounded the same he always did. Calm. "Give me the phone." Sally whispered refusing Simon "You killed him." Simon's response was quiet but slowly it built up "We had to. He was crazy. He was going to kill us." She almost laughed darkly "Tony wouldn't hurt anyone." I was hiding like a coward but what else was I supposed to do how was I supposed to stop this. Why couldn't it be Curtis here with his rewind powers. Simon spoke up again he sounded sad. "The storm changed him. It changed us all." Sally still hadn't stood up, she seemed almost scared "We have to tell the police." Something clicked in Simon's head, something I hadn't even thought of "You were just using me." Sally finally stood up, recognizing Simon was hurt seeing his weakness, I just felt angry. Why did everyone always have to do this to him. "This is what you were after." He said his words becoming louder as she confirmed his suspicions unconsciously "I had to find out what happened. This was the only way. I'm sorry." She started quietly "I know it wasn't you. It was them, wasn't it? You have to give evidence against them. I'll help you." This was it. The end. How could Simon not agree, even if she hurt him after all we'd done. We were worse. "Give me my phone!" He practically shouted at her. Once again I was surprised by Simon. But Sally wouldn't give up stepping back "Why are you protecting them?! You told me how they treat you. They ignore you." She stopped for a second thinking "You told me you were lonely." Simon sounded betrayed and confused "I never said that to you. You? You're Shygirl?" I wanted to step out but it was too late. This was all wrong. "I loved Tony. I just wanted to know what happened. I didn't want to lie to you. You're not like them, Simon. You're not." She was pleading again. "But you're the only person that can help me. I need you. Would you do this for me? Please? Please?" Suddenly there was a shattering noise. And the door slammed open. Adrenaline filled my body as I struggled to open the stall door. I stepped out prepared to see Simon on the ground bleeding but instead it was just an empty room. One of the mirrors on the wall had been smashed. I quietly stepped out. Listening to try and figure out where they could have gone. At first there was nothing. Then there was loud shattering noises coming from down a hallway, I rushed over there. Just in time to hear Sally try to reason with him. "You don't owe them anything." Opening the door quietly I slipped in both of them too caught up in the moment to notice, Simon spoke once again "They're the only friends I've got." Nothing happened for a second. I wanted so desperately to believe it was going to be okay. Then Sally lunged at the ground. Simon chased after her and they both began to struggle and grunt. I stayed hidden and a moment later it stopped. I walked silently around the corner to see Sally slumped on the floor against the door not moving. Simon slowly bending down in front of her. I glanced up seeing the blood on the door. My heart stopped again. She-she was dead. I couldn't quite breathe right but I figure I must've made a noise because Simon suddenly turned around fear all over his face. He quickly scrabbled to his feet. "It-it's not what it looked like" He started to explain before looking at me in confusion. "How did you get back, back in." I looked down at my feet whispering a quiet. "I know. I heard her. I-I never left."
*This chapter is based on Season 1 Episode 5 of British Television Drama Misfits I wrote it purely out of passion so it isn't perfect or an attempt to steal any works from Howard Overman or anyone else*