Alex Rider X Gallagher Girls

Absent

So we accepted Alex as Toms friend and our shadow at school when Tom was in. When Tom had a sick day, we'd sit with our other friends and Alex would sit alone studying quietly.

So it was no surprise when Alex was absent a few weeks into term. It was cold season So it wasn't uncommon, a few in the class were out. When the teacher pauses at Alex's name, he sighs when theirs no reply. The day continues on as normal and so does the rest of the week. The week after Alex still isn't in but no seems to care, only Tom. He marks everything down that we covered in Alex's diary, and goes up after class to get stuff from teachers who cared about their absent student. On the fourth week of his absence he shows up one morning as if he hasn't been missing for nearly a month. Again some continue on as it were no big deal others speculate and whisper nasty comments.

Alex just sits quietly in the corner and takes down everything. Talks to teachers at the end of class about things he missed. Whispers followed him everywhere he went, but it didn't seem to bother him. Come lunch his presence had been spread all over school. No one believed he could be sick for that long, but the evidence was there he was considerably thinner. His uniformed hung off him and his skin looked drawn and waxy.

We sat with at our usual table and Alex resumed his usual seat. Over his absence our other friends had sat with us but upon the ghosts return they went to a different table. We started lunch in silence, not really sure what to say. It was Alex who surprisingly started the conversation. "You didn't visit me in hospital Tom, your becoming a bad friend. I was on my death bed and I was thinking, if only someone loved me enough to bust me out. What happed to the plan of when I end up in hospital you'd break me out? What part didn't you get?"

At this Tom looks at him indignantly " How dare you accuse me of such betrayal. I was all ready, I had the smoke canisters and the rope ladder. It was all your fault this time. I had everything set up only to find you completely out of it asking me to make the purple spotty rabbit to stop making fun of you"

"That is no excuse, I was conscious, we could have made it, because of your failure to complete a simple task of breaking me out I had to stay there three extra days" Alex shudders dramatically, "I'm sure if you roped the girls into it you would have managed". Tom tries to protest but Alex waves him off. "Something tells me these ladies have no objection to a little danger and excitement from time to time." He smirks and does a most unAlex like thing, he winks at us.

" were you really on your deathbed? " Bex blurts out tactlessly. At this Alex quietens but shrugs. "Close enough and while I was there I had an unfortunate amount of time to think. I have realised the error of my ways and wish to neg for your forgiveness. I've had an epiphany, Life will go on without me when I die. I don't know when I will but I do know that I've only been dipping my toe into the pool of life. So I decided to dive in deep and enjoy myself for as long as I'm here. So I wish to apologise for my atrocious and unacceptable behaviour. I know it may be to late but I hope we can start again. "

He looks sincere and humble. There must be some good in him if Tom decided to stick to him. I find myself nodding. "After such a beautiful apologie how could we refuse?" Alex looks somewhat relieved and sticks out his hand. I take it gingerly and wonder what's about to happen. His grip is firm and his hand is calloused as if he'd been working on a farm for his life. "My names Alex Rider and it's a pleasure to meet you and if you need any help or have any questions feel free to ask me." His smile is charming and mischievous I feel as if I'm meeting a different boy. He does the exact same to Bex and the conversation flows from there. Alex is charming, funny, engaging and I find that I'm enjoying myself.

I knew it couldn't last long I knew James wouldn't be able to help himself from coming over. So I wasn't surprised to see Alex's shoulders stiffen and smile fall from his face when I felt someone behind me.

"James how generous of you to welcome me back." Alex smiles tightly. "I just came to see how much you have enjoyed Juvie." Alex smiled politely, looking James in the eye. "I had a wonderful time, I never knew you and your brother looked so alike." James face flushes angrily, and he balls his fists. "Temper, temper" Alex tuts shaking his head. "You really shouldn't let it control you like that. You don't want to follow in you're brothers footsteps." James takes a step forward snarling, "You don't want to try me Rider" Alex just looks cool,"Careful James, I learnt a few things at Juvie. Or I've been lying in a hospitable bed for the last few weeks." It was obvious to us that Alex hadn't been in prison, but the way he acted I could believe that at some point he had been. James looks uncertain so Alex solves his problem for him. "Let's put it this way, you can start a fight in front of the whole school, or we can sort this out behind the bike shed, but member who your picking the fight with." Alex adds softly. James turns on his heel and stalks back to his friends.

Alex smiles and the scary look on his face disappears he's just an ordinary school boy again. "What happened last time?" At this Alex looks embarrassed, "Its nothing I just said it to scare him."

At this Tom laughs and hits him. "It's way more than nothing, two years ago there used to be these bullies in year 12 and you see Alex here couldn't stand the injustice so this little year niner comes to the bullies behind the bile shed while their picking on one of their victims and tells, no warns them to stop." Alex starts turning red and sinks int his seat, everyone laughs at him. " So these bullies just laugh at him and leave their victim and start to look at this year niner. Then pow chop kick, their all best up and Alex earns them that if he ever heard a case of bullying again he'd be back. So ever since then Brookland has been mostly bully free." Tom finishes with a flourish. Bex and I look at Alex in a new light. "You know karate?" Bex asks sceptically, Alex raises his eyebrows. "Why wouldn't I know karate, if you don't believe me come with me to the local dojo, after school. I'm sure being Karate experts like yourselfs you could join up. We nod absent mindedly. "Wait how did you know we knew karate?" Alex smiles, "Normally when someone finds out I know Karate they gush and ask what belt I am you guys looked at me as if I just insulted your sport. Now come on we have class."

Alright I deserve whatever grief you throw at me due to no updates at all so I don't blame you tell me what you want to happen and I'll see what I can do