debauchery *gawsten* ✓

Chapter Seven

edit: 8.19.20
553 words

otto p.o.v.

geoff and i peeked our heads into room 294. unfortunately, awsten wasn't there like i had hoped he would be.

"maybe he already went home." i said sadly. "hopefully he caught a ride with someone..."

"does he normally ride with you?" geoff asked me. i affirmed it. we both concluded that this was weird. i texted awsten to see if he was okay.

otto-matic: hey, aws, where'd you go? i hope you're alright :(

"to my house then?" i suggested.

geoff shrugged. "yeah, cool. my house is too haunted anyway."

"no shit?" i asked as i unlocked my car. "you always go on about how haunted your place is, but i've never actually noticed."

"yeah, man." geoff said as we drove off. "we all hate it but like, it's a nice house, ya know? mum likes it too much, so we're not moving any time soon."

"you're not shittin' me here?" i asked.

"not over my nose ring." he replied. he paused, then added, "hey, do you think awsten likes it?"

i glanced at him before glancing behind us. "like what? your haunted house? sure, if he's even been there. he's got a bit of a morbid ghost obsession."

"good to know, but that's not what i'm talkin' about." geoff said.

"then what? you mean your nose piercin'?" i looked over at him at the stoplight. there was a slight pink tinge to his cheeks. "woah. punk geoff wigington, who doesn't give a rat's ass for anythin', actually cares what someone thinks?"

the blush on his face got darker. "shut up," he laughed. "and he's not just somebody. he's awsten." i roared with laughter when he clamped a hand over his own mouth.

"awsten is cute, i'll give you that." i chuckled as we turned into my neighbourhood. "but geoff, he's never actually dated someone. the last person he dated was ciara for like...a month before she cheated on him."

"fuck, really?!" geoff gasped. "why? he's small and must be protected."

"yeah, i know." i sighed as i pulled into my driveway and shut the engine off. "the poor boy started to write a song about it too. i've never really seen him hurt so badly, except when..." i trailed off. what happened was none of geoff's business, no matter how much i adored the guy.

"when what?" geoff prompted.

i hesitated, then said, "when his mum died." 

"how'd she die?" he asked softly when we got inside.

"i don't know," i lied. "awsten never told me."

"huh." geoff seemed to be thinking about it. "okay...can you help me with review? math today was shit."

we spent an hour on what geoff's class went over today. he had to use the bathroom soon, so while he was gone i tried to facetime awsten. my worry increased when he didn't answer.

geoff came back before i could pretend to be nonchalant. "yo, what happened?" he asked. "were you really that bummed that i was in the bathroom?"

i snorted, then i shook my head and sighed. "awsten didn't answer his facetime. we usually facetime every monday..."

"maybe he's in the shower?" geoff suggested.

"yeah, maybe." i reluctantly agreed.

"come on, let's suffer because of the cramer's rule." geoff sighed.

i punched him. "fuck you, i love the cramer's rule!"

"nutso." geoff whined, earning another punch.