8. Hiding in the shadows

41 9 1
                                    

"He's been acting very weird since yesterday evening. He also bunked school today, and wouldn't tell us what's bothering him," Clyde confided.

"Something might've definitely happened in school, I'll reach out to our friends and see what I can find out," Carnel said.

"Or we could gut it out of him," Jade suggested, eyeing Philip's room from the bottom of the stairs.

Carnel only scrunched his nose at his sister and waved her off.

"We'll do our investigation, try not to worry," Carnel assured Clyde.

"Well I'll let you guys be then," Clyde spoke and nodded, leaving the twins to attend to their best friend.

"Hey buddy," Carnel greeted as he entered Philip's room.

"Hey guys, hey," Philip acknowledged hoarsely, sitting up from his bed.

The twins assessed him up and down simultaneously.

His shirt was wrinkled and full of biscuit crumbs, his bedsheets were also covered in crumbs and looked very out of place.

"Get up," Jade ordered and Philip reluctantly complied, getting up, sitting on his work desk.

"Why didn't you come to school today? Fletcher was asking for you?" Carnel asked his friend softly, coming to stand in front of him.

Philip visibly tensed at the mention of Fletcher.

Carnel noticed.

"Did Fletcher do something?" He asked lowly, startling Philip.

"What, no!" Philip's voice rose an octave.

Carnel sighed heavily.

"You're lying."

Philip looked away from his best friend and crossed his arms against his chest.

"Fine, but you can't tell this to Jade," he muttered, looking at Carnel's twin, who was busy dusting the crumbs off his bed.

"Come to school tomorrow will ya?" Carnel nodded and pulled his friend down from the desk, dusting the crumbs off of his shirt.

"Okay."

"That's my boy," Carnel patted his cheeks twice, roughly.

"You've been inside all day, let's all go out for some snacks. What do you say?" Carnel suggested.

"I say yay." Jade quipped, dusting the pillows.

Philip nodded.

"Let's also ask Clyde," Jade suggested.

"Sure, come on," Carnel stepped out of the room.

"Only after I get done with this," Jade slapped the pillows with her hand.

"Oh come on," Carnel groaned.

👌

"What are you ordering?" Clyde asked, leaning back on his chair.

"I think I'll go with chicken wings," Carnel decided.

"Same," Philip muttered. "And a chocolate milkshake to go."

"I'll get some chicken nuggets, and garlic bread." Jade placed the menu book back in its place.

"And a Californian burger for me, plus a diet coke." Clyde nodded, confirming the order in his head.

The grand life of Philip | ✓Where stories live. Discover now