Notebook

Twelve

Aiden entered the school canteen through the double doors as he did every lunchtime and scanned the room for his friends, still buzzing from the enjoyable weekend he spent with them in the pool.

He hadn't enjoyed himself like that in a long time. Laughter hadn't been that easy for a while.

After the weekend, he chatted with Nathan late into the night. They made plans to spend the following weekend together, which excited the younger boy to no end.

He was nervous about what would come, but it wasn't negative anxiety. He didn't fill with dread; instead, eager anticipation.

Aiden and Nathan hadn't spent any significant time alone since that day at the coffee shop, and the younger boy was ready to take a tiny step forward. To change his life for the better.

He didn't know that less than a minute after these thoughts occurred, things would take a dramatic, arduous turn for Nathan.

Aiden spotted Evan standing behind the group, everyone else around the table with their back to him. Evan's panicked expression told Aiden that something was wrong. One second of locked eyes and the older boy rushed towards him.

The sight before him was heartbreaking.

Nathan lay huddled over the table, his left hand clutching the table's edge with a death grip, his knuckles a pale white colour as he held on. His right hand locked around his shoulder, holding with such intensity that Aiden was surprised his fingers had not shattered under the strain as he pressed his face against the hard surface.

Matt sat beside his friend, a hand resting on his back as he was out of his depth, unsure how to help. They gathered around the table, using their bodies as shields to block curious eyes.

They'd been in this position several times, but it never got easier.

Aiden dropped his backpack to the floor and fell to his knees at the end of the table. "Nathan?"

The boy didn't move at the sound of his name. He clenched the table harder again, fiercely fighting against the sounds escaping his mouth, but unsuccessfully.

"What happened?"

Evan quivered with concern, wringing his fingers together as he looked between Reid and Jasper for answers. Nobody had any.

Aiden looked under the table, his eyes catching Nathan's black bag and pulling it forward with his foot. His notebook stood out, adorned with the stickers Aiden had given him.

He would have admired it if the situation wasn't so dire.

The younger boy pulled the pen out of the spiral binding and flicked to the next empty page, sliding the book towards the pained boy and forcing his hand away from his shoulder to hold the pen.

When Nathan lifted his head, Aiden's heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

Aiden witnessed the boy's pain from his injury, but this is different. His eyes were screwed shut, but that didn't stop the river of hot tears flowing down. He gritted his teeth so hard that his jaw would hurt soon.

Aiden had never seen someone in such agony before.

Nathan scribbled over the paper, taking up most of the sheet and not sticking to his usual careful lines.

Slipped bathroom.

Aiden heard the plastic pen snap as it was squeezed to its breaking point. He snatched it away, not wanting the tiny shards to cut the other boy's hands.

"Did you take your medication?" He asked as Nathan bowed his head, trying to hide his face from everyone.

He hated crying. He hated crying in public, especially in front of his friends and Aiden. But the pain was extraordinary.