Together.

Chapter Ten

He hesitates, it's clearly seen on his face and through his body language. He doesn't want to tell you, but deep down he knows its time; if he wants you as a friend, he has to tell you. He begins, not really looking into your eyes, "When my brother died..."

"Justin?"

He blinks and sniffs back the oncoming tears, "Yeah..." he nods, "I wasn't sure if you knew about him or not—

"I didn't," you feel your heart race suddenly, "not when I first started tutoring you. But one of my friends told me about it... I'm sorry I didn't know. If I had, then maybe I could have been someone you could have talked to or—

He cuts in, his voice budding onto emotional, "No, no it's fine. You... you treated me like I was just some normal guy from school. You didn't treat me like I was that person who's grieving for his dead brother. You treated me just like somebody else, and I needed that." He breathes slowly, wiping the tears from his face. He takes a long breath in before he continues, "When Justin died... the police didn't really look into it that much. They concluded he was shot, and because of his reputation, they just assumed it was a part of his..." he stops talking for a moment. You can see in his eyes that he doesn't want to continue. "A part of his drug dealing. They thought it was an attack from an enemy gang or something. They didn't have any real leads, and to be honest, I don't think they gave a damn enough to want to find those leads. Because he was a drug dealer."

"I guess I just managed to push pass it for a while, I just tried to accept that he was gone and there wasn't anything I could do about it. But then Justin's phone rang one night." He swallows deeply, "I picked it up, I don't know why, but I did. And I heard someone threatening Justin over the phone— something about him owing money and if he doesn't get it to them they'll break his neck."

You grow wide-eyed, "Like that man? In the car, when you took me home that night?"

"Exactly the guy. I went to meet up with him, out of curiosity; it was stupid. But I had this feeling that maybe I could get some sort of justice or peace if I found out who killed him. And why. And... when I was looking, searching for this other life that he had, I felt closer to him. I felt like, in a way, I was bringing him back. It's stupid, but at the time that was how I felt."

"That's not stupid, Gally. It actually makes a lot of sense." You pause, trying to find the right words, "Justin... he was gone from your life so suddenly, you wouldn't really know how to process that." You look at him for a moment, and he looks at you, at first you think that maybe he might tell you to piss off, but instead it's as if he's hanging onto your every word. "So by going after these things, these things that were left of him, you were able to process his death and maybe... understand. Grieve properly for him." You find yourself holding him again, tighter than before, "I'm so sorry, Gally. That you had to do that alone."

It's as if he's in disbelief by your words, and you're not sure why, and it pains you to think that maybe no one has ever really shown him any kind of care or love at all. "Thank you... Thanks, Y/N."

You hold onto him, but when your leg vibrates again curiosity gets the better of you, you take out your mobile from your pocket and unlock it. A message from Thomas lights up your screen, and Gally frowns down at it. "What does he want?"

You stare down at what he texted: we have to talk.

"I... I don't know..."

Gally's jaw clenches but he looks down into your eyes, a firm seriousness clinging to them, "I know we fought about Thomas before... so don't take this the wrong way but..."

You frown, "Gally?"

"He's... he's dangerous, Y/N."

You sit back a little, tilting your head, you shut off your screen, "What do you mean?"