How To Stay Afloat (BxB)

Chapter 17: wet cake is a criminal offense

We decide to bring the climbing gear back to Austin's place before getting something to eat. I just leave my sport clothes at his place for now. While he puts the stuff in his room I quickly freshen up a bit at the sink. I was sweating a lot today, nothing a little water and soap can't fix.

There is a slight bump on my forehead underneath the bandaid. Touching it stings a lot. I try to brush my hair over it to hide the injury. That's the good thing about having curly hair. It stays where I put it. Usually. Okay, maybe not, but it's a little sturdier in a way, I guess.

I also slowly pull the bandaid on my ear off. It is a little red and the dried blood makes it look worse, but I guess it's not as bad as I initially thought.

When I come out of the bathroom I see Austin's father coming in, carrying a full beer crate. It takes me by surprise and I accidentally let out gasp.

He looks towards me in confusion. "Oh hi, you must be Austin's friend." He says, his voice not slurred and his eyes not drunken. He looks like a normal person. It's weird because he looks a lot different to how I remember him from the first encounter.

"Uhm. Yes, hi I'm Samuel." I say, waving my hand. He seems so normal, not aggressive.

I hear Austin coming out of his room. "Hi." He simply says to his father.

He looks him up and down. "Did you take the motorcycle?" He asks him.

Austin just nods. "Yep, we were just about to leave. I'll just go to the bathroom real quick, Sammy you can wait for me outside."

He slips past me into the bathroom. His father eyes me for a moment and then sets the crate down with a loud thump, making me jump.

I take my jacket and walk towards the door. Austin told me to wait outside, I'm pretty sure he didn't just say that for me to ignore it.

"You know each other from school?" His dad asks me and takes out one of the beers. He opens it with a lighter, letting the cap fall on the floor, not bothering picking it up.

"Uhm, yeah." I answer nervously.

"Good, good." He says and takes a gulp from his beer.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna wait outside." I say, pointing towards the entrance door.

He nods, stepping out of the way, towards the kitchen.

That was weird. I mean he seemed like a decent human being. I wait for Austin in the corridor, outside the apartment.

"Let's go." Austin says, storming out of the flat.

I assumed we would take public transport from here, but to my pleasant surprise, Austin has both helmets with him.

I follow him downstairs and outside the building.

"I know a good Indian restaurant. Do you wanna go there?" He asks me as I put on my helmet and I nod.

_____

It takes us about five minutes to get to the restaurant. Austin looks a little stressed when we walk in.

"Is everything okay?" I ask him hesitantly after we order our drinks.

He raises his eyebrow. "Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" He asks.

"I uh, I don't know, you just look a little stressed." I explain.

He sighs. "I just didn't expect my dad to come home, is all."

"He seemed-" Different? Not like a violent, alcoholic asshole? "Nice." I say.

Austin gives me a half hearted smile. "Yeah. He can be nice."