Chapter whatever

PIt had been a month, and Alfred was beginning to give-up. Obviously, he wasn't completely done. He never give-up completely. But he had a lot of work to do, a lot of football to play, a lot of friends he'd ignored. He hadn't spoken to Francis in a week. Things were slowly going back to normal.

Like before he'd had that stupid deten

tion that ruined his entire semester.

Alfred sat down with his burgers and fries and let the conversation wash over him. He just nodded and laughed when everybody else did.

"Ohmigod. I totally forget to tell you!" A girl shrieked, Alfred thought her name was Tiffany.

"What?!" Another girl, Ashley said.

"Remember that weird kid, Arthur?"

"What about him?" A third girl, Ash-Leigh said.

Alfred started listening.

"What about him?" Alfred said. Tiffany rose her too-thin eyebrows.

"Wow. I actually have Alfred's attention."

"Yeah. You have it. What about him?" Alfred said. Tiffany flipped her hair back.

"He was arrested. By the police." she said, smirking.

"Shut up!"

"Yeah. For like, drugs or something. My brother goes to this club, and apparently he was doing like crack in the toilets. Seriously. That's why he was expelled."

"Arthur wasn't expelled." Alfred said.

"Excuse you?"

"I said that Arthur wasn't expelled. He dropped out."

"Whatever. He's still a waster."

"He's not a waster, either." Alfred said.

Tiffany snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Jeez didn't realise he was your boyfriend, Jones."

The whole table laughed, a guy from the team punched his arm.

Alfred felt his cheeks go a little red.

"So what if he is?" Alfred said, his voice louder than he intended it to be.

"Are you trying to say you're a fag? No wonder you weren't interested in me."

"God, Tiff you can't just that word." Ash-Leigh said. "That's so close-minded of you."

"Whatever." Tiffany says. "If he was your boyfriend, you'd have known he got arrested."

"I don't get a letter from him every time he breathes." Alfred said.

The table was still silent, staring at him in disbelief. He knew rumours would be flying by the end of to say. Everyone would know. He just didn't care any more. The news almost turned him off his burgers. Almost.

He left school straight after lunch, running through the halls without looking back, and out the door. He keeps up a run until he gets outside of the police station. It's then he realises he has no idea what he's going to do. It's not like he could bail Arthur out or anything. Could he just speak to him? Alfred stood frozen to the ground across from the station, staring at the building, like he was going to get an answer just standing there.

He wasn't stood there very long, because Arthur came out, looking skinny and with a bruise on his cheek, closely followed by the stranger whose apartment Alfred and Francis had gone to. Alfred watched as the man ushered Arthur into a car as they spoke quietly. Neither of them saw Alfred watching them. Alfred wanted to call out, or run after them. He didn't know why he didn't, but he just stood there and watched them drive away.

He got home before he usually did, but that didn't matter because his parents weren't there. Was Arthur there when he and Francis had looked for him? Did he know they came, or did the man lie to him? Either way, Alfred knew he had to go back there. Whether or not Arthur wanted to see him, he didn't care, he had to know that Arthur was okay.

88

He waited until the next day, a Saturday, to make the journey back to the stranger's apartment. It meant that he had the entire day, and could look for Arthur elsewhere if it was necessary. He promised himself one thing: this would be the last day he spent on his search.

"Where are you going?" Matthew said. He stood at the top if the staircase as Alfred reached out to leave.

"The library." Alfred said cooly.

"Al." Matthew said. "Since when have you lied to me?"

"I'm not lying to you." Alfred said.

"Then wait a minute I want to come too." He said. Matthew started to walk down the stairs.

"No. I want to study alone." Alfred said.

"You hate studying alone. I'm not stupid. You cut class yesterday, too. Where did you go?" Matthew said.

"I was looking for Arthur, ok?" Alfred said. "And that's what I'm doing today. I think I know where he is."

"Can I come?" Matthew said.

Alfred sighed. There was no point in saying no. He could use the company, anyway.

"Fine." Alfred said. "Come on."

"How did you know I cut class yesterday?" Alfred said on the bus.

"You ran right past me." Matthew said. "I called after you but you ignored me."

"I didn't hear you." Alfred said.

"Yeah, no-one ever does." Matthew said. "Not even mom and dad."

"Of course they do." Alfred said, staring out the window.

"No, they don't." Matthew said. "All week all they can talk about is how worried they are about you and how your grades are slipping. Doesn't matter I got straight As on my last report card, because Alfred didn't and that's more important."

Alfred opened and closed his mouth like a fish.

"I didn't realise."

"Of course you didn't." Matthew says. "We never talk any more."

"I've been distracted." Alfred said. "I'm sorry."

"The only person who talks to me now is..."

"Who?"

"Well, Ivan." Matthew said. "He's a good listener."

"I think he's a freak."

"I think you're a freak."

"You're the biggest freak that ever lived." Alfred said. They laughed and then fell silent. Matthew looked at his hands and Alfred went back to looking out the window.

"Why do you want to find Arthur so bad?" Matthew said. "I thought you hated him again."

"I definitely still hate him." Alfred said. "But that doesn't mean I don't still like him."

The corner's of Matthew's lips twitched into a smile

"You love him."

"No I don't." Alfred said quickly, blushing. Matthew's smile grew.

"You know people at school are saying you two are an item, right?"

"Yeah. I kinda accidentally started that rumour." Alfred said. "This is our stop."

"Here?"

"Yeah. I told you it wasn't very nice." Alfred said. "It's why I want to find him. He could be in trouble."

"No more trouble than he would be at home." Matthew said, following Alfred into the apartment building.

"Where'd you hear that?"

"School." Matthew said. "It must suck to have people constantly gossip about your private life."

Alfred knocked on the door. Matthew stood right next to him, and he felt confident that this was where he'd see Arthur. Just see him, ask if he's alright, and then leave if he is. It would be OK. Quick and painless.

"Not you again."

"Yeah, me again." Alfred said, trying to smile cheerfully.

"He's not here, ok? If he was I'd fucking kill him."

"Why?"

"The little prick stole my wallet and left last night." He said. "And no, I don't know where he is."

"Are you sure?" Alfred said.

The man grunted. "He might've gone home. Mentioned he needed to pick up some stuff the other day."

"Ok! Thanks." Alfred said, smiling even after the door was shut in his face.

"Are we going to Arthur's?"

"I am." Alfred said. "You can't come. He really won't like you coming."

"He won't like you going."

"Please, Matt, just let me go alone." Alfred said.

"Fine." Matthew said. "But if I don't hear from you in two hours I'm coming."

"Sure. Okay. Deal." Alfred grinned.

Alfred saw him as soon as he turned the corner onto Arthur's street. Thankfully, Arthur didn't see him. He was staring at his house, his neck craned up, squinting in the winter sun.

Alfred approached slowly, stealthily, like a marine or a cat.

"Hi." He said. Arthur jumped, startled.

"What the bloody fuck are you doing here?"

a/n: thank you to the people who read, reviewed, followed and favourited this so far.

Two chapters in one week to apologise for how long it took me to update last time.