Troye's pov
"Troye, he's not at the academy. They released him when no one showed up." Dad speaks warily.
I put the phone to my ear, "What do you mean he's not there?!"
"He's not there! I- I'm gonna look around town for him, he couldn't have gotten far. Stay there and call me if he comes home." He orders.
"I- okay. Please let him b-be okay." I whisper, not being able to hold back to tears that begin falling down my cheeks again.
"Deep breaths honey, we'll send out a search team if we have to." He sighs, "I love you, I gotta go. Call if he shows up at the flat, alright?"
"Alright, I love you."
And with that he hangs up and gets to finding my boy.
I stand up off of the sofa and walk to the kitchen. I make myself a cuppa and sit down at the table staring at those two stupid bottles of pills. My 'little helpers' as Susan said. Nothing can help me right now besides Jacob, where is he when I need him?
Jacob's pov
"No one's shown up, you're suspended for the day therefore you're free to go kid." A staff member sighs, gesturing to the door.
I nod and stand up from the uncomfortable chair I've been sat at for the past half hour. I can't help the disappointment that seeps to my pores when no one showed up. Not Shaun, not Troye...? The disappointment ticks to anger as I step out of the academy.
They don't care.
Why would they?
I shouldn't go back.
I'm practically huffing out in anger again as I step into the local pub, grumbling and sitting at the bar.
"Jack Daniel's," I mumble, staring down at the counter in front of me.
The bartender nods and gets to splashing the whiskey in a glass.
"Can I see ID?" He asks, one hand holding the cup and the other held out.
I nod and pull out my horrendous ID, flashing it to him. He smirks a bit and hands me the cup.
"Kid like you should chill out a little. Looks like you picked yourself a fight with that shiner." He mutters as I take a gulp out of the cup.
I contort my face and press my fingers to my cheek, feeling dried blood all over.
"Heh, didn't even realise. My nose does feel pretty fucked." I scrunch up my nose a bit and rub my face with my shirt.
"You wanna put something on that? I've got peas in the freezer." He offers.
I wave him off and chug the small cup down, "I'm fine."
He shrugs and sits down on the other side of the bar, it being nearly empty aside from the drunks and old men that always lurk in the corners.
"So what's a guy like you doing in a place like this?" He chuckles lightly, leaning down and grabbing a beer from behind the bar. He cracks it open and takes a chug.
I find myself a tad offended, "Guy like me, aye? What's that supposed to mean?"
He looks to the corner of the room and back to me, "Y'know, rich kid who does shit like sit down for dinner and go to football games."
I scoff yet smile, "Ah, what gave me away? Was it my boyf- my friend's shirt I borrowed?... C'mon, pink polos should still be in style."
He raises his brows and smirks a bit.
"So I'm wrong?"
"Mhm, take me more as poor kid who does stupid shit like screw up the neighbourhood and rebel against society." I lean my elbows up on the counter and stare at him. He's nice.
"Ah, I got you all wrong. Tell me what is it... mommy or daddy issues?" He chuckles.
"Both!" I exclaim.
"Same, man." He takes another sip of his beer and holds out his hand, "Lip." a/n: YES i did just do that
I shake his hand with a sly smile, "Jacob."
"Hey can you get me another cuppa whiskey?"
...
"And he just walks up to his like best friend and punches the fuck outta him, man. This scrawny, lanky, small, cute ass kid just fucking punches the hell out of him. It was lit for like five seconds... then he turned to me and started sobbing... but y'know, take it for what you got." I cackle, wiping my eyes of stray drunken and happy tears.
Lip laughs obnoxiously right along with me, "He sounds pretty chill man. Why aren't you with him?"
I pause and take a gulp of what I'd think to be my fifth or sixth glass of whiskey, savouring the bitter yet sweet taste. "I kinda fucked things up. I'm pretty sure he hates me."
He furrows his brows, "Why would he hate you?"
I shrug, "I yelled at him to go... I kinda did pummel his best friend. I was a dick."
He scoffs, "Nah, that'd be no reason to hate you. You're other thinking it man, you gotta get back to your boy."
"Should I?" I inquire, spinning around on the bar stool.
"Yeah man."
I hum, "Alright, I guess I should."
"In a totally straight friend bro type of way, can I have your number?" I question, holding back a laugh.
He nods, "Sure, hand me your mobile and I'll set a contact."
I fish my phone out of my pocket and hand it to him. He goes through it and sets a contact while I finish off my glass.
"Hey, you know Ian? Ian Gallagher?" He speculates, showing me Ian's contact in my phone.
I shrug, nodding, "Yeah, met him and his boyfriend in Paris. We spoke a little the other day. Why?"
He raises his brows and gawks a bit, "Huh, small world. Ian is my brother."
"Oh shit man. I-Ian's a cool dude." I slur, taking my phone back as he hands it to me and shoving it back in my pocket.
"Mhm, I'm actually paying to have them fly over here. Our family is all mostly over here now, left all the snakes in America."
"Heh, awesome, I'll have to come see you guys sometime... Well, I gotta get going. It was nice to meet you." I stand up and smile at the boy.
He nods, "You too, go get your boy."
I nod back and wave a goodbye, making my way out of the pub and out into the now chilly nighttime weather. Staggering down the street, I almost find it hard to walk, better yet see properly. But with a shove and an arm going to my throat, pushing me into a wall, I seem to wake up a bit.
"Long time no see, aye?"
-
a/n: who ya think it is hmmmm
also here's another self-love note bc everyone could always use more:
let's talk abouuut thighs! everyone has them (unless you don't?) and i know a lot of peeps that despise their own. they'll say that it makes them look chubby or not how they want to look... but no honey! they're yours! this is your body! you look cute as fuck! no one can see your thighs the way you see them, no one ever truly sees your body the way you do. you look adorable either way, whether you have a thigh gap or not. i love you boo, you keep doing you. we can talk more about that in the comments if you want, if not just kinda smile at yourself n say oh hell yeah, i am cute as fuck too man
see you in the next chapter xx
