Indifference (boyxboy)

7. Pass the Nerd My Number

Elijah

My breath came out in shallow gasps as I power-walked away from the house of horrors. Who even lived like that? With the boobs, and the swearing, and the mattresses on the floor, and the mess. God the mess! It made me literally shake with the need to just....I don't know....probably just throw it all out. I wasn't sure it was possible to tidy anything. It would be like trying to hoover up the Sahara Desert.

But then there was a guitar in there. That really threw me. Anything to do with music calmed my senses, but it just seemed so out of place in that room of chaos.

I tried to keep my head down as I walked through the estate, but I couldn't help but look at the little girl who was still sitting on the road, although she was more to the side now, like she'd had to shuffle over to let a car pass. She turned to look at me as I walked past and before I had time to look away, she stuck her tongue out at me, then raised her middle finger!! I just kept my head down and carried on walking.

I groaned to myself as I realised that I was going to have to catch the bus home. But I was probably going to have to incinerate these clothes anyway, so what was one more bus ride.

By this time I'd made it to the main road. My breathing was still laboured, but that was now more because of the exercise than the threat of a panic attack. I walked over to the nearest bus stop and studied the timetable. There was a bus due in 5 minutes. I breathed a sigh of relief and went to look in my bag to get some money out for the fare.

Except I didn't have my bag.

My stomach plummeted and my heart began to race as I tried to remember what had happened to it.

Ryan's brother...he bumped into me and.......oh shit.

I didn't swear often, even in my thoughts, but this definitely warranted one, so I immediately forgave myself.

I looked back down the road towards the Martin Drive estate with a slump in my shoulders. Could I really go back there? I wasn't sure if I would actually be able to do it. And even if I did it would probably be too late. My bag was probably stripped and sold for parts by now!

Despite my situation, that brought a small smile to my lips. Ok, so maybe that wasn't true, but with a groan I realized that it was highly likely that Ryan would steal my English homework.

My phone buzzed in my coat pocket, and so I quickly took it out. It was my mum asking me where I was. That was a good sign. The fact that she was awake and had noticed I wasn't home at my usual time meant that she wasn't doing too badly today.

I quickly replied that I'd been tutoring a student and that I was on my way home.

When I slid my phone back into my pocket, I felt something cold and metallic.

Coins!!! I quickly pulled out the loose change and almost cried out in joy at having enough to catch the bus home. At least I didn't have to go back now. There was still the issue of my school bag, but.....

The bus pulling up snapped me out of my thoughts, and I quickly climbed on and paid the driver. Thankfully the bus was quite empty, so I was able to grab a seat by myself, and just made sure to keep my hands to myself and not touch anything. I kept myself distracted by counting all the red cars I saw out of the window.

By the time I arrived home, I felt exhausted.

"Hey, sweetheart, how did the tutoring go?" my mum asked.

"Horrible!" I replied, flopping down next to her on the sofa.

My mum was sitting in her dressing gown, so I could see that she was still not feeling too well.