Part 82

"This sucks!" David croaked before a big coughing fit stroke him again and he started coughing. To him it felt as if he was going to throw up his lungs. Wes patiently sat on his bedside and rubbed his back soothingly. David didn't throw up. When David then tried to lay down Wes stopped him.

"Remember what the doctor said", he said and placed a few pillows behind David to keep him sitting. "It's better to sit up."

"But I wanna sleep laying down", David whined.

"I know but you can't sleep yet, you haven't taken your meds."

David grumbled and shuffled down a little in the bed, folding his arms over his chest in annoyance. Wes just smiled gently. David had gotten pneumonia. Wes did feel bad for him but also a bit smug. He had told David that if he swam in the pond he'd get pneumonia or worse. But did the younger boy listen? Noooo. It was November for crying out loud! But maybe this would teach David to not always listen to what older students told him. Namely the Everetts. They had managed to fool David, Fred and a few others that the pond near the gym was heated so that you could swim in it. Both Fred and David got sick, David a bit worse. But Wes had warned them.

"It's not fair", David grumbled again.

"The doctor said to stay in bed but get up and move around a couple a times each day", Wes explained. "You also need to sit up a lot and take your medicine with food. Thad is bringing you a pizza."

"I don't wanna have pneumonia!" David whined.

"You shouldn't have swam in the pond."

"But the Everetts-"

"They tricked you I know, but why did only freshmen swim in the pond?"

David pouted and crossed his arms again.

"It's still not fair", he grumbled. Wes smiled and patted his shoulder. "I'm missing the performance!"

Wes groaned and dropped back onto his back. David smiled in sympathy for him. Blaine was giving Wes a hard time. He was still trying to become lead singer and no matter how many times Wes told him Collin had gotten the part along with Kim Blaine refused to give up. Wes had to constantly remind himself of the fact that Blaine was just a freshman and just wanted a chance to shine. But he wasn't as good as Collin or Kim… yet.

Wes had decided to keep quiet about the fact that he was lead singer in freshman year and the older Warblers had agreed to the idea. It would only have increased Blaine's arguments. It wasn't that Blaine was a bad singer but he got too carried away at times and got lost in his own bubble. When he did he sometimes got off key or rearranged the singing so that the harmonies didn't fit anymore. That ticked Wes off more than anything. Isaac had worked with Wes to put music to one of his poems. Blaine had gotten the lead and he had rearranged everything when they were performing for the school. It had been embarrassing. The Warblers sang on and Blaine repeated the same verse again and the chorus before finishing with a lot of wailing. It was embarrassing and Wes had to stop him to restart from the last chorus so that they could go on with next verse. Wes did not like being laughed at by his fellow students because one of the birds decided to go solo. The Warblers were and had always been a unit, but Blaine had sort of a trouble understanding that.

Now the Christmas performance was coming up and Blaine was outright begging Wes to get a solo. He didn't bother Rob or Eric… or anyone else. Just him. Blaine wasn't stupid. He knew what sway Wes had over the group, even though Wes sometimes didn't. He was going so far that he was even kissing up to him… it drove Wes crazy. There was a knock on the door and the two looked up.

"Wevid it's Thad open up", their friend called and Wes smiled and opened the door. Thad was carrying a pizza box and a can of pills. Wes smiled at him and David sat up a little straighter, his mouth watering from the delicious smell. Wes closed the door behind Thad and sat on his own bed so that Thad could sit beside David. The two were starting to get along more than great. They were becoming really good friends. That's why Thad turned to Wes.

"Why haven't you yelled at the twins yet for causing this?" he asked.

"Why should I?" Wes asked. "I told them not to trust the Everetts and do that, but did they listen? No. 'Learning by doing and reflecting about it' Dewey said. And I agree."

"But it was dangerous!"

"Thad it was a pond."

"It doesn't matter! I have nine reasons why!"

"Give them to me."

"Okay", Thad said and made sure to sit more comfortable while David eat happily. "1) Pneumonia itself can kill you if it gets bad enough."

"Um… no not really these days", Wes said. "And we caught it too early for that. The doctor was impressed even."

"2) frostbite. It can cause permanent damage to nerves and tissues, sometimes even paralyzing the person or making amputation necessary."

"Yeah not enough exposure."

"3) Hypothermia. You can get it in a matter of minutes."

"He was in the water a matter of second…s."

"4) those cold of temperatures can make you organs shut down."

"Not enough exposure."

"5) those cold of temperatures can send you body into shock!"

"Not enough exposure."

"6) those cold of temperatures can send you into cardiac arrest!"

"Not enough exposure."

"7) he could've drowned!"

"In a pond that reaches his waist?"

"8)Chunks of ice and debris could also harm swimmers."

"There was no ice, why do you think the idiots believed them."

"9) getting swept away by a current."

Wes gave him a tired look.

"Baby this is a manmade pond", he said. "It's like 4 meters in diameter and not deep… there is no current in it."

"10) even out of the water, air across wet skin drops the temp even farther. It's scientifically proven."

"We wrapped them in towels and threw them into the sauna", Wes said calmly. "Anything else?"

"Are you still not mad at them?"

"Nope."

"Why?!"

"Because I told them that the pond wasn't heated. I've told them all year to never listen to the Everetts. I told them they weren't serious. I warned them. But they refused to listen. I'm not your dad, why should I lecture two guys older than me? I'm not anyone's dad. It's not my job."

With that Wes got up and left, slamming the door shut. Thad stared at him in confusion. Ever since sectionals Wes had been snappy and they had to walk on eggshells around him or he'd blow. Like now. He was nothing like the Wes the freshmen had gotten to know before sectionals. Did their loss really upset him that bad?

"Okay", Isaac said. "What's up with our little Warbler?" The seniors and juniors were gathered in the commons. They had noticed Wes getting more and more cranky ever since sectionals. It couldn't be the loss at sectionals because Wes had been through losses before and he'd never react like this. Something was up… something was wrong… very wrong. He hadn't even yelled at the twins and that had been their aim with the whole prank on the freshies… to see how Wes would react. But when he didn't react… that was the last straw. Something was wrong with their little birdie… very wrong.

"He's been very snappy lately", Howard grumbled. "Yesterday I asked him if he needed help to get down a book in the library that he couldn't reach. He just spat at me that he could get a fucking chair and that he wasn't completely helpless even though we seem to think it."

"But we don't", the twins said in unison.

"Right and he didn't yell at you two."

"We were sure he would."

"I heard from the guys on the martial arts team that Wes has been too rough during practice", Rob said calmly. "He doesn't hold back even a little… he's totally ruthless."

"But he never does that!" the twins objected.

"Now he did."

"Logan and I saw him ignore two freshmen in the Dragon that asked him for directions", Alexander said.

"I heard from his freshie friends that he was rude to their teachers in a few classes", Juan said. They were still calling Wes' friends from his own year for his freshie friends.

"That is very unlike him", Isaac said. "Wes is never rude to grownups or girls."

"Has he been rude to any girls?" the twins asked.

"Just one", Oliver said and grimaced.

"Oh no he didn't", the twins said in horror.

"Oh yes he did", Oliver said and every older Warbler winced. But at least that means that their older brothers were in on it too.

"He's less patient in Warbler practice", Collin said.

"And he is constantly cranky", Isaac added.

"And snap worse than the shark in Jaws", Peter Pan said and they all gave him a look. "What?"

"He's upset about something", Kim concluded. "That must be it. Has something happened?"

The boys all started thinking through the last few months. A first guess would've been that something had happened to someone in Wes' family. But they all, now, knew that wasn't the case. How horrible it might sound to say it was the truth. Wes didn't have a family in that sense of the word. He had no parents or siblings… well he had lots of brothers but it wasn't completely the same thing. So that suggestion was out. Nothing had happened to any of his friends because they would've heard it somehow or another. Especially if it was a Warbler. So what could it be? What would make Wes this upset? And how long would it take them to figure it out?

In another part of the world two very tired young men was having a video call with a furious blonde girl and a brown haired young man. The two tired ones were both trying to stay awake because where they were it was late and where the other two were it was not late at all.

"And then he just snapped at me and hung up", Justine finished her angry rant.

"Maybe he was busy with something and you disturbed him?" one of the tired young men asked, half asleep.

"I'll have you know Joseph Hughes that I never disturb anyone!"

"Babe it's 3 am here", the other tired young man answered. "We were asleep. Your call woke us… how is that not disturbing?"

The girl had the grace to blush a little.

"Well", she said. "It said you were online so don't blame me for waking you when you didn't even turn off your computer Austin."

Austin slapped Joseph up the head as the other boy sniggered.

"Shud up", he grumbled tiredly. The brown haired young man chuckled.

"See Just", he said. "I told you they weren't gonna be much help."

"Oh you be quiet Julian", Justine said and huffed. "This is a serious matter though."

"I agree… Wes is acting very out of character."

Joseph yawned as he tried to stay awake. But he let his head drop onto Austin's shoulder and snuggled closer. Austin didn't seem to mind at all and wrapped an arm around him to keep him from falling off the chair. Julian laughed and Justine pouted.

"Joey", she whined. "No fair cuddling my boyfriend when I can't!"

"Ma boyfiend", Joseph grumbled sleepily. "Go 'way." He waved at them, Austin also looked tired. Julian laughed and then grinned when another caller joined them.

"Hiya Jerry", he said. Jerry looked at them all and his eyes lingered a little at Justine's pouting face and Austin and Joseph snuggling. Well Joseph snuggling into Austin's side and Austin holding him.

"You woke them up didn't you", he stated and looked at Justine and she nodded. "Okay you two go to bed."

"I'm a just gonna sleep here…" Austin said drowsily.

"Oh no you don't. Go. To. Bed."

"Okay mama", Joseph replied.

"How many-"

"Night mama", Austin said and turned off the call.

"No!" Julian exclaimed. "I didn't get time to save a screen shot of them snuggling!"

"Julian be nice", Jerry scolded lightly. "now what was this call about anyway?"

Justine and Julian lunged into telling him about Wes' new and bad attitude. Julian and Justine had both been talking to their friends at Dalton and had gotten told everything. Jerry listened and the trio started discussing what could be wrong. That's when Jerry said something that made everything click for Julian. He said:

"I guess we just have to prove we love him or something."

'Love', Julian thought. 'Wait… this is like what my professor was talking about. What was the cause again? Ooooh I know what's up!'

Justine and Jerry were still talking. They were throwing ideas about what was wrong but Julian know they were all wrong.

"Leave it to me", Julian interrupted before ending the call, leaving Justine and Jerry very confused.

Wes was sitting in the Warbler Hall doing his homework. He'd had enough of all the questions thrown his way all day from the older Warblers as well as the younger ones. What's wrong? What's up? How can we help? We'll understand if you just tell us what is up. Like they would understand… Wes was bitter and angry and hurt and no one left him the fuck alone! It was getting annoying. Couldn't they see he wanted to be alone? He wasn't an adult… why did they have to come to him with all their fucking problems? Who made him their dad? He heard the door open and close.

"I said I don't fucking want company", he spat.

"That's a shame since I drove for nearly ten 'fucking' hours to get here", a voice said and Wes' eyes went very wide.

"Julian?!" he asked and twirled around. There was Julian Rose, sitting on the council table.

"Hiya squirt", Julian said and Wes couldn't stop the grin. He got up from his chair and hugged the older boy. Julian hugged him back happily.

"What are you doing here?" Wes asked as they sat down on one of the couches.

"I have to write this big essay for my course about relationship psychology thingy and I ran out of ideas so I took a little road trip to get my flow going… wait no that wasn't how Austin worded it when he was looking for inspiration? What did he say again?"

Wes chuckled.

"He took his laptop and left this school over the weekend because being here trapped his imagination into a cage of incorrect grammar thinking and history class essays that ruined everyone's interest in the subject whether Washington had wooden teeth or not", he replied and Julian grinned.

"Right right", he said. "Much more classy than what I said so who is she dating?"

Wes blinked in confusion and stared at Julian. His face was serious though.

"What are you talking about", Wes asked and looked away.

"Your new personality."

"Oh great so they called you and tattled."

"No Justine called me and our favorite UK duo and ranted. But she also pumped Kim on the info so… we all know buddy. So spill. Who is she dating to give you this new attitude?"

"What attitude?"

"The snappy attitude, the personality change, short fuse… nasty comments", Julian said. "It all points to one thing."

"And what is that?"

"Olivia has found another guy."

Wes looked at his feet.

"How did you know?" he asked.

"We just talked about it in class, well in class it was about detecting these sort of behavior in movies and on TV where it is usually blown out of proportions but you are getting very close to a soap opera with this attitude."

Wes blushed and looked down. Julian put his arm around him.

"Come on squirt talk to me", he said gently and Wes leaned his head on his shoulder. "I know I'm not Mama or Papa but you can always talk to me too you know."

Wes was quiet for a little bit and Julian only held him, remembering what Mark had once said. When Wes first came to Dalton he had never just been held. Never comforted in anyone's arms. Wes sighed heavily after a bit.

"I know we broke up because we knew we wouldn't see each other again, well most likely", he said. "And I was okay with it and I thought I'd be able to handle it… but… she called me and told me she had a date with this Britt she's met back in jolly old England…" Wes looked down. "And it hurt so bad."

Julian caressed his hair gently and listened while Wes poured his hurt and pain out. He understood how it could make him bitter.

"I know buddy, it hurts to let go sometimes", he said.

"I don't want to let her go Julian… I didn't want to let her go." Wes felt tears go down his cheeks slowly. "How can she let me go so easily when I can't even bare to…" He didn't continue.

"Bare?" Julian asked. "Bare to what?"

"Take off the stupid chain she gave me…"

Julian smiled and hugged him close. He rocked him gently.

"Who said you had to?" Julian asked gently.

"She forgot me already…"

"No… no no no that's not it. She is trying to get over you."

Wes sniffled and snuggled closer to Julian.

"You really think so?" he asked.

"Of course I do. Just look at you. Martial arts star, Warbler chairman, Student council president… awesome little dude. She's gonna have a hard time getting over you… or find someone better… if possible."

Wes smiled a little at that. "Thank you Julian."

"You're welcome buddy. Now… don't you have something to do?"

"Yes… a few apologies", Wes said. "but first…" He got up and headed to the door and Julian grinned when he heard:

"BRETT! ERIC!"

"Aaaah it's good to be me", Julian said and grinned. "Well… it's good to not be the Everetts."

TBC No one noticed what I did :( I made David forsee the future... well David and Thad. Oh and thanks to hallescomet97 for giving me the points 1-10... and with who I debated them with ;)

Answer to non-members' (or not signed in members') reviews:

wesandwarblers - She really doesn't. Do you still dislike her?