Whylight

16.

Paul hadn't gone to school in three days. Three days. He was glad that Peter didn't give a shit about him enough to have noticed, but he could tell that Pat was getting suspicious and that that was making Pawel nervous. He had agreed to not tell their other siblings that Paul wasn't going to school for a few days in order for the rumours to die down, but the more that Paul thought of returning to the place the more he didn't want to go back. It had been so awkward trying to ignore Chris, Ricky and the others. He wanted to avoid that for as long as possible and so instead, Paul had went seeking for answers.

He kept thinking about Chris's parents club, about it's strange occupants with their unnaturally pale skin but mostly he he kept thinking about Chris.

The other boy had been drinking blood, Paul was sure of it and so everyday he had walked halfway to school with Pawel in order to prevent Peter from becoming suspicious before he would divert and head back into town, going to a café across the road from the club and sitting in a window seat where he would spend the next couple of hours observing the people going into and out of the club before taking a bus back to the school where he would walk the rest of the way home with Pawel.

So far, he hadn't found any answers but Paul found it rather amusing that most of the clubs visitors seemed to be goths, like Chris, Vinny and Ricky. He wondered if Chris's parents were also goths.

"Are you even listening to me!?"

Snapping out of his stupor, Paul glanced over at Pawel who was walking beside him, his arms folded over his chest and he was wearing a serious expression which was quite unusual for him. It instantly made Paul feel guilty that he in fact, had most definitely not been listening.

"Uh... No, sorry. Could you repeat that?" he said with a wince.

Pawel rolled his eyes.

"Paul, you're gonna have to start going to school again. It's been three days," he said. "Pat's starting to notice that something's up. He keeps asking me if you're okay."

"Well I am okay," Paul said dismissively and Pawel gave him a hard look.

"Yeah well he doesn't seem to believe that when I say it."

"But I am!"

"Paul. You're not going to school, whenever you're home you stay in your room, you're hardly coming down for dinner. Even Pablo is getting worried!"

"Pablo is seven. He's hardly noticed."

"He's a smart kid Paul. He's noticed," Pawel said in a hard voice. "And even if he didn't, Pat's fretting is enough to make anyone notice!"

"Except Peter. He doesn't give a shit."

"Paul."

Paul sighed heavily.

"Fine," he said begrudgingly. "I'll start going to school again."

"You fucking better."

"I will! On Monday."

"Paul."

"C'mon Pawel, let me have the rest of the week. The rumours will have fully died down by then."

"Fine. But if I don't see you in those hallways on Monday morning Paul--" Pawel began but Paul cut him off.

"You will Pawel, don't worry."