Insufferable

Part 7

Henry held on the cup of tea in his hand feeling the warmth radiates through his skin as Nora and Alex talks to each other. Mary on the other hand stayed besides him worrying about his silenced and the fact that she barely said a word to him made Henry felt like the elephant in the room. "What happened to that boy I met in London? The one who always brings people to smile with his radiant hair, his pearly white teeth and his charming smile. What happened to him?" She asks and Henry could feel the tears starts to flood in his eyes making his vision blurred. "His father died." Henry answered and she sighed next to him.

"The sole of his happiness gone and it was replaced with darkness that he can't control." Henry continued making Alex and Nora suddenly stopped talking and listens to his side of story. "Where were you?" He asks turning his head to her and she straightened her back exhaling a breath before she answered him. "My job was to take care of your father. As soon as he died, I was called to another patient. I'm so sorry Henry. Must be hard for you to deal with your father's death." She can see the tears fell on Henry cheek after she said it.

"How is Catherine? And Bea?" She asks trying to advert the conversation but Henry held the cup tighter in his grip pressing his lips together. "I lost count on how many boyfriends she has now. Bea is in rehab, for her drug and alcohol addiction. Phillip made her stay there until she is clean. That was two years ago. I think she just didn't want to come home so it won't triggering her. That house, the walls, the hallways, the smell, everything about it is - triggering." Henry lips trembled when he mentioned his sister and his mum wild activities after his father's death, no wonder he is such a mess, Alex thought.

Alex can't help but to came closer sitting himself next to him and let his palms rested over Henry's shoulder. He turned to look at him and he can see how Alex's eyebrow crooked into a line worrying about him. "Tell me about this- James guy." Mary asks seeing the triggered is not because of his family but rather something else.

"He taunt me endlessly. He's just a creep, bullying others weaker than him. But I never-" Henry stops not sure whether or not Alex knew he is worried about being outed to the crowd earlier. The fact that Henry tried his very best to look straight but there is no fooling anyone that he isn't, even Alex could see it.

"You never thought that James might have a crush on you?" Alex added and Henry turned his head swiftly at him furrowing his eyebrow at his words. "What do you mean by that?" He asks pulling his shoulder away from his grip. 

"James is a closeted gay but he pretended that he is straight. So I think he messed around with you just so people won't think that he is gay, probably just bisexual." Nora adds and Alex added, "Like me!" His enthusiastic replies made Henry scoffed before he sat up from the bed and Mary tilted her head to face him. "I don't know what you guys are talking about and I don't appreciate people assumed my life like it's any of their business." Henry grabbed his bag from the floor and headed for the door but Mary stops him.

"Henry." His hand hovers over the doorknob before he turned to face her again. She tossed a small bottle that rattles in his hand as he catches it. He eyed the bottle and wondered, "Phillip had me run an errand remember? Try to keep it more than two months, I don't want you to end up OD'ed in your dorm room." She says and Henry gripped the bottle tight in his grip before he nods and left.

After the door closed Alex gaze turned to her standing in the middle of her office still staring at the door with her hand in her pockets. "Keep an eye on him please. He is troubled but he is also sweet and kind and soft hearted. The kind boy that brings you flowers when you are sad. The boy that would do everything for the one he loves. He still in there. However damage he is. He still worth saving." Mary says and both Nora and Alex nods watching her wiped her tears away with her fingers and silently walked back to her desk. They both left that room today with thoughts in their head on how to get back at James for hurting Henry and Alex already had thousand plans in his mind.