Monday.
... for too many days! This has gone on long enough. If neither of you show by the end of the week then I will be forced to take action and suspend you permanently, despite your scholarship. Your lack of attendance is simply not justifiable! I urge you to consider your future heavily and get in touch soon. You were both doing so well, don't trip at the last hurdle; it's your final year. Make it your best. Goodbye.
"...That was the headteacher-"
"Fuck!" My body shifts as I ungracefully roll off the couch. "Where did you come from?" BB offers me a piece of jam toast, but my mouth is dry and it looks too disgusting for my morning eyes. "N'thanks"
"Mmm...A's sleeping still. The head teacher has left three messages, all suggesting we get back into school. However I refuse to leave A in this state. We will not be separated again"
"BB...what actually happened?"
"I'm not sure. We left the bar, got home, went to bed, I headed out for some milk – we were running low and you know it's good for him" I nod encouragingly. "I get back and he's just...he was..." BB's face twists as he remembers, not in pain, but more...confusion. "I didn't understand...He wasn't breathing ...didn't know how long for... I tried for over five minutes but it wasn't working, so I choked him" My eyes bulged.
"You what?" His eyes turn to glare at me.
"If you'd been here fast enough you'd have done it better Mello" He snaps. "But no. I called, texted, fucking had to call that twat to get you to answer, so don't you dare question what I did!" BB falls silent whilst I hold my breath at his outburst. He continues as if it didn't happen. "I choked him and he came around... so I made him throw it all up ... all his stomachy insides... so weak...poor...weak...fragile... he needed help"
"You don't know why he did it?" I whisper.
"I tried to get an answer... but he won't say anything useful" We drop into silence as he pushes the jam toast around the plate. He's not that hungry. "I'm not leaving him again Mello. Never"
"We'll agree to never leave him on his own...yeah?" BB nods at my conclusion. "And...i'm sorry for not being here fast enough..."
"Mmm. Oh...Mello, is that your phone?" He points to the coffee table where my phone is indeed spinning around on the surface as it rings. I glance at the clock before answering, but my body flies into overdrive as I realise its already half past one in the afternoon.
"Hello?" I answer, realising too late that it was Rod ringing me.
"Why the fuck are you not in school?"
"I can explain-"
"I get a call from your damned head teacher saying you're not in, and you want me to be ok with it? is that it?"
"No! Rod-"
"I let you go to theirs under the understanding that you wouldn't miss school. Mello this is ridiculous!"
"Rod, just-"
"If you carry on like this Mello, the school won't need to suspend you, or expel you – whatever the hell it is they do, cause I'll take you out that damn place and fuck it if we're not moving to LA"
"Would you listen! I'm trying to exp-"
"I mean it Mello. This is your last chance. If you miss so much as one more day of school, we're moving" He hangs up.
"...Asshole" BB grins. I toss the phone angrily to the other end of the room just as A peeps out of his bedroom.
"Uh ... afternoon" He greets us sheepishly. BB glances at him stubbornly, waiting for A to come to him instead of moving himself. "Love you BB" A shuffles with a light and airy smile on his face, kissing the ebony mess that was BB's hair and ruffling it.
"How are you feeling A?" I ask, trying to hide my anger and place a smile on my face.
"So-so" He admits. We relapse into our non-awkward silent state, BB sighing heavily and shuffling over to the kitchen counters. He pulls out a container and opens it with a grin.
"I'm going flying this afternoon...would anyone care to join me?" Without hesitation, I dive over to him and agree. I see no point in going to school for an hour and a half, much less heading home to an angry Rod. A sighs, but is obviously debating it. He nods and accepts the invite with caution, sharing with BB for a while until he gets used to the floaty and utterly freeing experience of getting High.
"BB...there's a dinosaur on our roof" A laughs and snuggles closer. "It's purple...see?"
"Like Barney!" I add, taking another drag before closing my eyes and exhaling slowly. BB has at least fifty sticks of Marijuana, so we're good. "We should do this more often"
"Now now, Melly isn't supposed to take drugs. Needs to keep up his 'image'" A does the quoatation marks with his fingers and looks at me with a blank eyed face. "Mmmm..." He topples a little, swaying as his hand reaches for my face. He flops and gives up, falling back on his back and sighing. BB passes him a newly lit Stick and waits for him to exhale, leaning over A's mouth so as he does, BB sucks it up. I laugh and close my eyes. Somewhere along the way, Someone had put the Beethoven CD that A likes on, and the mental image of us three smoking pot whilst listening to Beethoven suddenly seems quite amusing.
I stagger home, almost blindly, but manage to get there safely. I'm still partially stoned, but I'm ok enough to know that I'm still mad with Rod. So when I get in, and I see his face first off, I flip him off and attempt to strut up the stairs. I fail badly, tripping up the second step and flopping on the rest. Rod seems to give up, waving his arms a little before disappearing. I laugh the matter off, relieved that my "one and only true very bestest friend in the whole entire world" Skyar, was smart enough to take me to my room.
"Y'know... Rod should lighten up" I mumble. "Like he never did pot when he was my age, he co'ran the fucking Mafia, as if he's never done pot, as If you've never done pot. I bet you did. Badass"
"Mello...this needs to stop. Your grades are falling, your attitude is worsening... Rod is serious about moving"
"Rod can fuck himself" Skyar sighs and flops me onto my bed harshly.
"He took you in, took care of you, taught you stuff, gave you the best education you could possibly want...and you're repaying him by acting like a slob"
"Owch Skyar...so mean"
"Mello you need to get a grip"
"Heard it before" I chuckle into my pillow. "C'mere" I grab Skyar and pull him towards me. "They my best friends" I tell him. "A fucking tried to Off himself and then Rod has a go at me for not waking up in time for school – which was the last fucking thing on my mind – after staying awake most of the night with A to make sure he was poke" I frown. "I mean ok" Skyar sighs. "I know you don't likely them...Like..i mean like" I frown again. "But...they mean alot to me"
"I know" Skyar stand up and puts a blanket over me. "Thats what worries me" He sighs and leaves me, but not before doing something to my alarm – I hope to God he hasn't set it. As soon as the lights are out and the curtains are drawn, I sleep off my state and dream of pixies and fairies.
"Did you get any sense out of him?" Rod sighs and leans forwards, not at all happy with the situation. He laces his fingers together, a concerned frown on his face.
"He cares for them both; that's all that matters to him" Skyar shrugged.
"I don't know what to do Skyar...they're dragging him down"
"Off the record..." He pauses for Rods approval. He gains a nod. "I don't think they're doing it intentionally. They were all fine last year, they've been ok...i think...it might be something else"
"Like what?" Skyar shrugs.
"I'm not sure yet...those two are weird and creep me out a bit...but im sure they wouldn't interfere with Mello's studies on purpose, they know how much it means to him" Rod nods in agreement, slowly but surely.
"What would He do?" Rods gaze lingers on the photograph on the wall just behind Skyar; everyone knows it well. It's got the whole Family on there, taken a few weeks before Mello's dad died. The wife on there too, with a small Mello – barely three – holding onto her hand with a giant smile on his face. He looked so similar to his dad it was unreal.
"I think he'd try and figure it out himself...then ask...then solve" Skyar lets a grin slip.
"So we start with the obvious" Rod agree's, pulling out two thick files from the draw behind his chair. "They're both ... y'know...gay...right?" Rod coughs, more uncomfortable than ever.
"As far as I know"
"Right. So that makes them highly vulnerable to any comments regarding sexuality. Particularly the Pale one ... being all weak n' stuff" Skyar nods. "Get the others on CCTV footage at the school – I want Mello tracking sufficiently enough for any attacks on him to be recorded. I need you to tail him to and from school, if you can, do Them Two as well...they'll all probably stay together" Skyar nods again.
"Sure thing. What about CCTV at their place?"
"God no. As useful as it'd be... I don't think they'd like it. I honestly think they could be a threat if we do something like that" Rod shudders. "Leave them to their privacy... just get the camera's at the school... no fuss..get me?"
"Yeah" Rod sighs. "We aren't telling Mello...are we, Sir?" Skyar adds, another grin appearing. The whole thing suddenly seemed refreshing, like a new assignment. The ones they were working on were getting old, boring, this one was exciting, if only because it was now personal. And personal missions – although dangerous – were the best kind. He adds the 'sir' for the extra effect, because whenever Rod was called Sir, it meant business. It always had.
"No. This is our investigation, not his. Hide the stuff in the safe if you have to, lie to him lightly, divert the truth if you can. The less lies the better"
"Sure. We starting now?" Rod chucks the keys to the basement to Rod.
"The CCTV shit is in box F. Go get it all packed up and set em' up t'night" Skyar takes the keys with a grin and leaves, leaving Rod to wonder – despite the assuredness in his head that he is doing the right thing – if it was the best thing to do for Mello.