Peer Pressure

Dreaming

Luke doesn't seem to notice my concern when Shane doesn't seem to come back for a lot longer than usual.

He's in trouble.

"Were you paying attention?" He checks, snapping me out of my mess of thoughts.

"What?" I blink.

Luke just sighs and lies back on his bed. "What's bothering you?"

I don't answer. "I'm just thinking about things." I reply sourly.

"It's normal, some nights he doesn't even come back at all." Luke says to reassure me. "He's probably doing some extra studying in the library. He does that when he can't sleep."

"That's not it." I sigh.

"Sure." He sighs in return. "Think of it this way, he's a little like a cat. He's quiet, slightly cheeky and always comes back late but he knows how to look after himself." He adds to reassure me.

I don't think that's the only thing to take into account. I shouldn't have left him alone with Kier and Laurence. What if they try to hurt him? He's been through enough already.

Despite this, I keep quiet.

How can he love someone who wants to tear him apart? They could be hurting him right now.

Just thinking about it makes me tear up.

How could they do something like that to him? Is it me or do Laurence and Kier just not care that their friend is extremely upset?

"Hey, Drew! What's up?" Luke checks as I sniff back some tears.

"It's nothing, sorry to bother." I murmur, quickly changing into my pyjamas and hiding in my duvet.

Luke goes quiet before turning off the lights and going to sleep. It's pretty easy to tell when Luke is asleep from how he sound of him breathing starts to take a steady rhythm.

I can't sleep at all and end up staring at the blue clock in the room as the time ticks on. By the time Shane appears, the clock reads 4:57 and he seems to be limping.

"Shane?" I whisper. He flinches and freezes up.

"J-just don't talk to me." He murmurs.

I get up and immediately help him stand when he trips on something.

"What are you doing? Get off me!" He snaps, keeping his voice down so that we don't wake up Luke.

"We need to talk." I whisper back at him.

"No we don't." He growls. I start to notice from the light in the gap of the curtains that he's got a black eye and a split lip.

"Shane, did they hurt you?" I check.

"It's none of your business." He growls.

"Please Shane, let me help you." I try.

"No, I-I'm f-fine." He stutters slightly. "They'd b-beat you up too if they found out."

"They won't tonight, now will they?" I persist.

He whimpers at the pain as he tries to lie on his bed. I quickly get out the first aid kit he used for me and start trying to treat his injuries.

"S-so, how was your day?" He checks awkwardly.

I can feel my eyes welling up with tears as I manage to chuckle. "Shit, yours?"

"Same." He chuckles weakly.

I stop myself from pressing my lips into his, still lingering awkwardly over his face. No, don't do it! His breath trembles slightly before he whispers. "Drew? What are you doing?"