Tongue-Tied (Boyxboy)

Chapter Fifteen

"Oh hi Jaydn. I didn't expect to see you here." Logan said as he reached for the sandwich that the cafeteria lady passed him. I moved forward and ordered before turning back to him.

"Yeah, it's not exactly a place people want to be... Are you here visiting Luka too?" I asked curiously. Logan glanced at me sharply, his eyes worried.

"Luka is in hospital? Is he okay?" He asked, concerned. Obviously not here visiting Luka then. I accepted my own lunch and we went and sat down at an empty table close by.

"Yeah. He said he fell down stairs. You know what the douchebags at school are like though. I personally think he was pushed and doesn't want to be thought of as a snitch. You know what Luka is like. He prefers to keep things to himself." I replied, shaking my head.

"Is it bad?" Logan asked.

"Broken rib, lots of bruises." I said, frowning. Logan's eyebrows shot up.

"Yikes. Which set of stairs did he fall down? The ones that lead up to the Great Wall of China?" Logan asked incredulously. I snorted.

"So if you're not here to see Luka, what brings you to this lovely place?" I asked curiously. Logan went quiet and began shredding the napkin he was given with his sandwich. I didn't rush him.

"My, uh, my mom," He looked up at me, his eyes overly bright. He paused for a second to clear his throat. "She has a brain tumour. It was found too late and I can't afford to keep paying her medical bills. It's why I haven't been at school lately. I've been working instead."

"Why didn't you tell us? We could have helped. Christopher especially would have helped, you know that." I whispered, reaching over to squeeze his hand. Logan shook his head.

"That's a lot to ask someone. I didn't want to be a burden on you guys. Don't tell anyone, please. Especially don't tell Chris." Logan pleaded.

"Why not? Chris could absolutely afford it. He's loaded now! He inherited craploads from his grandfather when he passed away last year" I exclaimed.

"Chris can't look after me all the time, Jaydn. Some things I have to manage on my own. Besides, his grandfather put a condition on the money that he has to meet before he can touch any of it. He was telling me about it a couple of months ago. Even if he could touch it, we're so close to graduation now that he needs to focus on his studies, not me. He needs to get into that psychology course he's always talking about. Graduation is what, like two months away?" Logan said sadly. I frowned at him. Today is not a happy day.

"Oh. What about you though? I thought you two were planning on going to the same place?" I asked sadly. Logan shrugged.

"I don't think that's right for me anymore. I have bills to pay. I'm actually thinking of just dropping out of school and getting a second job." Logan mumbled. I shook my head.

"No Logan. You can't just give up your entire life! I know that if you just talk to Chris –"

"No! I won't ask him. I can't. And you can't either." Logan said, glaring at me.

"But –"

"No buts. This is my life Jaydn, and you have no right to tell anyone." Logan said, determinedly and I deflated. Well, when he says it like that.

"Look, I know you're just trying to help, but I'm doing okay. Everything is going to be fine, alright?" Logan said soothingly and I had to huff a laugh.

"I should be saying that to you, you know?" I said with a small smile. Typical Logan, trying to comfort everyone around him, even if he's the one that actually needs comforting. Logan smiled back at me before standing up and stretching.

"I better go. Mom's probably wondering where I am. I'll see you later, alright?" Logan said, giving my shoulder a quick squeeze and wandering off without waiting for an answer. I frowned after him, making a mental note to put money aside each week to help him out.

I glanced at the time and saw that it had been almost forty minutes since I'd left Luka. I threw my practically untouched sandwich in the bin as I walked out, no longer hungry.

I came to the door of Luka's room, pausing at the sight of the door still shut. I knocked gently, and opened the door when I heard a muffled 'come in'. I stepped into the room and smiled at Luka up and about, dressed in his usual jeans and a really baggy hoody. Aside from the split lip, you'd never guess he was injured.

"So they're letting you back out into the wild, huh?" I teased, sitting on the edge of the hospital bed. Luka smiled at me, an unknown emotion flashing through his eyes before it was gone again.

"Yeah. I, uh, I have to come back tomorrow for those tests." He replied, staring out the window.

"Do you need a lift home?" I asked gently. Luka looked at me, another quick flash of emotion going through his eyes before it was hidden again as he shook his head. I frowned, trying to place it. It wasn't a good emotion, whatever it was.

"The hospital called my father. He's coming to get me." Luka said stiffly. I winced in sympathy. I knew Luka didn't have the best relationship with his father, especially after his mother had died in a house fire.

"Well alright then. Would you like me to wait with you?" I offered, knowing that Luka would probably appreciate some support. Luka glanced at me, a genuine smile lighting up his face.

"No it's alright. Thanks though." Luka replied. I shrugged and hopped off the bed.

"Alright. I better head home. Brennan is coming home today, and mom wants everyone there for dinner," I made a face and Luka laughed. "Hey, if you come over soon you could meet him." Luka shuddered at the idea.

"You know I get anxious around new people. I don't think I'd be able to string together a sentence around your huge, ex-military brother for months." Luka joked, smiling self-deprecatingly. I smiled back a bit sadly, knowing that it was true. Luka doesn't do well with new people. The only reason he was so open with me was because I knew him before the fire. Before he got so scared of everything.

He shut down completely with anyone else, and barely even talked properly to Logan or Chris, despite the fact that we've all been hanging around together for the last year and a half, after Luka and I were considered to be a bit more advanced with a few other students and placed in higher level classes for some subjects.

Yeah, maybe Brennan would be a bit much for him. Brennan was big at 6'1, with not an ounce of fat on him. He was pretty much a giant wall of muscle. I tried to picture him standing next to Luka's tiny frame but in the mental image I had of the two, Luka's image kept trying to leave. I snorted. Even in my head he was trying to escape from everything.

"Yeah okay. Maybe not the best idea I've ever had." I conceded. Luka smiled at me and glanced out the window again, before the smile slowly slid off his face. He sighed and reached down for his schoolbag that I hadn't noticed on the ground by his feet.

"I'm sorry. I've got to go." Luka said before making his way past me and out into the hallway.

"Bye." I said, watching him go before walking up to the window and glancing out at the dirty black commodore parked on the street. I watched for a moment as Luka opened the door and slid in, before shaking my head and heading home myself.