The Missing Boy

Chapter 4 - Just Like Middle School

Axel finally reaches his home. The more he saw of his hometown the more it sparked his memory. Grace is currently in the kitchen making them dinner whilst Richard is in his study determined to finish his work. It seems that his son's arrival isn't a good enough excuse to cut back on it. Of course. Axel thinks. I finally come back home and you can't stop working for one fucking day.

Axel never had the same passion his father had for science. Richard used to try and get Axel involved in his work as much as possible but now he keeps his findings and research to himself.

They eat quietly at the dinner table. The quiet only interrupted by the clanging of knives and forks and the occasional compliment on the food. Axel wonders if this is the 'proper family' Grace was referring to.

"We were thinking that perhaps you should go back to school, you know the High School down the road?"

Axel doesn't know the High School down the road.

"Erm. Ok." Axel says awkwardly. He doesn't hate the idea of going back, just strongly dislikes it. But Axel doesn't feel like he's in the position to argue with his parents at the moment so he goes back to eating his dinner.

"Miles goes to that school. You remember him don't you?"

How could I forget.

"Yeah."

"Good." His mother says with a great smile on her face. After that, all they talk about is school.

Axel didn't expect anything less when he entered into junior year in April. The students stare at him shocked and the ones that do talk to him only ask what happened during those 4 years. He doesn't answer. I never will.

It's just like middle school. Axel doesn't want to make friends, all he wants is to get through the next one and a half years and leave all over again. Except this time he has the choice to.

After being shown around the school by an overly perky girl Axel didn't bother learning the name of, he goes into his first lesson of that day, which is everyone's second lesson since he had to be shown around. It's Chemistry and of course the only seat available is next to his curly haired neighbour. Just like fucking middle school.

Axel takes the seat beside Miles who looks at him with wide eyes and doesn't say anything.

•••••••••••

Miles can't help but stare at the missing boy. Without the road separating them and his kitchen window acting as a glass barrier, Miles can finally see him up close. The dark shadows that creep up his face. His midnight hair. His grey eyes. The perfect balance of black and white. The colour of smoke. The colour of the clouds before a storm.

Axel has always intimidated Miles, that hasn't changed since middle school, yet somehow Miles could always push aside his nerves and manage to speak to the quiet boy. Miles is never short for words yet right now he has no idea what to say to Axel. So he just says "Hi."

Axel turns to him again, stares a little longer before saying hi back, then turns to face the lesson. Miles can't tell if this is going to be better than middle school.

•••••••••••

Axel can sense Miles following him through the halls. He isn't particularly subtle. Axel desperately wants to leave. He wants to lay on his bed in his room and try to think of as many memories as possible before the crash. But Miles follows him. So instead of leaving the school, he looks for an empty classroom he can go to in order to escape hanging around with hormonal teenagers.

"Are you going to keep following me around like you did when we were kids?"

Miles halts for a second, his cover blown but now walks at a faster pace so that he is not trailing behind the taller boy.

"You didn't seem to mind then." Miles says, clinging to the numerous books in his arms. Axel continues to peer into classrooms in hope that one will be empty. None so far.

"Well I do now so fuck off."

"You told me to shut up and leave you alone before."

Miles can see the ghost of a smile on Axel's lips as he thinks back to the memory. Axel likes this. He likes how when you look at a certain thing or hear something it can trigger a lost memory.

"Are you going to go cry to your parents again?"

"Nope. I guess I've changed too."

Axel suddenly turns towards a startled looking Miles and sees he hasn't changed one bit. His curly bronze hair still looks untameable. His glasses are still too big for his face. His smile is still too big for this sad world. And Axel realises that he needs this. Familiarity. An anchor. Someone to remind him of his past self so he doesn't feel as lost in this new world. An angel to get him through this hell.

The only comparison fit for Miles is the sun. Not for it's blazing heat or infamous colour. But for its necessity. The sun is the world's source. Axel doesn't want to compare himself to the world but like the earth needs the sun, he needs Miles. His warmth, his light, his presence. Even if it is obscured by the clouds.

"If you're looking for an empty classroom to hang about in during lunch, I know of one."

"You've seen me searching for a room for 10 minutes and now you tell me."

Miles smiles at his leverage.

"But I'll only tell you where it is if you decide to be my friend. Like actually be my friend, not like in middle school when only I did all the talking."

Axel knows he could probably find the room on his own but he takes the deal anyway.

"Fine." He says and Miles smiles once again before taking the lead and showing Axel where the classroom is.

"Miss Nancy, the librarian, lets me come here to read when the library gets too busy." Axel doubts that a library would ever be busy but decides to go with it for Miles' sake. "I don't think she'll mind if you come here too. She may make you help out at the library though."

Axel nods, glad that he has found a place away from all the other students and sits on one of the tables as he pulls out his lunch from his bag. Miles does the same.

Axel stares at Miles again, notices that he never really stopped staring and he just knows: this is going to be nothing like middle school.