The Assistant Headmaster (Mystrade Fanfic)

Thirty

A/N: Lame, short chapter. Soooooorrrrrrrryyy!! But honestly, thanks so much to everyone who reads/comments/votes on these things, it truly means the world to me and so do you guys. Writing is the only thing I have and the fact you guys enjoy it really helps me. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that you guys have saved me. So thank you and I love you all.

-CHxxx

Greg

The school was still silent and asleep as I sneaked back into my dorm. I tip-toed across the building, opening the door to mine and Anderson's room. The light switched on as soon as I entered, and Mike and Anderson sat on the latter's bed, glaring at me with accusing looks.

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Mike asked, folding his arms over his chest.

"Shit!" I shouted in fright.

"Oi, shut up!" Mike hissed quickly, shutting the door behind me. "You'll wake everyone up."

"Did you two seriously wait up for me to get back?"

"Yeah, we did. A lot of things don't add up about tonight-"

"Last night," I corrected Anderson.

"-And we want answers as to what actually happened," he continued as though I hadn't spoken.

I shifted slightly. "Well, what do you want to know?"

"What were you really doing at the ice cream place?" Mike asked.

"Told you," I said with a nonchalant shrug, "I was on a date." Well, it's not a lie...

"Really? What's her name then?"

I paused for a moment, forcing myself not to scream what my mind told me to shout. So, instead of shouting: 'Mycroft! His name is Mycroft bloody Holmes and I love him more than anything and he makes me feel bloody good about myself and life and we just had mind-blowing sex!' I instead said: "Mikayla. Her name's Mikayla." Mycroft, Mikayla, sounds similar... Sort of.

She doesn't go here then?" Anderson raised an eyebrow.

"Nope, she's at a public school in London."

"Sounds like a load of bullshit to me, Greg," Mike said, studying me closely. "You're lying aren't you?"

"What do you mean by that?" I demanded.

The pause between his next sentence matched the pause in between the beats of my heart. "She's not what you're making her out to be."

"Go on, Mike," I said, edging closer to him. "Say whatever's on your mind, but know that if you offend me, I'm not going to hold back."

'He must know,' I thought to myself. 'He's not stupid, he's probably worked it all out.'

Mike gulped but knew he was in no position to leave me hanging. "She's older, isn't she? She's not a student at all."

I sputtered for a moment. "You what?"

"Well it's obvious. You say she's not from the school, you sneak out to meet her, you tell us rubbish about her. She's older isn't she?"

I breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, Mike." Realising I sounded sarcastic, I changed my tone. "Yeah, you got me. Just don't tell anyone, alright? Either of you. It'll make me look bad and that's the last thing I need."

Mike nodded and pursed his lips together. "I've got your back, mate. That's why we stayed up so late waiting for you."

I nodded. Mike had never meant anything sinister by actions, he really was only looking out for me. "I feel like a twat," I admitted. "Bring it in, mate. Bring it in."

Mike walked over to me and I enveloped him in a bear hug while Anderson watched on awkwardly. Something seemed odd about Mike, even in that moment. It was like there was something more he wanted to say, like my secret was out (well, more or less), and he had one he wanted to share too. He pulled away from me, and I could see it even clearer in his eyes. 

"You alright?" I asked him, studying him. 

"Yeah," he sighed. "I'm fine."

Mike went back to his room to get some sleep, and Anderson shot me a strange look. "What?" I asked him as I pulled off my shirt and jeans, getting into my bed in nothing more than my pants. 

He shook his head. "Nothing."

"You guys are acting strange, you know."

"Really? Didn't even notice."

I hummed, though even he wasn't stupid enough to miss my lack of belief in his statement. "Alright, well, turn the light off, will ya? I need to get some sleep. I've got to get up again pretty early."

Anderson turned the light off as I'd asked him too, and I heard him sigh as he got into his own bed. My mind wandered back to the earlier events of the evening/morning and I knew I'd be fooling myself if I really believed I'd go back to sleep.