In Our Heads

Chapter 23

*****

Theodore walked down the hall slightly later than he usually did. There had been a few other cars in the parking lot but there were not many people around.

He was making his way to his locker and planned to head to the roof after that, but his walking slowed when voices sounded through the hall. Turning the corner slowly, he stopped once spotting a group of people around one of the lockers ahead.

From where he was standing, it looked like Cassian's. He recognised Amber and a couple of Cassian's friends, Kian, Justin and Lance, all of whom he preferred to stay away from despite never having spoken to Lance before. They were laughing as they blew up and stuffed balloons into the locker.

Deciding to return when they were not nearby, he turned and headed back in the direction he came from, towards the stairs.

When he reached the roof, he pushed the door open stepping out into the chilly morning and turned to head towards the far side of the roof, but was surprised to find someone there.

"Cassian," he said as he let the door shut.

"Good morning," Cassian replied from where he was sitting on the bench.

"You're here... it's early. Were you on the field again?"

Cassian shook his head.

"Happy birthday."

Theodore chuckled when Cassian grinned. It was very easy to make him smile, he never seemed to stop. Well, that was before the drive on Saturday evening.

He knew Cassian had seen the drugs in the cubbyhole, yet neither of them had mentioned it afterwards.

Theodore was grateful for that.

He did not want to lie to Cassian about it but could not tell him the truth either. So, he settled on not saying anything at all. Cassian had been tensely quiet and on edge as Theodore drove him home, and that continued into the next couple of days of school, where despite obviously having been uncomfortable with and worried about what he saw, he still hung out with Theodore when he could.

However, the new-found awkwardness between them seemed to fade as Cassian returned to himself in just a couple of days. Theodore wondered why but did not want to ask because that would result in him having to point out that he knew Cassian had seen the drugs and then he would have to explain why they were there. And he was just not going to yet... if ever.

He wanted to keep hiding everything about himself from everyone at school, and that would have been easy if he just stuck to his plan of not making friends, but here they were. Cassian seemed to be giving him the benefit of the doubt with regard to the white bags in the car.

It had been cocaine, William was stupidly driving around with the expensive drug in the car, more so in a compartment where it could so easily be found if he was pulled over. But drunk and high dealers clearly made bad decisions when it came to their merchandise too.

"Thank you."

"Have you been downstairs?" Theodore asked, remembering Cassian's friends at the locker earlier while he reached into his pocket.

Cassian shook his head.

"I came up here as soon as I was dropped off. Why, is there a fire?"

Theodore wrinkled his brows at that and Cassian grinned.

"Would I have come up here if there was?"

"I think you would."

Theodore laughed, pulling the card from his pocket and holding it out to Cassian.