Pacifier

Chapter 5

Van

The lads were having the usual 'smoke and booze' Monday session. Larry and myself must've been the only ones not drinking. We didn't feel like going to school with a hangover was the best option.

Bondy, Benji and Bob were out back being idiots leaving Larry and myself to lounge around in the living room.

"So what did you do after school?" Larry sighed, smoke escaping from his mouth.

"Showed El around for a bit."

Suddenly Larry's head snapped in my direction. "What did you's talk about?"

Larry had been a bit off since last period, his behaviour was odd and unusual.

"She really opened up to me Larry, like I automatically thought she had it easy but I was wrong. El's going through so much alone." I frowned.

"Oh thank God, she told you!" Larry breathed, looking slightly more happy than his earlier self.

"She told me some things." I spoke slowly, still confused at Larry's change in tone.

Larry let out a sigh of relief.

"She needs us Van, it's so serious but she doesn't want anyone to intervene."

Now I was beyond confused. Firstly, El told me that she'd only ever told me the things about her life and secondly, she didn't say anything was wrong recently.

"She said she'd only ever told me mate." I raised a brow.

Larry sighed, "she didn't tell me. I forced it out of her after I saw her arm."

I sat still, frozen almost. Whatever Larry got out of Eleanor was defiantly not what she told me.

"Her arm? What are you on about Larry. El told me about her parents divorce and sister."

I became even more concerned with Larry's face dropped and turned whiter than the clouds on a good day.

"Fuck." He muttered. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

He swore into his hands, looking frustrated with himself.

"Larry. What did Eleanor fucking tell you." I snapped, wanting answers.

He reluctantly lifted his head and looked around the corner, probably ensuring that no one was near.

"You can't tell her I told you Van, she didn't want me to know in the first place." He pleaded.

"I won't just tell me, your fucking scaring me mate."

Sighing once more, he took a final breath of his cigarette before putting it out into the ashtray.

"You know Kyle Watson? The drugie who always hangs around the pub at night." I slowly nodded. "Well he's dealing stuff to Eleanor's mam."

I silently listened to every word.

"You know the divorce situation and it obviously tore her mam apart. She took El here and blocked out the pain with alcohol and ciggies."

"And now drugs?" I added.

"El only knows about her mam taking weed, although we both know what Kyle is like. Weed one day and a heroine addict the next."

"Anyway when she came back on Saturday her mam was passed out in bed and Kyle was in the kitchen. She told him to stay away or she'd get the police involved." He swallowed harshly. "He threatened her not to and that's when he did it."

Every type of bad feeling ran through my system. "Did what Larry?"

"Grabbed his cigarette and held the bud on to her arm. It's badly burnt Van, I saw it earlier. That's never going to heal right."

I never really felt anger much. But now it was the only feeling I was capable off.

"Fucking hell! Why didn't she say anything?" I yelled, getting up to grab my jacket although Larry threw himself in front of me.

"Van, mate, calm the hell down. El said he was going to do much worse if she provoked him in any way. She told me she's going to stay out of his way and her mam will kick him out. Going down there is only going to hurt her more."

As much as I hated to admit it, Larry had a point. El was in as much danger as it is, me going there wouldn't end well.

"You can't let on that I told you Van."

Taking a deep breath, I nodded and took my seat.

I grabbed my phone and unlocked it to find a text from a number I didn't know. It read,

'Opening up has never been an easy thing for me. You got me talking and realising that I can trust people. I'm grateful for that Van. Xx'

At least she was okay for now.

I couldn't focus for the remainder of the night so decided to head home at ten. Being the idiot I am, I had forgotten my earphones so reluctantly settled for the sound of the wind and drunken idiots.

When I got to the front of my parents b&b I turned to look at El's house. All lights were turned off, apart from one at the very top of the building.

Sighing I turned back and headed into my home where I was met with my mam and dad who were being there usual smiley selfs.

I went to bed that night wondering what really was the smashing sound I heard when I left El home earlier.

Every part of me hoped it was just her mam being clumsy, but after what I learnt tonight, i had other ideas.

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A/N

Ooh La by The Kooks could happily be my life theme tune. Hope you're good and living life to the fullest!

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