SomeWhere On... (BXB)

CHAPTER 2: ...Wells Street, UK - March

Okay, now he's just pissing me off. It's fucking raining and I'm getting soaked. And I don't want to stand by the front door because other people are standing there. So I'm by the corner, half-standing under the building canopy and half standing in the alley. I'm freezing my ass off.

Fuck you, Murph. Finish your goddamn classes.

Ten minutes later, he runs out the doors and gets out his umbrella. Immediately, he puts it over my head. His bag's open and inside's a jumbled mess of notebooks, papers, and books. He hasn't even thrown on his jacket or muffler properly. "Oh my God, how long have you been standing here?" he asks. Except he also basically shouted it. "You should've come by the doors. You're soaking."

I actually hiss at him. Because what a fucking knobhead.

"I'm sorry!"

"You owe me food for this," I tell him, stepping under his umbrella and taking off my hood. You can hear it flop onto my back. It's that wet. I shiver.

We start walking up Wells Street. "I am sorry, Tommy," he whispers.

I don't answer him, even though I know it's true. I wrap my arm around his neck and say, "You can just owe me with food."

He makes this nervous sound. "Tommy, you know I can't." He steps away, puts my arm back at my side, and suggests, "Why don't you and Adrian come over for dinner on Friday? I'll cook. I, I can make up like that."

"Good," I reply, grinning. "Who needs a stuffy restaurant when I can just sit in your stuffy kitchen?"

He smiles back. Murph looks away for a second and stares ahead.

I don't ask. Because it isn't my business.

We go to a corner cafe not even a minute's walk from the university building, and find a seat away from the front door. I peel off my jacket and go up for something while Murph stays back to watch my andhis stuff. I come back with a hot Panini and a cuppa.

He looks doesn't even process that I've come back.

"Hello?"

Murph doesn't hear me.

"Hey."

He blinks and looks at me. His glasses're wet.

"You 'lright, mate?" I ask, picking up the butty. "You don't seem...here."

Murph rubs the back of his head aggressively. Like a dog scratching himself. He then flattens out his hair and looks at me. "I'm tired."

I sip my tea. "Wh – duh. You've been in classes all day."

"No, like...I'm...tired."

As always Murph, you're fucking brilliant. "Okay." I unwrap my ham butty and begin eating it. "Aren't ya gonna get something?"

Murph smiles, but I think he only does it because he's trying hard not to remind me again he's broke. "No, I'm good."

I put down the panini. My hand tingles from how warm it is. "Y'know, I know you're strapped, but I can spot ya." I go for my pocket for my wallet.

"N-no." He's standing over me, reaching out and close to touching me. "I'm okay. I promise." He sits back down. He reaches back for his textbook and opens it. His glasses're still wet.

I swallow what's in my mouth and look at him. "Mate, ya don't look okay."

"I-I know. I'm just tired."

"No. You look like you're dyin'."

"I'm not dying, Tommy."

"Congrats, Murph. You look like shit."