Next chapter up, hopefully this will be a double update as I'm just tweaking the next chapter. Also yay 30,000 word mark :D

That morning, before he could sneak off to his lessons he'd been called into Saito's office, a thing which he always dreaded for the simple fact that Saito cared too much to let anything go, it was a admirable quality but one that often landed Arthur in trouble at home or at school.

Now with the light filtering through the large window behind Principal Saito's desk, he almost felt like he was in an interrogation room, the seat under him was stiff and lumpy making him tilt left and right every few minutes. Arthur remembered the first time he'd been called into Saito's office, after Marco's first attack, that one he had reported. Saito had passed him cool glass of water and sat in his large, push desk chair, frowning with concern. He'd promised that the issue would be resolved and that Marco was being placed on suspension, Arthur had felt relieved.

Then the next day had come, and he had to endure the fury of the football team for getting one of their best players suspended, Coach Saunders had treated Arthur like he was a dirty rat. It didn't matter about the bruises on Arthurs face and stomach, they saw him as a grass, some of them had cornered Arthur in the bathroom and 'taught him a lesson' about ratting on their friend.

When the football team lost their game whilst Marco was on suspension the school saw it as somehow Arthur's fault, they said Arthur had been asking for it with the way he looked down at people and ignored them, and when Marco had come back, he made sure Arthur remembered that ratting him out was a bad idea. The 'Slut' thing had just been another nail in the coffin.

So whenever he got called into Saito's office to talk, he did what he always did, feigned ignorance to the whole thing. No, nothing was going on, he and Marco had just had an argument, 'I just tripped', 'I pulled a muscle in track'. He had a whole litany of excuses ready, he felt like a coward every time he denied it, but the alternative was so much worse.

Today was no exception. From the moment he sat in Saito's office, he'd put on a blank face and just shrugged or muttered 'yes' or 'no' to any questions the principal asked him.

"So you're saying that the whole thing was just a disagreement between Mr. Eames and Mr. Ballaconi" Arthur nodded mutely.

"And what was this disagreement about?"

He shrugged "I dunno. Yusuf asked me for a hand pulling Eames and Marco apart, and I did, got in the crossfire a bit, nothing really" he tried his best to seem bored with the whole conversation, hoping that he could get away quicker. Saito sighed in disapproval, laying the pen he'd been using to write down Arthur's story on his large dark oak desk and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"Mr. Reyes-Holmes" he began solemnly "This is not the first incident involving yourself and Mr. Ballaconi" he leaned forwards "Are you sure this was just a disagreement between Mr. Eames and Mr. Ballaconi?"

"That's what everyone's told you as well right" Saito shifted and Arthur knew he was right.

"Yes, that is the concurrence between all parties, but" he lowered his voice "I know the stress Coach Saunders places on his team, that the school places on it, scholarship and college entries hang in the balance as well as our pride as a school, and all the other parties involved in this incident are on said football team. They might've been persuaded to relay a different story" Arthur knew that he wanted to tell him the truth, that Marco was probably an insane menace when it came to Arthur, even when he played, the few times he'd seen before he was no longer welcome, he played with a ferocity, battering the other team if they tried to get close to him. He wanted to tell Saito that Eames had protected him, that he shouldn't be punished for helping Arthur, but as he looked into Saito's encouraging gaze, all he could see was Marco's face in his, the threats and his mind was already made up.

"Mrs. Cobb told you, it was Yusuf and me pulling Eames and Marco away from each other" he crossed his arms and scowled "I don't know what the fight was about, I just stupidly jumped in" Saito looked sadly at Arthur, the same way Mrs. Cobb did when he glossed over Marco's treatment of him, he couldn't stand their god damn pity in their eyes and grabbed his bag, standing up quickly "Is that all sir?"

Saito just looked at him for a minute, that same expression of pity on his face "Yes Mr. Reyes-Holmes, that'll be all" Arthur strode out the door without looking back. Unfortunately he didn't escape far; and nearly bumped into Ariadne as he turned out of the principal's office. She jumped up from her chair and grabbed Arthur's shoulders before he could get away; her lip was red where she'd been biting it.

"Arthur" she began, her hair was covering half of her face and her eyes were wide open and worried "The whole schools talking, apparently Marco and Eames got into a fight and you were involved" she pointed to the bruise on his cheek "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine" he mumbled "Eames and Marco got into it and I just pulled them apart"

"Bullshit!" he started at her in surprised at the exclamation "I already talked to Yusuf, he told me what happened!" Arthur cursed Yusuf, and closed his eye at the pain behind his eyelids.

"Arthur" Ariadne shook him "Are you ok?"

"Shouldn't you be more worried about Yusuf" he muttered bitterly, Ari glared at him

"No offense to Yusuf, but you're my best friend and therefore my first priority" she looked hurt and angry, but Arthur still could hear the care and concern in her voice that made him glad she was his friend.

"What about me?" a voice piqued, Robert appeared behind Ariadne, a large bar of chocolate in his hand "Whose best friend am I?"

Ariadne tutted "Depends on who that chocolates for" her mouth was practically watering as she looked at it.

Rob eyed her suspiciously and tucked the chocolate protectively under his arm "Don't even think about it" he warned "It's for Arthur" he held the bar out to Arthur, who just stared at it for a few minutes, confused.

"You brought me...chocolate?" Rob nodded at him "Why?"

Robert shrugged, his neat brown hair falling across his forehead, eyes lighting up "I heard that it has some sort of chemical in it that makes you happier, and it seemed worked in 'Bridget Jones' Diary" he winked.

Arthur stared at the chocolate again, and without warning he began laughing shakily, he caught Ariadne's eye and the three of the burst out into uncontrollable laughter, it wasn't even that funny, it was just so very...Rob. He laughed until his chest hurt and the sides of face ached from smiling so widely, their laughter echoed down the corridors, to anyone passing by the would've looked like a bunch of crazy people, for some reason that made him laugh even more, everything had gone mental, and it was a little bit wonderful.

"If you three are quite done" Saito's voice yelled from his office "Maybe you would like to get to your lessons" they snickered together and rushed down the corridor away from the principal's office.

"Thanks Rob" he clapped a hand on the boys shoulder as he passed the chocolate "That did make me feel better" Rob grinned happily at Arthur, looking pleased.

"Yeah next time I'm down you my friend are coming straight to mine" Ari looped her arms round theirs, linking them all together "I haven't laughed like that in ages" giggled, she looked relaxed and content, her eyes shining.

Sometimes the thought would hit Arthur, that no matter what had happened, he was incredibly lucky to have friends like Rob and Ari, friends that bought him chocolate on the chance it would cheer him up, friends who would camp out in Arthur's living room just because he couldn't go on some dumb camping trip, who put up with his snarky behaviour and sarcastic comments. Nothing had really been resolved, but for a brief moment Arthur felt his chest fill with happiness.

The rest of the day was surprisingly quiet, even Marco didn't show his face much. The only thing missing was Eames' presence, he was nowhere to be seen in English and Arthur actually found himself missing him, recently he'd taken to texting Arthur during the lesson, nothing constructive, just stuff like

I wonder if Mr. Dunn notices that one of his trouser legs is tucked into his sock? xD

-E

Or

Do you think that the poet whose stuff we're analysing ever looks down and thinks 'For fucks sake the curtains we're just fucking blue! It rhymed that's the only reason it's in there, god!" xD

-E

Or

Yusuf has just had the audacity to claim the Loc Ness Monster doesn't exist, currently not talking to him and giving him the evil eye across the desk.

-E

Or

You should wear sweater vests more often! They look great on you, Ruby Masters behind me said and I quote 'Oh my god Arthur looks soooo cute' (I only exaggerate slightly O_O). Have you thought about waistcoats? ;)

-E

Arthur would sometimes text back.

Your interest in men's fashion is beginning to make me suspicious, concentrate on the lesson Mr. Eames, or I'll give you a quiz on it.

-Arthur

You're not serious?! D:

-E

Deadly.

-Arthur

Slave driver xP

-E xx

More often than not, Eames' texts made Arthur chuckle or snort slightly louder than he wanted and Mr. Dunn would give him the disapproving eye. That would prompt another text from Eames, who was always obnoxiously pleased with his ability to make Arthur lose concentration. Today though h couldn't concentrate for a different reason, that lesson and everyone after it, he covertly checked his phone to see if Eames had replied to his texts, but each time, the same 'mail box empty' message appeared. Arthur spent the day looking for a glimpse of that cocky grin, but it never appeared.

"Maybe he's looking after his mum again" he thought weakly to himself. He now sat there hoping Mr. Dunn would ask him to give Eames their work notes, but at the end of the lesson Yusuf darted to the front and asked for it himself quickly slipping out of the room once he'd gotten them. Arthur gathered up his stuff quickly and ran after him.

"Yusuf!" he called; the curly hair boy span round at the voice, but slumped when he saw Arthur there.

"Yes Arthur" he sounded a little tired.

Arthur opened his mouth, nerves fluttering in his stomach "I can take those notes to Eames" he ventured, but Yusuf shook his head.

"Eames asked me to post them on my way back, I have a car it's easier for me"

"Oh...right" he swallowed before he asked his next question "Is Eames...ok?" Yusuf sighed deeply and rubbed his temples, when he opened his eyes he looked haggard.

"I don't know Arthur, I really don't"

"Maybe I could go and see him" he offered, Yusuf shook his head again, curls bobbing around his face.

"Trust me he just needs some space to deal it. It's best if we all just give it to him" Arthur nodded, dismayed and toed the ground with the front of his trainer.

"Well...um..tell him that the invitation to Ari's is still open" Yusuf smiled for the first time at Arthur

"I will" he promised warmly "I'll be there either way, and so will Dom and his girlfriend"

"How's Dom doing with all this?"

"Trying to get the team to all get along, it hasn't been easy. He is Eames' friend but he's also basically the Captain, it's his job to keep everyone afloat" Arthur nodded, Dom was a decent guy.

"Anyway, I better get going, see you tomorrow Arthur" he waved behind him as he moved with the other students down the hall.

Instead of going straight home that day he went to the track, their coach had tried to get Arthur to go home the day before after seeing his injuries, but Arthur had refused, for the same reasons he was running today. It got Arthur out of his head, he didn't think about anything but running when he was on the track. Arthur relished the burn in his muscles as he pushed himself, kept going against the wind whipping at his arms and legs.

He ran and ran, only stopping for a two minute break where he needed to breathe. He kept going round and round that track, trainers slapping against the hard surface, the smell of cut grass filling his nose.

By the time he called it a day the light was almost completely gone, his muscles ached and he'd successfully distracted himself long enough to get out of his head. He was the only one left on the field and the whole space was pleasantly silent and serene, he felt relaxed as he made his way to the showers.

That peacefulness lasted until he was laying in bed that night and his thoughts turned to Eames, who still hadn't got back to him. Would he show up to Ari's tomorrow? And if he did what would Arthur say? Thanks for saving my ass? He groaned and rolled over, this was going to be a long night.

I know this chapter didn't really feature Eames much, make it clear that he was struggling with his aggressive reaction to Marco and that he was having trouble dealing with it, this also meant avoiding Arthur, for another reason which will be revealed in the next update, woooo! Thanks for reading and reviewing you guys!