Unbroken (#3 in the 'Outcast' series)

Chapter 33

Chapter 33:

Mike's Point of View:

"I hate Wednesdays," Vic said as we walked to school.

"I hate a lot of things, but Wednesdays are one thing I don't usually hate," I said in response.

"Nothing good ever happens on Wednesdays," Vic said stubbornly, clearly not in a very good mood this morning. "And people suck."

I came to a halt as we neared the gate, making Vic stop as well. He looked back at me and I saw he was really hating today.

"What's happened man?" I asked with a frown as he looked at me, his expression a bit pissed off. "Was it something dad said? Have I done something?"

Vic's expression softened. "You haven't done anything Mike."

"But are you mad at me for something I've done?" I asked sadly, feeling like I'd maybe done something even if he'd said I hadn't.

"I'm not mad at you man," Vic said. "It's just everyone else I'm mad at."

I just looked at him and he sighed, readjusting his snapback before he spoke.

"Look Mike, I'm just having a bad morning, ok?" he said. "Nothing's been going right since Sunday and I just dunno anymore."

"Don't do anything Vic," I found myself saying. "Please; not again."

Vic just looked at me and didn't respond. He turned and continued walking, leaving me standing there as I watched him continue on his way. That wasn't the reaction I'd wanted from him, as now I was very concerned about his current state; the fact that he'd been getting distant over the few weeks was enough to make me worry more. I continued to walk, following him through the gates and over to the others.

We'd only been back at school one day, and we'd already been harassed. Matt'd gotten harassed by a couple of guys before they'd backed off when he'd threatened them, Vic and Ashley had been harassed by Hans in the corridors, nearly getting into a fight. I was sure Vic was just done with it all.

***

"Anyone seen Ronnie today?" Jinxx asked as I sat down at my normal place at the table.

Ashley shook his head and I looked across the table at them.

"He called me last night," I said. "He's having a few problems at home, so he's just trying to figure everything out at the moment."

"Oh, right," Jinxx said, Ashley just looking at me.

I looked around at the others at the table before I realised something. I switched my gaze back to Ashley and Jinxx, and they saw the worry on my face.

"What's wrong?" Jinxx asked, sensing that I was a bit panicked now.

I looked around again, just making sure, before I looked back to the others.

"Where's Vic?" I asked urgently.

Both Ashley and Jinxx shrugged; Jinxx kept his focus on me.

"He's seemed a bit outta it all day," he said. "He said he wasn't feeling too great and that he wasn't having a good day. That was the last I saw of him 'fore we came here."

I looked around once again, just in case I'd missed seeing him, trying to calm down a bit. I grabbed my things and practically ran out of the cafeteria, knowing that something was wrong.

I reached the bathroom, knowing that it was gonna be where I found Vic. He'd been through a bit lately just with everything that'd been going on, and after hearing what Jinxx had said, I seriously wasn't about to put it past my brother to try again.