Asymptote (bxb)

Chapter 23: Good

Unsurprisingly, Miles hadn't come back to school. I was concerned about where he went, knowing that he wouldn't have gone back home. I just hoped he didn't do anything bad; I hoped he didn't get hurt. I would feel so responsible that I wouldn't know how to sleep at night. The self-hatred I was causing myself was justified, but so preventable. I was out of control.

"Hey, where were you at lunch?" Lake asked. He happened to be leaving his locker at the same time I got to mine. I was grabbing my textbook before heading to the cafeteria for my spare.

"Appointment," I lied, pretending to be preoccupied with the stuff inside my locker.

"You missed some good cookies at lunch," he said, looking at himself in the mirror that was stuck to the inside of my locker door.

"I swear you are the only person in the school that stands in line to get those mayo-filled cookies," I replied with a laugh.

"Hey! The mayo thing is totally just a rumour." He was pouting and I knocked shoulders with him playfully.

"Want to hang out after school?" He asked.

"Can't, I have plans," I replied, closing up my locker and starting to walk down the hall with him. Lake's class was just across from the cafeteria.

"With who?" He pried.

"You know who," I answered. His face light up in playful smile. I wasn't sure why the idea of me seeing Cian was so thrilling to him, but it felt nice to have someone always on my side.

By the time my Advanced Functions class was letting out, my stomach was in knots. Whether it was because of the empty seat next to me, or the thought of facing Cian again, I really couldn't tell you. I know Cian said he wasn't mad, but I also knew there was a big difference between not being mad and it being okay, and it definitely wasn't okay.

I got back to my locker, and the guys were making plans to hang out. No one seemed to notice or care that Miles was gone. I felt my blood boiling at the thought of it. Why was I the only one who ever noticed? How could no one else see his pain? Why did they not care? What kind of friends were they?

I threw my shit into my locker and slammed the door shut, drawing attention from the group but not caring, just like they didn't care about Miles. I was turning my lock, about to leave when Beatle stopped me.

"One sec," Beatle said, exiting his conversation with Trick and Lake, "Whiskey, I had a favour to ask."

I didn't ask what it was, but I tilted my head slightly in his direction to acknowledge I had heard him. He got closer, creating distance between us and them, and he dropped his voice a bit lower. He rifled through his bag and pulled out a green, hard plastic pencil case that I knew all too well. I knew inside of it there would be a few grams of weed.

"Mi was supposed to take care of this, but he's MIA again. Can you?" I wanted to tell him to get fucked, but I pushed it down and took the container from him, shoving it into my bag. He only saw Miles' absence as an inconvenience for himself.

"Just text me the info," I replied, curt and dry. I zipped up my bag.

"You're in a great mood," he laughed, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. I avoided making eye contact because if I did, I would just lose it. I felt the anger bubbling over. He had a problem with my mood? Why were they in such a great mood? Miles mattered.

"I'll take care of it, okay? Is that it?"

"Which of your boyfriends has you so wound up?" he retorted, taking a step away from me and back towards Lake and Trick.