Throughout the Years (Tronnor AU)

Chapter 14

-Troye-

"I have to go to a therapy session. I just remembered now. Cover for me." Connor whispered in my ear. He then gathered his lunch and jogged to the exit of the mess hall. I'm guessing he has counseling because of his self harm stuff. I've been there before, and it's not fun. I understand also why he wanted me to give a good excuse. So casually, I did my best to covered for his probably suspicious-looking departure.

"Hurry back, Con!" I said, trying to put on the most believable front. I turned back around to see Marcus looking in Connor's direction.

"Where's he going?" He asked, giving a questionable look. The rest of the table stopped and looked at me for an answer for why he left so abruptly. I quickly thought of something excusable that he'd have to take his lunch.

"Umm...his dad just called because there was a family emergency. He's going to his cabin to sort things out over the phone." I said, lying through my teeth. Hopefully, they bought it.

"Oh" was all Marcus managed. Everyone else just went back to eating. The usual table conversation took place. World events, jokes, gossip, you know, the norm. I have heard people talk about my brother all day, and I wondered why. Steele must've acted waaaaay different at this camp than at home. So, I turned to Alfie.

"So, what's the big deal about my brother at this camp? I saw Tyler hug the shit out of him, and Marcus loved him, so what's the big deal with him?" I said, half joking, half serious. After I asked, Zoë gave me a disgusted look and got from the table. She walked away in a huff. Alfie looked as confused as I did. He got up and followed her out while trying to catch up to her. I looked back at the table, who gave me sympathetic looks.

"Did I say something offensive?" I asked. Dan and Phil just looked down and played with their food. I heard Tanya speak up.

"I think she's still mad at you for punching Joe, and Steele is the one who let Marcus get away with putting alcohol in the lemonade, so asking about Steele must've just set her off." She said, explaining thoroughly and carefully.

"Hey, just for the record, I regret it so much now. If I knew what was gonna happen, I wouldn't have done it." Marcus looked down back at his food, but then looked back up. "And, it wasn't my idea in the first place. It was the Harries Twins's idea." Marcus looked back down.

"Calm down, Marky Butt-Butt. We all understand now. You've changed." Tanya says, still smiling. Despite the small awkwardness that approached afterwards, the table conversation returned to normal. Dan and Phil had an argument about some Pokémon, Tanya talked about some new makeup to me because no one else would listen, and Marcus just talked about anything in general.

After about a half hour, the table got up and went outside the mess hall. I exited with Marcus as we walked down the path together.

"By the way Troye, Steele was just a fun camp counselor. Very energetic, loose, fun, never unhappy, he was a pretty fun person to be around." Marcus said, talking about my question earlier.

"I was just asking because he acts completely different at home. He acts like a typical teenager. It's just strange seeing him hug Tyler so enthusiastically."

"Wait, he did that?" Marcus said, looking surprised. Well, I don't blame him. Steele is quite the manly man. He's the son that my dad wanted in the first place. The one to do all the heavy lifting, the chores, basically a slave. He's the one who watches all the sports with my dad, and when he got old enough, to have a drink with him.

"Yeah, he did it at the registration today." I say.

"Huh...I guess you have a point." Marcus said. He then pulled out his phone and his face lit up with excitement.