Going crazy

[Anatra]

"They say you've pleased a lot of ladies." My difficulties with Mary seem to have gone particularly unnoticed. For that, at least, I'm thankful. But Matthew seems to be getting more distressed by the girls around him too. Maybe my little outburst helped him see that this is all optional. "And that you have a huge..." Need she even finish that sentence? I mean, there's such a thing called being covert when trying to... flirt. But this isn't that. This is weird, whatever she's doing. "I have no idea who says such things!" At first I get the feeling he's joking. It's a funny remark to be fair, but next, I'm a little surprised by both of their actions.

"Holy shit, girl!" I barely seen what she did, but her hand is coming out of the water as quickly as he is too. I'm stunned. What's even happening? Did she...? Blondie gets closer to me whilst she sees that my attention is taken. I can feel her putting her arm around me to lay on me. I shrug it off. I've had enough of this I think, it's getting weird.

"Enough. I'm not a self service gas station!" His response gets a laugh from me, at least. I look and see I'm the only one actually laughing, so I stop instantly, rubbing my neck. "I'm kind of seeing someone right now." Kind of? I knew he still had it in for Ky. It was a bit obvious. I don't have a problem with that, as long as it goes okay for him. "What are you doing here with us then?" Ouch, got him there. The girls are quite bitchy. I'm not sure whether I'm liking the company any more. I think I preferred it when they didn't talk. "Good question." He says. He's leaving, I think. He fetches his towel but he's not left the tub yet. I sigh at the girls, standing myself up. The blonde girl reaches for my hand but I refuse. She gets pretty pissed off. I haven't exactly been nice to her, but I suddenly don't give a fuck. She slides a hand down my waist and pulls playfully at my boxers. Nope. I leave the tub, keeping them up the whole time. There's no chance I'm staying here much longer.

"What did you two expect?" She asks in general. I look to Matt, hoping he has an answer, because I don't.

W O R D. C O U N T : 4 1 4

N O T E S :

[Jack Lexington]

Yeah, what am I doing here?
I wonder that myself while I stand up in the water. My boxers are hanging half down my hips due to the water. At least they are clinging to my skin enough not to embarass me more.
The girls don't seem very happy with me and Tyren both getting out of the water as theya re scowling at us and letting us know.
"We thought you came here to 'have a good time' with us. You're not leaving, are you?"
I guess their idea of a good time is a little different than mine.
"I came here to have a good time...just not to put out after 5 minutes!"
I complain because I just don't feel it's right.
"I don't give a damn about whatever rep I'm supposed to have. I don't just fuck around."
My drunken mind seems to be very free to share my opinion with everybody who doesn't want to hear it.
That insults the girls enough to actually throw a can of beer at me. It missed by her "Then get out." hits it's target.

"I will." I comment and grab one of the beers sitting around to finish it before I make my exit.
"Hurry up, you loser!" They're clearly pissed now.

I give Tyren a glance wondering whether I just screwed it all up for him or whether he's as done here as I am.
"Are you staying?" I shiver against the cold wind that chills my damp skin and head to the bone.
Then I hobble inside to grab my clothes and somehow try to put them back on despite my drunken state and my dysfunctional arms.
As soon as I bend down to pull my pants over my feet I feel a wave of nausea hit me.
It's hard to hold back the sour mess that threatens to make it's way back up my throat.
"Oh crap." I sit back up still half naked naked and cover my mouth. Am I going to become the joke of the year by loosing a battle, not putting out and then not being able to hold down my booze?

[Anatra]

The thrown beer can makes me wary. I'm quickly getting my clothes on, thankfully out of the way of anything that may be thrown my way. My drunk state is hardly anything to laugh at, though Matthew's is something I could probably watch for a while because he can't seem to hold in his drink. "Then get out." She yells at him. Gladly, I think to myself. These girls weren't nice at all. Just grabbing attention, and other things. "Hurry up, you loser!" She keeps yelling. I find it strange how the alcohol can make people so aggressive, because we're not in the wrong here.

Matt gives me a glance which tells me he wants to leave as soon as possible. I'm more than happy to go as well. "Are you staying?" I laugh, "Not if I can help it." Because in reality, they could easily swarm us and detain us for later use. Or worse. I try not to think about that, but that's what the drink does - brings weird imagery to mind.

"Oh crap."

"Um..." If he's sick, we're in trouble. "Matt, come on, get up." I try to tell him, because otherwise he might be sick all over their little clubhouse, and we'd be guilty without an pleads of innocence. "Mate, come on, not here." I insist. I hold out a hand for him to get up, because he may not be able to get up otherwise judging by his state.

W O R D. C O U N T : 242

N O T E S :

[Jack Lexington]

It takeds me a moment to wait for whatever disgusting sour mass just made it's way up to go back down but then I straighten up with a face white as the wall. At least I manage to pull my pants up. The only problem is zipping up the fly and button because of my lack of dextority. I'll worry about that later since Tyren is urging me not throw up at the club house. The nausea is a little overwhelming so I only grab my shirt, throw my jacket over my shoulders and slip in my shoes before the next wave hits me making me groan. "It won't be long until I see all those drinks again." I let him know but then take his offered hand so we can head on out together.
From the hot tub some girls are still telling us to 'Get lost' while one who was still in the cloubhouse is actually nice enough to ask.
"Everything okay? We're not usually this rude. I swear."
She offers me a smile and lightly touches Tyrens arm but none of us can't be sure whether that's not another attempt to lure us into their trap.
"We're good." I answer for both of us and then shout to the three in the pool.
"Thanks for the hospitality, girls."
With my arm around Tyren and one on my open belt to keep my pants up I make my way off their property and onto the street.
it's freezing cold and both of us air slightly wet with damp clothes.
The wind doesn't do us much good either, especially since there are still flurries in the air.
Next thing I know I'm heaving behind the next light pole. Oh shit does that ever feel aweful when my stomach turns upside down and my whole throat burns from acid.
Hunched over I wonder why on earth I still needed that last beer and most of all, why I would even come here when I could be back with Kyanite if I just tried.
I look down at the disgusting puddle near my feet and just shake my head.
"What the fuck, man?" That's as eloquent as I'll be tonight.

[Anatra]

We leave the clubhouse in a bit of a hurry, but calm our walk as we get onto the main road. It's not busy at this time of night, and the cold nips at every open part of my body due to the cold. I managed to get all my clothes back on, but I didn't exactly dress for freezing weather.

I looked away for one moment, and the second I look back Matt is gone. Or is he? No, he's just behind me leaning on a lamppost. I look away and cover my nose, probably more dramatically than I need to, because of the drink. "What the fuck, man?" He says. "That'd be your breakfast." I jest with him, though I'm not sure whether he'd appreciate mockery at this hour, and in his state. "Come on." I insist. I can tell I'm being impatient. I don't even know where Matt's house is. It could be halfway across the District from mine, for all I know. "Where even is your house, mate?" I pause. "Will your dad be okay with you being all..." I point in his general existence. "This."

W O R D. C O U N T : 4 1 4

N O T E S :

[Jack Lexington]

oh man do I ever regret drinking so much now. The way home would be strenuous anyway but now it's going to be a road paved with suffering.
"That'd be your breakfast."
I give Tyren an annoyed look with my palm still on the lamp post to support my drunken legs.
"Dinner actually." I can help the grin that creeps back on my face.
"That last beer must have been bad." I declare as I straighten up and wipe my mouth with my sleeve. "Yikes."
"Where even is your house, mate?" I pause. "Will your dad be okay with you being all..." He asks me which makes me wonder whether I'll find it from here.
"On the hill in...oh damn." Again my stomach does a summersault so I freeze but manage to keep the rest of its contents down.
"Yeah my dad is away on a business trip but..." This is where reality hits me.
"My house is so far away! And I left the crutch..." I point back drawing a circle in the general direction of the club house that we just left behind us.
"Fancy going back to those cock hungry hyenas?"
My tongue seems a little loose right now.

[Anatra]

"Nope." I say to him. "I'll take you, come on." If there's one thing I don't want to do in the world right now, it'd be walking straight on back into that clubhouse to get a crutch that I could easily replace for the time being. We'll get it back tomorrow, or maybe not at all. I don't fancy going all the way back just to get our heads bitten off about not wanting to be with the girls. I don't quite realize how far it is, I don't think. Maybe I should use the payphone to call my dad... That's risky since it's probably past midnight by now. He'll be awake, he just won't be happy. Plus, I don't think he knows where I am. Maybe he's actually worried. Well, worried is the wrong word. Concerned would likely be better. He cares, he just doesn't show it. He's the kind of dad that avoids the hugs, the 'I love you's and such. He's always there though if you need him, I think. I haven't really tested the boundaries.

I walk up to the payphone, realizing I don't have a coin on me at all. "Mate, got a spare?" I ask. "I'll ring my dad." There are few people allowed cars I think, in District Two. It's only for those who are to drive around a lot for their work and such. Probably like Matt's engineering dad, or my cousin Max the supervisor of the Orca Construction Corp, owned by none other than my father, of course.

W O R D. C O U N T : 261

N O T E S :

[Jack Lexington]

I'm glad he's offering me to take me home because I'll end up in some ditch if he doesn't...or worse: Back with those chicks in that hot tub.
"Okay."
He waits around for something and then asks me for some change, so I start digging in my jeans pocket but since I have no feeling in my index finger or middle finger I pull my hand back.
"No idea. Have a look." I tell him and turn my pocket towards him.
The idea of his father picking us up is the greatest thing since sliced cheese.
"Your old man doesn't mind us being drunk?" I wonder because he was convered about mine before but don't object any further.
"Hurry up, I'm freezing." I complain because my hair is still damp and my clothes only half closed.

OOC: Can he sleep at your place?

[Anatra]

I see him struggle to find anything in his pocket which makes me curious. Why? He can't be that drunk? "No idea. Have a look." He tells me. "Okay," I start, and I would have continued but the moment I look there's plenty and I take one. Then it dawns on me that he can't actually get them himself. It makes me feel a bit shit inside since I was the one who did it, but I've spent a long time moping about it, so it brushes off easily. "Your old man doesn't mind us being drunk?" He asks. "Well, he'll probably be more concerned that I'm giving you a lift. Not that he'd recognize you." Phone numbers are quite simple here in Two, but when I try my dad's number he doesn't seem to pick up. I try once more. "Shit." Great. "Hurry up, I'm freezing."

"Yeah, I'm working on it."

If dad isn't picking up, I'll have to try uncle Mike. He's like a second father except younger and less down-to-earth. I probably would've called him first if it wasn't so late, because he'd care less that I've been drinking. I retrieve the coin from the deposit slot and retry it since it fed it back to me. "Hello?" He says quizzically, unaware of the number that showed up. "Hey, Mike. It's me, Tyren." I say, maybe a little slower than usual due to the drink. "Tyren, it's late, what do you need?" He asks me, maybe a little frustrated. "I need a lift, you free?"

He sighs, but laughs a little because he knows exactly what I've been doing. "Right, where you at?" Without thinking, I say "Just down the road from the little clubhouse, shack thing." I shouldn't of said that, even though he wouldn't care, he still might tell dad. I'd run the excuse of 'I'm nearly eighteen' and they'll have no comebacks though. "Okay, be there in a bit."

I put the phone down. "He won't be long." I don't realize I haven't told Matt that this is my uncle, so I'm probably unaware to the complications it may make later. Especially if I just turn up at the house with him. I'll just risk it. I say to myself.

A few minutes later and the sound of a black car pulling up can be heard. He steps out and looks at us with a smirk. He goes to open the back door for us. I wander forward with the thought of Matt being sick in the car running through my mind. If he does, he's licking it up I swear to god. I shuffle over to the other side in the back seats so Matt can get in after.

W O R D. C O U N T : 471

N O T E S : Sure he can stay.

[Jack Lexington]

I swear it took Tyren 3 hours to make that damn phone call and by the time the call is done I complain. "I could have walked home by now."
I stand there still clutching my abs because I feel so damn sick.
"Kidding."

Then we wait together in the cold while shivers shake my dehydrated body. "This can't be good." I slur because even in my state I can see a nasty cold coming our way. That or a bad hang over.

Finally a black car heads up the road, turns around and waits for us to get in. So I do. No questions asked.
Inside it's nice and warm so I settle in the back seat and wrapped my arms closely around my still shivering frame.
"Thanks for picking us up." My teeth are clattering and disguising just how drunk I am but as the car starts moving my whole world starts spinning.
The nausea is still there but my stomach is mostly empty. Instead I'm dead tired so i can't watch the houses fly by for long before my eyes close.

[Anatra]

I feel like a carer right now, looking after my sick friend. I reminisce about the night out we've had. It started calm, and slowly as the night got on we had more fun and eventually something clicked and it turned on its ass. It hasn't been a bad night though. The ending is something we'll probably laugh about later, if we can remember it. I know for definite that I'm not as drunk as my counterpart. "This can't be good." Being proof of it. "Maybe you're right about that last beer." Probably wasn't the best of choices. I much preferred my water, to be honest. It's all fun and games drinking, but there's a limit and I think I'm all too familiar with my own limits recently, constantly being reminded that I reached it at some point.

We get in the car and I see uncle Mike look through the rear mirror at Matt. "Oh, you've got a friend." I look at Matt who is actually disguising his state pretty well. Maybe the cold has sobered him up, even if just a slight. "Yeah, that alright?" I ask, knowing that his answer would be yes. He wasn't going to come out here for nothing, after all. "Sure, sure." He puts his car in gear and starts driving. It's not the first time he's gave me a lift, so he knows that I'll just want to go back home - and he's plenty familiar with where it is so he needn't ask. "Thanks for picking us up." Matt mutters. "No problem, a friend of Tyren is a friend of mine," He sounds as though he was going to say his name, but he must have realized he doesn't know it. "This is... Paul." I lie. It's not a clear lie, but it is one none the less. My parents don't know that I've been friends with Matt this much, so telling Mike would be a bad idea. It's not that I'm ashamed of being mates with the person who fought in that arena against me, it's just because I can't be arsed with the hassle of explaining why, and how.

"Nice to meet you, Paul." He nods. "How's Max and Tara?" I ask him just out of courtesy. "Good, good. Max has moved out though, remember?" I rarely remember that. I should, considering I should be the one to go visit him now and then, but I just don't find the time. Especially recently. He'll understand. "Oh yeah, well tell him I was asking after him." Tell him yourself for change, I could probably hear from my uncle if I could read his mind. He doesn't say it though, "Will do." He simple states.
The rest of the car journey is pretty uneventful. I feel as though Matt may have fell asleep, but I don't feel like I could do the same for hours. It's strange how alcohol affects people differently. It keeps me awake, but maybe puts him to sleep. I don't have a clue what I'll do when I get home. Read a book? No, I'll forget what I've read by tomorrow. Watch TV? Keeps me up even more. I guess I'll just have to stare into space and count to a hundred and six.

The car stops outside my house. It's not the grandest of houses, but it is what you would call typical among the richer families. Decently kept and clearly well lit and heated. It's everything you would need to live in that slight amount of luxury that is pleasant but not spoiling. I put the key in silently, expecting Matt to follow. I twist it, praying it doesn't click like it usually does.

No click.

The lights are all off, that's probably why dad didn't pick up his phone - he's asleep upstairs perhaps. The only people that could possible be in the house at the moment, since it's a friday evening, would be mum and dad, Alex and maybe Max if he stayed the night like he sometimes does. He's not on the couch, after I turn on the light, so I assume he's not in.
"Make yourself at home, I guess." I whisper back at him, pointing in the general direction of the couch. The whole bottom floor is an open-plan styled room, besides the toilet at the back. The TV is in the corner with two black sofas and a rug, coffee table and a singular chair that dad usually sits on. The kitchen is composed of white counters with a marble lining like most kitchens have. White, grey and black are common colours, whilst red and blue make appearances occasionally.

I consider going upstairs into my own room. Waking up Alex sounds like a risky possibility so I neglect the thought.

CLICK.

What was that? I turn my head quickly as the sound came from the back of the room. It sounded like a light switch. I hear footsteps.

In comes Max in his sleepwear. I don't hide so he doesn't absolutely shit himself when he comes in. He must have just been to the toilet, or something. "Woah, Tyren. Scared me." He's shirtless but has some grey sleeping bottoms on, which are basically just thin sweatpants. "Sorry mate. Matt this is Max, Max this is Matt." I introduce the pair. I didn't notice it before, but as I take a seat on the couch, Max sitting in the singular chair, there's beer bottles on the coffee table. "Yours?" I ask him. "Yeah, was just watching the Games." He's like this. He talks about how he doesn't really care about the Games, and how they're not his problem, yet he watches them like a hawk. Betting problem, if you ask me. I'm sure people in the mines bet on winners and all that.

"Who're you rooting for then?" I ask him. "I was rooting for Luke Davis, District Eight. But, he's gone. Probably Ares Pine, just because he's from Two." He looks at Matt. "This is, the Matt, right?" He asks him. I think he means to ask whether it is Matt from the pregames, but without mentioning it. The TV is unpaused by the click of a button by Max, the bloodbath continuing.

W O R D. C O U N T : 1052

N O T E S : Awww yiss, long post.

[Jack Lexington]

I vagely get that his uncle is the one picking us up with his jet black Mercedes and that Tyren doesn't give me my real name. Why not, I'm not sure. Maybe he's ashamed of me in this state. That's okay with me so I don't object but let the car rock my to sleep like my mothers arms when I was little.

Before I know it comes to a halt and I get woken up by Tyren's voice and a slight jab in my ribs.
At first I have no clue where I am so I just stagger outside and almost fall on the icy walk way up to the house. When I look up I see a 'mansion'. Tyren's family must be one of the richer ones in our district. Maybe they got rich through owning a mine like a few others. "Nice shack, man." I slur a little before he opens the door for us and lets me enter what must easily be the nicest home I've ever set foot in aside from my uncles place.
"Whoa." Escapes me while I stretch my back and notice that I'm still swaying but don't feel just as nauseous any more.
"Make yourself at home, I guess." I hear Tyren from the other side of the room and when I look over he's taking his jacket and shoes off.
"So I'm staying here tonight?" My guess is that nobody's going to chauffeur me around any more. "Any agressive chicks here, I should know about." I laugh a little at my own joke while I crab my crotch to underline my words when suddenly another guy makes an entrance in his pyjamas.
To this one I'm being introduced with my real name so I offer my left hand. "Hi Max."

Then they start talking about the games and it hits me that the bloodbath was today and I didn't even watch it. Any other time I was glued to the TV when the games were on, except today when I was still too preoccupied with my own loss in the pregames and then the girls, who were all over us like stink on a monkey.
"Anybody dead yet?" Obviously yes, but who.
"Shit." I point to the TV while my head does a nice 180. "Did you know this was on today?"
Instantly I hobble to the couch to have a look at what's going on when Max asks whether I'm THE Matt.
"What do you mean?" I give him a quizzical very brief look before returning my eyes back to the TV where one of the tributes is grabbing a bow just to get tackled from behind and strangled. A fight breaks out between the two, cut to another pair fighting, both covered in blood...for some reason I turn my eyes away from the television. As bloodthirsty as I usually watch this, tonight I can't. So I push myself up again and slowly walk towards where I suppose the sink and kitchen would be. "Water?"

[Anatra]

"Any agressive chicks here, I should know about." He says and I quickly respond. "Alb-" He grabs his crotch jokingly and I stop speaking and cough away what I was going to say. "Nope." I rub my neck innocently. "You can stay as long as you need, whether that's the weekend or the night. Either or, I don't mind."

When we're sitting at the couch Matt comes out with "Anybody dead yet?" Which I probably would blame on the drink due to his openness to outright say it. Maybe it's just his personality. "Three in the bloodbath." I tell him, looking at the highlights that are playing on the TV. If it were live, it would only be showing sleeping tributes or long drown-out career pack hunts, or so I'd expect. "One of which I had money on." Grunts Max, taking a sip from his beer bottle. He doesn't get drunk, he just has a few so he can relax I think. Not in the alcoholic way in that he needs to, just that the drink affects him that way. "Did you know this was on today?" Matt asks in general. "Eh, I usually just watch the highlights of the bloodbath. There's nothing different, it just looks the same every time. It's not like my family gets together to watch it like some do." I tell him. If my family were to get together for anything, it'd be to forget about the Games. We make a habit of not knowing they are happening. They play such a prominent part in kid's lives but we just ignore them because we're in District Two. Somebody will volunteer if our tribute is weak. If it's me, I'd do it. I've only got one year left to be chosen and I don't want it anymore. I could do it, though.

"What do you mean?" Matt asks Max. Max looks at him as if he wasn't all there, almost condescending. "Matt Dunham, the kid from the arena." He pauses with a smirk. "I'm a part-time medical officer, typically assigned to the pregames when they happen." I glare at Max. I didn't know, and if I did I wouldn't have let him mention it, but he has. Although Max is a part-time MO, he's also a supervisor at my dad's company, Orca Construction, which was my grandfather's before him. Two jobs, whilst most only ever need one here. That explains why he usually has a lot of stuff, despite being older with much more to spend it on. Like a house, maybe even a car if he needed one.

Matt gets up and heads to the sink, "Water?" he says back. I nod at him, "Yep, cheers." Max looks at him with curiosity, studying him. When Max is around us - us being his cousins - he is always like a third parent, protecting us and advising us. I wonder to myself whether he's going to start pulling the 'You hurt my cousin' card, or the 'You're my cousin's friend, you're alright' card. "Not for me. The glasses are in that cupboard though." He points just in front of Matt where the cupboard is just so he doesn't have to go hunting for them. I guess he's being nice. I can't always tell when he'll be protective or chill with my friends.

"You know, I don't think anybody's seen that Mark kid for a while." Max starts. "Bit shit for people to take the trophy and hide away." He raises an eyebrow. "You should look into claiming the win from him." What're you doing Max? He's saying all the wrong things but with good intentions. I can't just... "I don't think Matt wants to talk about that kind of shit, mate." I say.

W O R D. C O U N T : 640

N O T E S :

[Jack Lexington]

Our conversation about the bloodbath is as short as it should be. the most interesting part is that this Max is actually betting on the games. "No kidding, eh?" I shake my head because I despise people who put money on other peoples lifes as if it was a 'game'. Ironical.

Tyrens cousin finally explains what he means by 'that Matt'.
"Matt Dunham, the kid from the arena."
Before I can deny it I proudly nod. "Yep, that's me." Since when have I felt any sort of pride since I stepped out of that darn place? or is it resentment. Judging by the look on my face that would be more likely.
"I'm a part-time medical officer, typically assigned to the pregames when they happen."
I hear him say. A medical officer...hang on. I turn around to take a long hard look at him wondering whether I remember him. My first thought is: Was he one of the guys patching me up after my final fight and I should thank him?
But maybe he was the one who grabbed Tyren out of my blood smeared hands when I put a crater into his neck like the Grand Canyon. Instantly I get a bad conscience and turn away. Maybe it's time to run and hide.

I busy myself searching for some glasses slightly disoriented when that medic points me in the right direction. Maybe he's not one to hold grudges.
I fill the first glass and run most of the water into the sink instead of the glass.
Then I bring them back to Tyren just to hear his cousin tell me that Mark seems to have disappeared which only gets a shrug from me. "I don't care. He's better off gone." I state without thinking about it.
"Bit shit for people to take the trophy and hide away." He raises an eyebrow. "You should look into claiming the win from him."
What the hell is that supposed to mean. I don't get his words. I lost. He won. That's it.
My eyes narrow instantly because he's talking about my greatest loss here.
"What do you mean? Just cause he's not celebrating his win he's still the winner." That words tastes bad on my lips now as I glare at him.
"I lost, I can't fucking claim the win just cause he's he's a no show at the celebrations. people don't want to celebrate the second best."
I down the whole glass of water but keep my eyes trained on him until Tyren tries to save the evening.
It makes me wonder why Mark disappeared. "Any idea where he is? He doesn't seem to have a lot of friends." I declare sectrely hoping he won't come back for Ky's sake.

[Anatra]

"What do you mean? Just cause he's not celebrating his win he's still the winner." I don't think Max realized how much it meant to Matt. In fact, it looks like Max regrets saying what he had. "Yeah, bu-" He's cut off. "I lost, I can't fucking claim the win just cause he's he's a no show at the celebrations. people don't want to celebrate the second best." Unfortunately he's right. People in the career profession at least respect strength. To lose is literally showing you don't have the strength to win, and winning is everything. That is such an old mindset for me. It's nostalgic to think a month and a bit ago I used to think like that, and was willing to carry on thinking like that until I lost that one fight which changed practically everything.

"Easy. Don't want to wake anyone." Max says, trying to calm what he angered.

"Any idea where he is? He doesn't seem to have a lot of friends." It's strange because what he says rings true in my ears. When he practically begged me to be his friend, taking me out of the district to hunt. I didn't see the point, I didn't need to hunt. I didn't want caught, and I definitely didn't want my name tarnished. He took the blame, but then went on to attack the Peacekeeper that caught us. Could have killed him, that old Tyren that stood there with the bow to his head. Didn't. The TV brings a lot of violence into my thoughts. It makes everything seem dramatic, maybe it was putting us on edge. "Nope, not seen him since the fight." Max shrugs. I do too, "Me neither." Max puts down his beer bottle on the table casually, as he would normally, but I lean forward for my water, but take the bottle instead. I take a big gulp of it before putting it down, Max just laughing a little, shaking his head. "Just can't help yourself." He's nearly twenty and I'm only eighteen. It's strange to think that in two years, I could be where he is, or better.

I think if we did wake my parents, there would probably be a row. I can't help but imagine the things my father would end up saying. "Why're you mates with him? He's just guilty and so he should be." Me and Alex had discussed it to great length a few nights ago. Mum wouldn't be as phased, though she'd keep hawk eyes on Matt if he were around. That's why I don't fancy them knowing, because it'd just be uncomfortable for him. Maybe the same if I went to Matt's house, which I haven't even asked about actually. "Hey Matt, what's your house like?" I ask him, genuinely curious. It's a really random question I feel, but it is kind of relevant to my train of thought.

W O R D. C O U N T : 491

N O T E S :