𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙜𝙖𝙧 𝙘𝙪𝙗𝙚𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙖𝙩 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙞𝙨, 𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙖 𝙥𝙮𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙙 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢, Chris let out a grunt as the cubes came flying at his head, "Look, oi!" He said as he put a cube down on the pyramid, "Can we get some concentration here, please? I know it seems hard, right, but think about it," He turned to look at us, "This... This could lead to, you know, celebrity," Everyone chuckled out as he said this.
"A place in the Guinness Book of Records is hardly celebrity," Michelle commented and she placed a cube on her tongue, I laughed and put one in my mouth as well.
Chris let out a scoff, "But it is! I fucking love that book!" He then noticed that we were stuffing our faces with the sugar cubes, "Will you stop eating the tools!"
I held up one of the sugar cubes, "It is not our fault you went and decided to go for sugar cube pyraminds!" I said to him, laughing before I popped a sugary cube into my mouth again.
The door opened behind us, I looked over my shoulder as Tony walked into the room, "Oh, hi," He said to us, the room grew into an uncomfortable silence, everyone avoiding eye contact, even with each other. Chris looked down at his cube pyramid, "What's this? Some kind of retro LSD thing?"
Chris looked over at Anwar who was sat next to him, "Uh... No," He spoke up, "It's kinda that homework thing I was telling you about... The- er- biology."
There was another long silence, Tony looked down at Michelle, then over at me, I looked up at him for a moment before I cleared my throat and looked over at the floor, "Hi, Astrid," Tony greeted me, which caused Michelle to physically get uncomfortable, I let out a small sigh and looked up at him, I hadn't spoken to him since our little run-in outside my house.
"Hi, Tony," I said to him, looking up at him for a second before I looked over at Chris, as a sort of an escape.
"Look, don't worry, I'm not going to stay. I just needed Sid for a moment."
Sid was staring at some glasses in front of him, "I'm busy," Sid said to him, not even looking up.
"Yeah, I can see that," Tony looked around at us all, "Go on, let's have a go, then," Tony nodded at the pyramid, taking a cube from Chris, he bent forward to place it, then I watched as he fell forward, his hand going through the middle of the pyramid, knocking it all over, Chris's eyes widened and then everyone let out sighs, I leaned back a little and shook my head. He played it off as an accident, but, it was obvious he wanted to get to us for not playing into him and inviting him along. "Fucking hell, guys, you know how to have a good time, don't you?"
Michelle let out a long sigh, "I don't want this to be difficult, if you want to stay, you can stay," Michelle said to him.
"No, it's fine. You made the divorce terms clear and I intend to stick to them," Tony said to her, raising a brow as he looked down at her.
"Please, don't be a bastard."
"Look, don't get so upset about it, okay? I'm sorry I spoilt your beautiful evening, I'll go," Tony turned to leave, "Sid?" He said as he left the room.
Sid just let out a huff and shook his head, looking back at the glasses, everyone looked over to Sid, "Well, go on, then," Michelle said, "See what he wants?"
Jal shook her head, "Don't feel you have to, Sid," She said to him.
Sid went to stand up and I just got up, "It's fine, I'll go," I looked down at Michelle, "Only to tell him to leave, nothing else," I left Chris's dorm, walking to the bathroom, I popped open the door, speaking before I fully got in, "Look, Tony, you should leave," Once I got into the restroom I noticed Tony had his shirt up, he had bruises on his stomach up to his rubs, I let out a small gasp, "Fucking hell," I stepped forward and put my hand on his side before he put his shirt down, "What the hell happened? Did someone do this?"
"I tried ringing," Tony said to me, looking up at me, "But you haven't answered your phone all week."
"You kind of dropped a bomb on me, Tone, I needed time to think."
"Effy's missing, we need to look for her."
"Effy?"
"My sister," He commented and I nodded, taking my hand away from his side as he put his shirt down, he took out his phone, dialing his sister, holding it up as he put it on speaker.
"Hi, this is Effy's phone. She's currently cruising at 35,000 feet and there's definitely turbulence ahead," Some guy said over her voice message box.
I made a face looking up at Tony, "That... That's a bit weird," I said to him.
"It's fine," Tony shrugged his shoulders, "We just have to nick your mum's car, drive around a bit, spot her, take her home... We can go for a pint?"
I made a face at him, "Nick my mum's car? Can't we nick your dad's?"
"Astrid, my dad has central locking, a sophisticated alarm system, and probably thinks a spell in prison would do me good... Whereas, if I recall, your mum is complaining about her car, it's about 20-years-old, runs like shit and she said she wouldn't even notice it missing..."
"Ah... Fuckin' hell, whatever, she's pissed me off today anyway, I can just grab the keys from our counter, they never move."
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I walked out of the bus station, I asked around if anyone saw Tony's sister, but, there wasn't a person in there who had a clue what the hell was going on, especially this late at night, Tony was sat on a bench outside and as I walked over to him, he looked up at me, his eyes lighting up a little, "Anything?" He asked.
"Nope, nothing," I said as I sat down next to him.
"Bollocks!"
"You think that she's having a joke at your expense, perhaps?"
Tony furrowed his brow and started to shake his head, "No... That's not her style, I know Effy, she's cleverer than this... In fact, she's the cleverest fucking person I know... I don't know anyone like her," I let out a small sigh as he spoke. "Look, I'm worried about her," This was a different side of Tony, something I saw before, he seemed frustrated and actually genuinely worried about his sister, "I just- even if we're looking in the same place twice," I looked down at the ground and I felt him touch my arm, "Please, Astrid."
I nodded at him, "Yeah, okay, Tony."
It was then that his phone ran and he jumped up, "Effy?" He said as he answered, I watched him turn on his heels, looking down at me, "Who is this?" His once relieved expression changing to a confused one, "What? Put Effy on the phone! Hello?" He let out a grunt, shoving his phone in his pocket, "Fuck, come on, Astrid," He started to walk away and I followed him back towards my mum's car.
We drove to some creepy-looking parking garage, it was empty, "That's just... Creepy," I commented as I got out of the car and looked at the road that led into the garage.
"Are you scared of the dark, Astrid?" Even in this desperate time, he teased me, even though his face was serious.
I looked at him, shaking my head, "That's the last thing I'm scared of. And I'm not scared of most things." There was a silence, I looked around, "I don't mean to tamper the mood, but, uh, I don't think she's here."
"Yeah, doesn't look like much of a party does it?"
Tony let out a sigh and sat on the hood of the car, "What are you thinking about... You know, other than where your sister is."
"Sid's fucking useless," Tony blurted out, "I was to come out searching for her with him and he just ignores me now, he just wants Michelle, so he's being a dick. I worked hard to create a shagging opportunity for him and he went pussy."
I furrowed my brow, "What?"
"Instead, she ended up with- Josh... A complete fucking knob, who I have to sort," Tony still cared about Michelle, that was obvious, even if he screwed everyone and everything.
"Josh? From the hospital?"
"Yeah. That one."
"Sort? What did you do?"
"I put naked pictures of Abigail on his phone, made sure that Michelle could see them. Made sure everyone could see him... It was quite funny."
"Abigail- his sister? Posh Abigail? Jesus, Tony, what the fuck?"
"I was trying to make it so Michelle would run to Sid! That's all!"
"I wonder why I continue being friends with you, I just, I don't know, I have Michelle, and we only met a while ago, but, I don't know."
Tony tilted his head to the side, looking over at me, "I think you love me," He commented and I let out a scoff.
"Love you? That's real thick, Tony, don't go putting words into my mouth, you have no idea what you are talking about."
Tony started to shake his head and stood up, standing in front of me, "You think you're a slut because you slept with me when I was with Michelle, and I think you want me to call you that so you finally get told off, because Michelle just gave you the cold shoulder, you want me to tell you off so you don't feel anything for me anymore, is that right?"
"Jesus, what the hell are you on?"
"You don't want to hear me say this because then you have no choice but to keep loving me," He stared down at me, "I love you, Astrid."
"I can't do this, Tony!" I stood up and went around the other side of the car to the driver's seat, "No, I can't-" I let out a frustrated sigh, "I can't love you! Michelle loves you," My hand was on the car handle, I squeezed it in frustration, "But, I do, I love you."
"Astrid, where are you going?"
"Tony, you don't have any friends left, and I worry about you, I do, and I don't want anything to happen to you, but, you are really self-destructive right now. And I don't know what to tell you, but, you need to stop, stop thinking about everyone else and start worrying about yourself, think about what is best for you."
Tony walked over to me and put his hands on my sides, "You are, you are what is best for me, you kick me in the arse so much."
"I hope you find your sister, Tony, I do... I need to go, I still need to think about- this."
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I went home after that, I sat down in my bed, some time passed and then I heard my cell ring, I sat up to answer it, "Hello?" I said.
"Astrid," Michelle was on the other end, "I'm worried about Tony."
I let out a small sigh, "Don't worry about him."
"I just spoke to him," She told me, "He sounded- strange... In a real mess."
I looked down at my hands, "What do you mean?"
"He's at some Ston Eaton sports place."
"Huh? Where?"
"Ston Eaton, something weird's going on... It's where Josh and his mates hang out... Can you go check if he's okay? Sid's not answering me and I know you left with him earlier."
"Josh?" I stood up, once I heard that name, I started to grow worried.
There was a small silence on the other end before Michelle spoke again, "Yeah."
"Okay, yeah, I'll go." I left my house and quickly took off before I went to the place where Tony was at, as I drove up, I noticed him walking across the yard, his sister in his arms, he was in his boxers only, I stopped the car and quickly got out, "Tony! What's happened?"
"It's- all my fault," He sputtered out, he had been crying and I looked down at his sister who just seemed lifeless.
"What- no, come on, we need to get her to the hospital, put her in the back."
I helped him do so then I shoved some clothes at him that I had in the trunk, they were my dad's but, whatever to get him dressed. I drove them to the hospital and we waited around for his parents then once they arrived, Tony asked me to go back with him, to see his sister. As I walked back, I sat down next to him, his mum and dad stared down at his sister, "Do you think she can hear us?" His dad asked.
"I don't know, darling," His mum said, sounding exhausted.
His dad leaned down, grabbing Effy's hand, "Effy, love?" He frowned, "Her hands are cold..."
"Well, maybe best let her sleep."
Tony looked up at his parents, "She can hear you, dad," Tony said to his father, trying to reassure them.
His dad shot a look at him, "That's enough from you."
Tony sunk back in his chair and then the doctor walked in, his dad and mum looked over to him, "Doctor... Sorry, is she?"
The doctor looked up from the clipboard his eyes were glued to, "Oh, it's all looking fine... It's good, yes," He looked back down at his board, "I'd go as far as great... These kids are remarkably resilient creatures, you know?" He cleared his throat, "It's all gone, and whatever hasn't will be out in a few days, one way or another... She took some very clean, pure pharmaceuticals..." Tony looked over to me, seeming relieved, "Okay, I'll leave you be."
Tony's dad glared down at him, "So, I suppose we should congratulate you for getting her clean drugs."
Tony sat up straight, "You think this was me?"
"She was with you!"
"I wasn't, I was-"
"Don't deny it! Tony, she's your little sister!"
Tony looked over to me for a moment before he looked back up at his dad, "I know- I know... But, listen for a second-"
"No, I've had enough of listening to you... We all have! You and your horrid little ways... Always at other people's expense."
I stood up now, I heard enough of Tony's dad treating him like shit, after everything he just went through, I knew he was hurting over this, "No, hang on. That is enough," I spoke up and his dad looked at me, shocked.
"What?"
"He loves his sister, and I learned that tonight, don't you think this is all hard enough?"
His dad scoffed at me, "And who the fuck are you?"
I paused for a second before I figured how I was going to reply, "I'm in love with your son. I learned more about Tony tonight than anyone else ever has."
"Yeah? Well, I'm his fucking father!"
"I know exactly who you are," I spat at him and I turned to walk away, "Come on, Tony..."
"I want to stay with Effy," He said to me.
I looked over my shoulder at his parents, "Tony, come on..."
We ended up at a park together, out of the way of everything, everyone. I sat down next to Tony on a bench and he let out a small sigh, "Thanks, Astrid... For standing up for me, I mean."
I took in a long breath, nodding at him, "Of course, I wasn't going to stand there letting your dad treat you like that, it's ridiculous."
"You meant it?"
"What?"
"You love me?"
I let out a sigh, I knew that was coming, I just nodded at him, "I think, yeah... I meant it."