Bromance

Never To Be Spoken Of

"Hey Kyler!" Veranic shouted after me at the end of school while I was struggling to carry an overload and Alistair's assignments and I felt myself inwardly groan at the pitch of her voice.

"Yes Veranic?" I sighed and waited for her to catch up to me in the empty school corridors, we hadn't spoken since the Alistair incident and I wasn't keen on doing it.

"How have you been?" She smiled once she caught up and we walked in time with each other's steps; I hated how in synch we were.

"I've been better" I muttered as I tried to balance the multiple books in my hands without making it seem like I was struggling, "And you?"

"I've been okay" She shrugged and watched my subtle book struggle," Do you need some help with those?" She reached out to take a few books.

"No I'm fine!" I raised my voice out of irritation and we stared at each other while my voice continued to echo through the corridor until a deafening silence surrounded us and I gulped nervously because a.) I'm not the type to raise my voice at anyone, even if I'm irritated and the goddamn acoustics of the corridor just made it even worse and b.) A strange silence settled over us as Veranic stared at me like a deer caught in headlights and now I felt really bad, "I'm sorry I didn't mean to shout at you-"

"Let's go to your locker yeah?" Her shocked face finally disappeared and she looked relaxed again, more determined.

"Yeah sure" I whispered and we walked in synch, our footsteps echoing against the grey tiles below our feet. We reached my locker in silence and Veranic helped me open it (since my hands were occupied). SHe leaned against the locker next to mine as I recovered my bag.

"I just wanted to apologise for the other day" She said from behind my locker door, staring into the distance, "I was really insensitive and I realised I don't pay attention to Alistair at all, I only asked for his number the one time because one of my friends was interested in him and that's not a good place to begin." I slowly closed my locker door and frowned at the sudden speech.

"I also need to apologise" I spoke up before she carried on, "Even though I was irritated that was no way for me to react."

"It's cool" She shrugged and her easy going smile was back, "It's what happens when you get defensive about someone you love."

"I guess s-what did you say? Alistair and I aren't toge-"

"Calm down" She laughed, "No one said you were dating - what I'm saying is you clearly care about him about him a lot and are willing to sacrifice for him-I find that beautiful ." She explained sincerely.

"O-oh" I stuttered, "Well I wouldn't say we're that close."

"Yeah okay Kyler" She said completely unconvinced and yawned," Anyway I'm glad he keeps you grounded, I hope there's no hard feelings between us."

"No we're good" I smiled goofily, "We're more than good."

"I'm glad to hear that" Veranic smiled gently as we began making our way to the school gate, where Rita was probably waiting for me, "And Kyler?"

"Yeah?"

"Constantly getting defensive about dating when nobody even mentioned the word dating is a dead giveaway, you need to stop that."

"No I really mean it! We're not together like...that." I tried to explain but my phone began to buzz in my pocket, when I looked at the contact it was none other than Alistair himself.

"Can you just not" I sighed at my phone.

"He probably misses you, I'll see you tomorrow" Veranic gave me a quick side hug and started jogging away from me.

"Hey you!" I said with as much enthusiasm as possible when I answered my phone.

"Er? Hello to you too?" Alistair sounded slightly confused by my change of greeting,"Is everything alright?" He said cautiously.

"Maybe if I was lying in bed with a tub of ice cream it would've been slightly better but you know I'm stuck at school for like another half an hour before the paternal unit decides what time is suitable for me to return home." I sighed heavily.

"That sounds awful, I'm sorry you have to experience the trauma of waiting so long " He sounded slightly sympathetic,"When I come back I would be more than happy to give you lifts straight after school, that is if you're comfortable-"

"Anything to get out of this hell hole faster!" I sighed, "Whatever the cost Ali I don't care, I've been suffering too long-even if it means I have to chill at your house for an hour before actually going home-cause both my parents work and all."

"That shouldn't be a problem , and then we can assist each other with assignments" He sounded excited.

"If by that you mean you telling me what to write then sure" I laughed, "I am useless at homework, don't even go there."

"It was worth a try" He laughed along with me, it feels really good whenever he laughs, "So I'll be boarding this evening and landing tomorrow morning, will you be present upon my arrival?" He asked hopefully.

"I can try" I shrugged, "It's an excellent excuse to miss school and I seriously need it. It will take a little bit of convincing from the parental units but I'm sure I can make it."

"Or my parents can talk to your parents?"

"You still do that shit?"

"Well right now it seems like a better method so your parents don't assume you're trying to miss school." He laughed, "Yes I still do it, and it's very reliable."

"Yeah yeah whatever" I mumbled, "I'll give you my mom's number when I get home, and don't let your mom say I already agreed to it-I will hear it for the first time from my mom okay?"

"Yes Mr Hansmen" Alistair agreed jokingly in a deep voice; I hate to say that the sound of him saying my surname like that gave me a pleasurable shiver down my spine that is never ever to be spoken of.

Like ever.