Ratbags and Scallywags [bxb]

Chapter 26

A/N: SORRY SORRY. I changed last chapter because booklored  YELLED at me saying I need to go to THERAPY instead of putting my PURE and INNOCENT BOYS in such HORRIBLE SITUATIONS. So basically now to summarise, Aubrey's fine. Weeeell I mean at least compared to before

TY U FOR READING LOVE U. 

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After twenty minutes of using trickery and having it repeatedly thrown back in my face, we eventually settled into a decent game of handball out in the courtyard. Most of us, anyway.

Jude sat on the concrete nearest to Liam with his legs stretched out, taking the initiative to kick his ankles and annoy him. Since Liam had the best hand-eye coordination out of any of us, he usually destroyed us. This time, good guy Jude was here to save the day while he idly sipped on a frozen drink, watching.

Goose happily hit the ball away with one hand while he sucked on a sippy cup with the other. Ben looked annoyed and somber, but it wasn't exactly unusual for him these days. Trey must've been giving him smack about Ikeisha, but it seemed to escalate these days. Ben never said much about it besides shrugging and saying Trey's a pain, but I never hounded him for answers either.

Instead, it was nice to make up scenarios and pretend like I knew all these scandalous answers for myself. It definitely took some of the stress from my own reality off.

Even as I spent the entire day so far keeping my mind off the crappier stuff, a lot of thoughts kept lingering. Plaguing me. Like Aubrey asking me to tell him what happened in the bathroom. It's gross so I didn't want to say, but also, I didn't want him to do something stupid like get himself in trouble with Jesse or Donovan. Aubrey needed to stay out of the spotlight.

Seemed like for the moment, I was that spotlight.

"Charlie, think fast," Liam yelled and slammed the handball on the concrete. At least I thought he did because I dove for where I thought it'd land, but it arrived at my square in a clean and simple bounce. I'd watched it arrive there from the ground. "Hahahaha! Sucker!"

They all teased me as I picked myself up from the ground. "Ahh, haha," I said, scratching my head sheepishly. "You got me."

He used my own trick from earlier against me. And did it better, too. Ben perked up at some classic humiliation play and patted my back. "You win some and get your ass beat, some," he said with a tired grin.

"G-got to hand it to Liam," Goose said, developing his nervous stutter he often got when I opened my eyes wide and stared shamelessly at him. Deliberately, like I started doing right now. "'cause he s-sure handed it to Ch-Charlie."

We all had a good laugh when Ben's disappeared the fastest. He was looking at the direction behind me, so I turned to see him staring at Ikeisha's group. They seemed to be scattered around the field and courtyard, walking around and talking to people. I vaguely wondered what was going on but turned back to the handball square.

Goose had the ball now when and was about to hit it towards me I noticed Ikeisha come up to me. "Hey, Charlie. Did you have a good chat with Aubrey?"

"I sure didn't," I said, sparing her a quick glance before turning back to Goose, signaling that I'm ready for the ball.

"Oh?" she seemed worried. "You think he'd have gone off alone somewhere upset?"

"Huh?" I asked, pausing my throw and turning to her. The guys came over as well, except Ben, who seemed to look anywhere but at Ikeisha and Trey who was heading towards us as well.