Beyond Bloodline - Unbreakable Bonds

thirty four

"Nigel," he blinked, slightly taken aback at the sight of his friend accosting him first thing that Monday morning.

"Hey," he greeted back, his Physics textbook pinched thinly between his fingers as he raked a glance over him. Pale skin. Dark circles. Messy hair. "What's with you?"

Alfie was fidgeting, tugging on the sleeves of his blue sweater to cover up his fingers.

"Are you okay?" he asked, brow furrowing despite more students rushing past with the bell for first period ringing alarmingly. "Alf?"

"I'm—" he started to nod his head slightly to show he was okay but then started shaking it as though he couldn't make up his mind. Then he hugged his arms to himself, tearing up. "I don't know. Can you skip with?"

Nigel frowned. "We literally just got to—" he put a halt on his words when his friend just shoved past him, not wanting to hear the end of whatever it was and heading for the school doors. Clumsily shoving his textbook and notes back in his locker, he quickly tore after him.

Alfie skipping wasn't a rare occurrence but it had toned down a lot with his mom pinning more than half the entire teacher body on his back. Still, he wouldn't be skipping for mere fresh air and Nigel thought it was more likely he either wanted to grab a drink or find a client to quickly deal him.

"Hey," he stopped him halfway out the double doors, snagging his elbow in his hand. "I'll go with, okay? Just. Just let me know what you want to do." He didn't trust him to do anything in moderation so would rather skip here so he could keep an eye on him than leave him to get in trouble. Trouble like getting drunk in a ditch somewhere and having to be picked up by the police. There'd been. . . repeats.

"What's with that look?" Alfie rolled his eyes as he dragged him to the side of the school where they weren't under the radar of every single busybody. "I just want to grab a bite."

Nigel didn't believe him. Or well, fully believe him. Winnie always made sure they had their fill first. He might want to eat, but only to get up to no good later on. They went on the drive with his bike and stopped at Marty's for burgers and milkshakes.

He wasn't really hungry, his appetite only ever coming in short starts and bursts, so he just left the burger and plateful of fries for his friend, who he soon realized, didn't have that much appetite either.

"Didn't you want to eat?" he asked, watching him pause with picking at the fries and finally pop one really long piece in his mouth.

"I did," he shrugged. "Just haven't really had the appetite."

"Sure you're okay?" he asked.

Another shrug.

He looked awful and thin and sick. Nigel had quite frankly never seen either of his friends look so bad. "Do you want me to take you back?" he asked. "I'll explain it to aunt. You really don't look very good."

"She'll believe it if it's you," he snorted, throwing a fry aside and picking up his milkshake as his gaze turned outside the window. "It's just punishing her if it's coming from me."

Nigel cocked his head slightly at his friend, surveying him. His eyes were droopy, words slurring over. He almost pitied him.

"You should have seen her this morning," he snorted on a sip of his milkshake. "She was raving mad."

"She's just worried, Alf," he said, because it was the truth in its plainest form.

"I know how worried you get," he said instead. "You never lose your temper though. You're one in a million."

"Her worry looks a little different from mine," he sighed. "But it's all the same. It's just because she cares about you far more than I ever could."

"No," he shook his head, pushing away his milkshake. "She just wishes you were her son."