Old habits die hard (boyxboy)

(4) More on Moss

Deryk POV

Sitting across from Mark, the polite pupil in class that asked me for help the other day, I waved to another friend who reciprocated a smile and a nod as he left with a newly checked out book.
"Thanks for helping me out, honestly I just can't keep up sometimes but you take notes like there's no tomorrow!"
I smiled at his kindhearted comment, shutting down my laptop after he closed his notebook, showcasing the fact he finished.
"Yeah no worries Mark, anytime, my notes are yours if you know how to ask well"
We packed up our gear and fell into an easy conversation, sure we were still sat in the library but as long as those working didn't complain we were welcome to converse.

"If you don't mind me asking, were you involved with that whole Avery situation? I mean your face is a little busted and it seemed to appear about the same time so..."
Shaking my head no, I placed my crossed arms atop the table and watched him fiddle with his ashy hair. Must have thought it was a private topic.
"Not directly, though it came about during the aftermath"
He hummed, understanding as I continued.
"Do you know much about that by the way? I haven't the chance to speak to Delilah about it yet. She's been unresponsive, which i'm guessing is likely reasonable if whatever happened to her best friend really is that serious."

"Well rumours say she was raped, drugged and hurt first even, but of course those are the rumours."
Despite both of us leaning in, so to not let others hear, I couldn't stop the gasp escaping my mouth as a hand flung to my face. Raped!? That must be an exaggeration, surely, or else the police would be penalising every last inch of this campus.
"Yeah exactly, unlikely, but one of the sports kids definately did something."
With a slight uncomfortable posture shift, Mark made a disgruntled noise and matched his expression too.
"And he's proud of it too, heard it's Joe, and seems as though he's the ones making the rumours worse."
"Wait, he's saying he did these things himself!?"
No chance, sure he's stupid, I mean theres a reason hes not even resitting his failed maths entry exam. Yet surely he can't be that stupid, right?"
"Heard him boasting myself, must be some butch bloke thing to be cool if you can get a girl even when she's not impressed"
He shuddered and sat back in his seat, signalling his disinterest on talking about this topic much more through body language.
"Sickening..."
I mirrored him, trying to quell the atmosphere but struggling to sit contently with this information, we parted ways not long after.

-+-

Arriving home, I removed my shoes at the door to postpose my actual entrance as I heard a muttering from upstairs. Presumably it was just Delilah with her friends, but she hadn't had anybody round since whatever it was that happened. Hoping I was right, I couldn't help a loving smile sneak on my face thanks to the relief I felt from knowing she was slowly but surely returning to her regular self. I decided to even get her and company some snacks too, she'll notice my happiness for her as she knows as well as my parents I show affection through my actions best.

"See you got home first Dee, i've brought you up some snacks"
I knocked on her undecorated door, well, at least on the outside, and waited for her to open it.
"Let me in?"
She cracked open the door but was radiating stress, from her thrown together lounge wear to her wild eyes and half styled hair. Quickly she ushered me in, taking the pop and bag of sweets and handing them straight to Avery. Avery. Horrendous sight, with every word she spoke the shakiness was evident in her meak voice. With every inch closer I became the stench of a girl too drained to care for herself grew stronger With every slightly too fast movement you could feel her fear through the rickety movement of the darkly decorated bed.

Her pretty plump figure, usually decorated in a clean style lay covered in blankets and baggy clothes, scarily unlike the bubbly girl Delilah adored.
"What... happened?"
And that, that was the worst possible statement I could have exclaimed.