A Boy Called You

3

It was too much, the attention, all of the people staring at him like he was another species, like an alien. Henry backed out of his chair and headed to the door. His feet were taking him quicker than he thought possible. Once the cold of the outside hit him, he immediately calmed down, Henry found a tree around 100 yards from the building. He laid against the tree, sliding down, and hugging his knees he took some time to catch his breath.

"Tony said I had to check on you. Are you having some sort of panic attack?" Henry looked up to see the annoyingly attractive Ethan offering out his hand with a cigarette in it.

"No thanks. I'm okay" Henry looked down at his hands, his blunt response should have been enough for Ethan to get the hint that he wanted to be on his own, but unfortunately for him, the smoke cloud of his own cigarette got closer as he took a seat next to him on the grass.

"You don't look okay. You look like you choked" Ethan said between drags.

"And you don't know anything about me." Henry didn't want to make conversation with Ethan, what could he potentially have to be grieved about.

"I know you've lost someone, either mum or dad I'm guessing. Your family has money, you're around 17-18 years old, single and I'm not sure but I think you could be bisexual." Ethan studied Henry will his full attention, like an artist on their muse. Henry glanced at him before he tried to respond in the same tone.

"My mum" was initially all Henry said, he looked up and saw Ethan taking all of his words in so decided to offer him more. "Yes, we have money, I'm 17, and yes I'm single, but you are wrong about me being bisexual" Ethan raised his hands dramatically as if impressed at himself about how accurate he was about his analysis of Henry.

"Wahoo. What a hat trick!" Ethan's grin was infectious, and it almost allowed Henry to forget why he was at the group class to begin with.

"You?" Henry looked up to Ethan once again once again, but this time Ethan's grin had completely dropped and it was his turn to look down at his hands in contemplation.

"My dad" it was almost a whisper. "He was in a car crash with some drunk, they got off scott-free practically, a suspended sentence and a bit of whiplash. I didn't even get to say bye, by the time I got to the hospital he had gone. The Ambulance practically labelled him dead on the scene but they took him in and worked on him tirelessly anyway. So yeh...err that's why I'm in this shit hole of a village hall on a Monday night." Henry didn't know what to say, do or think. How on earth could someone sit there and confess their grief to a complete stranger?

"How did you just tell me that?" Henry's wanting to know had got the better of him. Ethan immediately looked at him with a confused expression, before realising what Henry had meant.

"Err I don't know, I guess it was a while ago now. Almost 3 years, and Tony, the group leader he's actually not that bad. He annoys me and he makes the juice far too weak, but he got me to talking. Maybe a little too much now" Henry showed a small smile thinking of their first meeting almost 30 minutes ago when he had thought that Ethan's mouth had worked before his brain.

The pair sat in silence for a while longer, listening to nothing but the wind and the occasional leaf falling from the tree. After another 15 minutes Henry had decided that he probably should head home. As he got up from his sitting stance, Ethan mirrored him and did the same.

"So I am err gonna go, my dad will be wondering where I am." Henry lied to avoid another difficult conversation.

"Are you going to come back?" Ethan's voice was more of a plead rather than a question and something in his voice, allowed Henry just to nod in response. He didn't really want to come back, and he wasn't sure if he was mentally up to it but maybe Linda was right. Maybe everything that Ethan had guessed about him was only so far to the truth because it was true for him too.

The rest of the week luckily went quickly, which Henry didn't expect. He was able to fit into the monotonous cycle of School, home, homework, game, bed. This wasn't a problem, as long life was carrying on with him in it, Henry wasn't too concerned with having an extravagant time or hilarity.

On Saturday, Henry and Theodore had arranged to a gaming session at Theodore's house, which was about ½ mile away from him. As it was a scorching day in May, Henry decided to walk to Theodores after getting them some ice cream and slushies from the shop. He pondered into the shops with his head in his phone, scrolling on perfect pictures of couples on Instagram when he heard a familiar voice from in front of him.

"Henry! What you are doing here?" Henry looked up to see those beautiful brown eyes that could only below to Ethan. He was dressed in light denim skinny jeans with a polo shirt with the shops logo on. He was carrying a crate of milk to the fridge as he spoke to Henry.

"I could ask you the same question." Henry said pointing at the milk with a grin.

"Oh, I work here" Ethan said like it was the most normal thing in the world; which I guess it is. Henry often forgot that he was incredibly lucky to be in the financial position his family were in. He had never even though about having to work to pay his way in life.

"Ah I see that" is all that Henry could say in response. Henry leant over Ethan putting the milk in the fridge to grab a couple of cokes and some ice cream from the freezer before heading to the till. He wasn't sure if he was happy about seeing Ethan again. He intrigued him but also frustrated him in a way he had not felt before. He put his items down on the till and watched Ethan intently as he scanned them and placed them into a bag for him.

"You are going on a date?" Ethan randomly asked as he continued to pack Henry's bag. Henry looked up at Ethan with curiosity, wondering how he had come to that conclusion and also slightly humoured that he thought he was going on a date.

"Ha ha ha absolutely not, why on earth would you think that?" Henry questioned.

"Ice cream and two drinks. Either you've pissed her off or she's due on her period." Ethan sniggered as he passed Henry his bag. Henry was confused at the pronoun use of 'her', he thought he had set the record straight the other day. Obviously not.

"I told you I wasn't bisexual the other day, girls are really not my thing" Henry was looking at Ethan and something in him couldn't bear to drag his eyes away from Ethan's as he spoke.

"Ah, well that's good to know, see ya soon Henry" Ethan smiled with a smile that Henry couldn't work out, perhaps he was just being nice. Of course, he was just being nice, he was being paid to be nice to him.