BBC Ghosts: Teatime Club

Depths

Thomas kicked a stone into a pond as he made his way to school, feeling particularly downtrodden after the hellish night he'd had yesterday.

His parents evening hadn't gone so great and ended with his parents basically reprimanding him and telling him he'd never achieve his dreams because he was a complete failure and waste of space which really propelled his confidence... not.

The poet entered the school building through the back entrance and walked into the nearest toilets, where he knew nobody would be. A droplet of blood fell from his wrist and splattered against the white tile flooring as Thomas dizzily grabbed onto the sink, staring at his gaunt reflection in the fractured mirror.

Trying to ignore the sharp stinging sensation in his wrists, Thomas clutched the sides of the sink tightly as he tried to steady his breathing. He knew he may have gone a little overboard this time but what his parents had said to him...

It made him feel sick.

Thomas heard some faint voices coming towards the toilets so he quickly jumped into one of the stalls, closing the door and standing on the toilet so nobody could see him.

The door opened.

"So you basically want me to... cover it with make-up?" came the familiar voice of Kitty.

Thomas winced.

"Y-Yes, that's right. Sort of like when actors sometimes have a beauty mark or something that they want to c-cover up before going on stage." Pat replied to her, seeming more shaky than usual.

Thomas could hear Kitty fumbling around in her satchel. She pulled out her sparkly make-up bag and helped Pat slide up onto the sink cabinet. Kitty unzipped the bag and pulled out her foundation and brush. "I think I can mix a shade similar to your skin colour, thanks to the powder Mary let me borrow."

"Um, that's good then, I think."

"Close your eyes and I'll cover it for you."

Pat did as he was asked and closed his eyes as Kitty removed his glasses before applying the make-up.

Thomas frowned. Why would Pat ask Kitty to cover his face with foundation?

"Pat... why do you have this bruise?" she asked gently as she brushed his cheek.

Ah.

"Oh, I just tripped into a door yesterday. A bit embarrassing really, b-but you know what I'm like." he gave a hollow laugh.

"Well, I don't really. I hardly know you." she deadpanned, before suddenly breaking out into a grin, "But I trip into doors all the time so I know what you mean!" she laughed.

Pat just smiled.

Thomas came to the conclusion that Pat was lying. Although he didn't talk to the shorter boy that much outside of the club, he noticed that Pat was generally skittish, but he wasn't clumsy. He'd also seen the way that his parents had looked at him last night.

It was a similar way to how his own parents looked at him.

"Done!" she sang.

Pat shuffled off the cabinet, his feet slapping against the tiles. He turned into the mirror and observed his face. "Wow, Kitty! You did a great job!"

"Do you really think so?" she asked, hope etching her voice.

Pat nodded and found himself being consumed in a hug.

"Thank you so much, Patrick!"

Pat winced. She noticed and let him go. "It's no problem! I feel much better now!" he took his glasses off her. "Thanks again. The bell's about to go so we best get to class."

"To the classroom, away!" she giggled, pulling Pat's arm as she flounced out of the door.

When he was sure they had definitely gone, Thomas left the stall and walked back over to the sink. His arms were still hurting him and he was now feeling a little sorry for Pat, much to his annoyance.

Thomas sighed and rubbed his eyes.

~~~~~

"So, can anyone tell me the square root of 225? How about you, Humphrey?"

Humphrey zoned back into lesson. He'd been sketching random doodles in his Maths book and totally ignoring his teacher throughout the entire lesson. He looked up at her. "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

The teacher rolled her eyes. "Not paying attention again, were we?" she sighed. "Fine. How about you Pat?"

Pat was startled by her addressal. He also hadn't been concentrating. He'd been too busy worrying about seeing his parents again later. "Um..." he looked around for help.

The teacher exhaled, annoyed, writing their names on the board. "That's two of you in for detention later. Honestly you boys have been so lackadaisical lately. I've already had to send Cap out for talking to Will when he shouldn't have been and now I've had to reprimand two of my best students? What's wrong with you today?"

Pat's guilty eyes met the floor.

Humphrey gave a little sigh. "We're just tired, miss."

"Then try getting to bed earlier!"

Humphrey glared at her.

~~~~~

After school, Cap, Pat and Humphrey were lumbered in detention together.

Their teacher was sitting at the front of the class, marking her work, meaning the trio couldn't speak to one another. Instead, they resorted to communicating through their eyes and facial expressions, which admittedly wasn't working too well.

Their teacher gathered her papers and patted them against the table. "I just have to do something so I'll be right back. If I'm not here by half past then you can go." she waited for them to acknowledge her before leaving the room.

The three teenagers relaxed.

"She's such a mardy arse." Humphrey sniffed, causing Cap to nod in agreement.

"You're right there. She needs to get a life. So what if I was talking? I'd finished my work."

Pat feathered his finger over his tender cheek. He saw the others looking at him and he cleared his throat. "I-I'm just going to pop to the loo. Mind watching my bag?"

"Sure." Humphrey smiled.

Pat smiled back and left the room, beginning his journey down the corridor. He'd just gotten past the doors when he heard someone call him from behind.

"Patrick!"

Pat turned to see a pale looking Thomas approaching, an annoyed Julian on his tail.

"Where the hell have you been?" Julian hissed, "We're waiting for you in the history block!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, we're in detention. Me, Cap, and Humph'. Been one of those days."

"What the hell did you do to get detention? You're a right swot!"

"I am not!" Pat pouted indignantly, raising himself up on the balls of his feet.

Julian smirked. "You bloody are."

"So what are you doing now?" Thomas asked tiredly.

"Going to the loo."

"Oh."

"Come on Julian, let's go." Thomas forced out, feeling dizzier than ever. "We'll wait for them back in class..."

Pat noticed the way Thomas was wobbling on his feet. "Thomas, are you feeling quite alright?"

"I'm fine!" Thomas snapped, intending to turn and strut off down the corridor. As he dramatically swivelled, he suddenly felt faint and unceremoniously dropped to the floor like a stone.

"Thomas!" Pat cried, leaping forward to soften his blow. He held Thomas' unconscious form and looked up at Julian, who was staring down at the pair of them in disbelief.

"Well, fuck."