My School Be Zesty

Chapter 8- Family Matters

Sometimes, life is hard. Sometimes, life is decieving. It makes you think that everything will be okay, and everything will turn out fine... and then it breaks you. It breaks you into a thousand pieces, searching for hope, for anything that could imply that, just maybe, life isn't all too bad, and it makes you suffer for it, for the feeble things that you wished for. Truly, life is cruel.

Hugh sighed as he leaned against the wall. He was sitting outisde on the foyer, on the blue benches, staring at his phone. There was no one here. An empty, desolate place that made Hugh hate himself even more. He had tried messaging, calling, asking everyone, anyone, to let them go home with him. No answer for some of them, and a 'no' from others. Hugh shut off his phone, and took to staring at his arm instead. 

What would he do?

His mind had gone astray and his thoughts had gone wild. He looked at the floor, heartbroken and sadenned. If only...

A voice called out to him from the corner of his mind. Its warm tone could always bring him back from whatever dark hole he had fallen into. And so he looked up, to the man he could always trust... and hand in hand, they made their way to Yale's bus.

The ride was quite short. Yale's house was very near the scool and he was the first one to get dropped off. Hugh didn't really focus on anything while he was at it, drifting away into the realm of nothingness and sleep at times, only to be brought back by Yale's hand on his shoulder.

Yale lived in a bit of a villa sort of setting. There was a black gate and security at the gate (though they didn't look like they were particularly good at it). If you entered, there would be modern looking houses on both sides, with a number system on them. Hugh thought Yale's house looked a bit like show type of villa. They both entered the house. Hugh looked around in awe. It was massive (just like my dic-) and so well furnished. It was your typical modern suburban house, with two floors and relaxing and cozy setting. 

"Hey, mum... I'm home," Yale called out. 

Hugh remembered Mr Irie from when he was a child, back when he would spend all his days at her house. He remembered all the times she made pasta and played with them. She's always pinch Hugh's cheeks (face please not the other one) and would call him cute. 

Wasn't it funny that a total stranger took care of him better than his own mother?

This time wasn't much different. Mrs Irie rushed to the front door. She hugged Yale, asking him how his day went and ruffling up his hair. And then her gaze turned to him.

"Oh! Yale! You should've told me that Hugh was coming today!" she came up to Hugh and cupped his face, "It's been so long, you know! You don't even come to our house anymore! I thought Yale and you had a big fight or something!"

"Come on, mum, me and Hugh? Never," Yale started taking off his shoes and chuckled as his mother rushed off to get some pasta for the both of them.

Unfortunately, Yale's mother couldn't stay. Yale's father was waiting outside and the the pair had to take Yale's little sister to soccer practice and then they were going to a party right after. 

Mrs Irie waved them off, before making her way outside as Penelope Irie (Yale's sister) trailed behind her in her football jersey. 

The house had a certain emptiness as soon as Mrs Irie left. Yale ate his pasta quietly, smiling a bit to himself occasionally. Hugh, meanwhile, played around with his food, twirling the pasta and then untwirling it. He was hungry, sure, he had only had the peanut butter sandwich he made since this morning, but he was also... feeling guilty.

Yale had done so much for him. What had he done in return?

Nothing. Hugh sighed to himself.

"Why are you sighing so much today?" Yale finally spoke.