The Course of True Love Never Did Run Smooth

Some of them good, some of them bad

"We make choices every day, some of them good, some of them bad. And if we are strong enough, we live with the consequences." – David Gemmell

3:05M Friday June 19th at the Merenkahre College: Drama Room 1

LESSON 21/30

Octavius was surprised to find that Jedediah had gotten to lesson before him. He did hope that Mr. Daley hadn't been too harsh on him. "Jedediah, it's good to see you." he began "How have you been? We haven't been in contact for a short while." Jed was turned away from Octavius, so the other man couldn't really see him; this was quite unsettling to say the least.

"I've been okay, just real busy. An' I lost my phone again" Jed laughed nervously.

Octavius had a very uneasy feeling sweep over him and he just knew that Kah had something to do with it "Jedediah, I cannot see you over there, how can I teach you if you are not even facing me?" He frowned as he took a few steps towards Jed, who seemed to cringe at the thought of turning to Octavius.

"Now, jus' hold on there partner, I got some explaining to do..." the air was thick with tension all of a sudden and Jed wanted nothing more than to run away right now instead of talk about his problems "I went out horse riding after school yesterday an' I fell off my horse and got a little roughed up. So don't freak out or anything -I'm fine." he bit his lip and turned slowly towards Octavius.

The most striking of Jedediah's features was a dark brown and purple bruise under and around his left eye. They were a few other small cuts and bruises visible on the skin he had showing but he was wearing purposely covering clothing. Octavius dreaded to think about what was below his shirt, but if the back eye was anything to go on he could assume it was pretty bad. It was then that the taller man also noticed the bandage around Jedediah's wrist, it clearly wasn't broken but by Jupiter did it look painful.

"Jedediah... I- I don't-" Octavius began to stutter, he didn't like seeing Jed in this state and he didn't believe the other man's excuse either. Jed had been fine when he had left him on Thursday, and he doubted Kah and his friends would be going horse riding.

"Don't say anything Octy. Just, leave it. Let's get down to lookin' at these plays." Jed said, trying to avoid Octavius gaze.

Octavius was far too worried about Jedediah not to say anything now "its finny how you got such bad black eye whist out horse riding. Did the horse step on your face? Or did it stand up and punch you?" He did think he could have worded that nicer, but he wasn't really thinking right now.

"What are you trying to say?" Jed said sounding more and more shaken and nervous by the second.

"Well you didn't have all of these injuries when I left you on Thursday. Last I saw you were with Kahmunrah and his groupies. Jedediah if something is going on you must tell me." Octavius moved towards Jedediah once more and placed a gentile comforting hand on the other man's shoulder, he hoped that Jedediah could find it in him to confide.

Jed looked painfully scared and jumpy, nothing like the Jedediah Octavius had first met; this Jed was a mere ghost of what he once was. He looked around him, checking that no one else was listening in before grabbing a chair from one of the room's corners and sitting down in defeat. He gestured for Octavius to sit with him, Jed had to tell someone and Octavius was the only person he felt he could really trust. "Don't tell anyone what I'm about to tell you okay? I don't want anyone getting in trouble."

Octavius felt like he wanted to object to that last statement, but he could see just how serious Jedediah was being so he decided to drop it and just listen to the truth.

"Yesterday after you left we all went out on to the field for a bit, Kah said it was because Al wanted to have a cigarette before we left. But it wasn't." Jed swallowed, "When we got there Kah told me off for talking to you not in lesson time, which I can understand because I ain't supposed to do that an' he's told me before so whatever."