Chapter 4 - Curiosity kills the cat

"Ste?"

Dazed he did not realize Amy was calling him.

"hmm?"

"You're not eatin'?" She motioned her head to the plate in front of him.

"Sorry, just thinkin'… " Ste replied, lifting his fork and stabbing aimlessly at the food in front of him. He was too preoccupied with his latest venture.

"Anything I should be concerned about?" Amy asked putting a hand on her chin, brows close together listening intently.

"No, just sumtin' at work that's all, nothin' serious" He replied taking a bite, he decided to change the topic. " so…how's teaching ?"

She made a frustrated sound and pulled on her hair,"Those kids are driving me crazy!"

"Yea but you love ya job" He imply folding his arms against the table. Her expression softened and she sighed, easing back into the chair. "Yea I do…it's nice feeling being in charge and knowing you're helping someone" She smiled at the thought then looked at Ste who smiled in return. It was nice feeling they were friends, he thought. Even though he couldn't remember all they're been through he was surely glad he knew someone like her. Ste got up emptying his plate in the bin and putting in the sink.

"I gotta go" He kissed her cheek, saying bye to the kids and he contently headed to the store.

Walking along streets, observing the local people going along on their daily chores. His eyes caught by a certain dark hair man across the street. Ste contemplating on saying something remarking on yesterday's confrontation. The blond man went across to the man as he was standing in behind a van while his focus was on the clipboard in his hand.

"Sorry if I intrude the other day" Ste said as he felt he had to say something. He wasn't sure what he wanted to achieve from this as the older man did not budge to even look up from the clipboard he's steadily focus on.

"Next time don't show your face around there, yea?" Brendan replied still looking at the paper in front of him.

"Why not?" confused by his response, "I didn't mean to cause any-"

"Get lost, will ya?"

"Look, I don't know what's your problem-" Brendan step closer to him, invading his space and looking intensely into his eyes. He wasn't sure what he was doing or how to react.

"I was… having bad day" he said simply, still looking at him in a predatory gaze. Intimidated by his stare, Ste looked away.

"How bout we go for a pint?" Ste said before he realized how bold he was asking this strange man something like this. He never really given it much thought as to how weird it sounded. It seemed clear enough the guy wasn't very fond of him.

"I don't think that's a good idea..." Brendan replied. His eyes were different now, Ste thought. His eyes were softer now. It wasn't so predator stare but the way he was looking at him with strange expression on his face "...Just stay away from me, yea" He said, and walks away.

Somewhat like….sorrow?

The day had already passed by and before Ste knew, six o'clock had come and gone. He was home with Amy and the kids.

Ste lay on his bed in his room, biting on the tip of his pen. He was preoccupying his time with writing in a book he had found in his dresser draw few weeks earlier. It was something the doctor had told him to help with his memory. It was one way he kept track of the events that occurred each day.

His words weren't always perfect which he took notice how the way he spelt words and reading. It was another thing he realized he had problem with reading words clearly which he was told he had dyslexia.

Ste sighed, closing the book and laid on his back staring at the ceiling. He noted his encounter and conversation with the blond named, Cheryl and her brother, Brendan. He kept thinking about going back to the club. Maybe they have had encounters around the village before, Ste thought.

He thought about asking Amy questions about Cheryl but knowing Amy over the few months, she would easily worried about him going off to places by himself. He didn't want to cause any further stress for her, especially the fact that the man she had distinctly warned him about was Cheryl's brother.

It was like an itch he had to scratch. He felt the need to see them again. He wanted to be there, he had to be there. His mind played on what Brendan said to him earlier, so keen on warning him. Maybe he would just have to risk it, besides, he thought, Cheryl had told him he was welcome anytime. Also there's the club, he had not been anywhere in a long time and maybe a night out would be good for a change.

Ste got up, went into his draw for a change of shirt then grabs his hoodie off the bed. Looking in his book, he copies the information on a piece of paper. He zips up his hoodie and steps in the living room.

"I'm going to go out for abit"

"Out? It's late" Amy said with concern written all over her face.

"Uh, I'm goin' out with Jessica and her husband, meetin' up at the store" Ste lied. He hated lying to her but he didn't see any other way.

"So late? You sure that's safe?" She asked, "I don't want you going out so late"

"Amy, I'm not twelve"

"I can go with you" Amy offered as she remembered the little toddlers that was sleeping beside her on the couch.

"I don't want you to bring the kids out so late, I'm fine" He tried to reassure her.

"What if you have one of those episodes again? Or something happens to you?"

"Jessica will be there, its fine Amy" he reassured and kisses her on the cheek and headed out.

He was nervous, feeling his heart racing. Conflicted thoughts kept running through his mind. His feet were moving but every fiber in his being told him to return home.

As Ste got closer the sound of the music pumping, with each step the beat got louder. He joined the line to the entrance. Stepping in the club, Ste lets out a sigh of relief to cool his nerves. The people dancing as the each beat pulsates through their body. The beat of the music rang in his ears as he squeezed through the crowd, going up the stairs looking to see any sign of the siblings. With no luck he stood near the wall looking across the room.

Longer he stood there Ste felt the ringing in his ears began to get louder. Head pounding from the music and the blinking lights, he needed to leave. He began to push his way through the crowd. Being push back and forth by the swamp of people, he began to feel dizzy.

Suddenly he felt someone grabs his shoulder. "Hey!"

"What're you doing here?" Brendan said in an angry tone.

"Didn't I tell you not to show yer face around here?" Ste could not respond. He felt a shocking pain at the side of his head. He bends over grabbing his head in pain.

"Stephen?" concern laced Brendan's voice.

"Stephen!" Brendan quickly grabs him guiding him through the crowd to the office. Closing the door he reaches for his phone when Ste stops him.

"Don't…"

"I'm callin' an ambulance"

"No, don't" Ste refused, Still in pain. Brendan ignores him and began to dial when Ste grabs his phone.

"Amy doesn't know I'm 'ere, please don't call…" He said to him. Still Upset, Brendan reluctantly fulfills his wishes and put the phone on the desk then grabs him by the shoulder direct him to the couch to sit. Brendan eyes were watching him like a hawk as he leans against the wall. He felt helpless watching the younger man, struggle through the pain. Few minutes later his eyes were still closed but his brows were now relaxed. His head rested back against the couch with his hand still placed at the side of his head.

"You okay?"

"Yea… thanks" He said sitting up rubbing the back of his neck. "I forgot my pills" He said sheepishly.

"I think the crowd and the lights got to mi"

"what're ya even doin' here ?" Brendan said trying to maintain his cool. "You could've been really hurt you know that?" He said to him as Ste sits there like a child being scolded.

"Well, I'm not…I'm fine now" Ste replied, getting up when suddenly Brendan stops him. "what're you doin'!"

"goin' home?"

"Like this?" Brendan said absurdly, as if he was baffled by his response. "Wait here" He said then left the office leaving Ste confused by his behavior. Although it was obvious why he was concern it just didn't seem like something a guy like Brendan would be so concern about, Ste thought.

Minutes later the older man came back in the office, "come on, let's go"

"Where we goin' ?" Ste said with a clueless expression.

"Come on, taking ya home" Ste wanted to object but the look on Brendan face he wasn't going to refuse.

On the way it was silent in the car. Ste tried to refuse the ride since the flat was not that far but Brendan was not taking no for an answer and ultimately Ste had no choice. He had asked about Cheryl and was informed she was away for the day.

When they reach near the flat, Brendan suddenly stops the car a few feet away and sat there silently. Ste was even more confused by his behavior but did not question as this seems like his cue to leave and got out the car. Awkward as the drive home, he wasn't sure what to say.

"Well, thanks…"

"Yep" Was his only response then made a 'U' turn and drove off. The more contact he got with him the stranger he gets, Ste thought to himself. What a night, being driven home made him felt like a teenager again. It was embarrassing that someone else had to see him like that. He sighs as he reach the front door, pulls out a mark key from his pocket and opens the door. Reminiscing on the night's events, Ste sighs again and head straight to his room. Probably serves him for not listening to Amy he grumbles to himself pulling the pillow over his head he quickly fell asleep.

R&R please bear with my once in a blue moon posting heh .O