Hands in his sides, his head tilted slightly upward, Eddie glared at him. "I'm glad my misery amuses you."
"I'm sorry," Gabriel tried to speak, catching his breath. "I don't know what's going on, but I just couldn't help it." He took a deep, slow breath. "I guess I needed it. I've been kind of down lately, and I don't really know why."
"I see," Eddie said, a more pleasant expression returning to his face.
Gabriel shrugged. "Yeah, that's why I thought we could do something fun to take my mind of things. But since you're out, Jordan is still on cleaning duty and Liam turned me down as well, I guess I'll be wallowing alone in my room this afternoon."
Eddie's face darkened. "Don't get me started on Liam!"
Surprised at his reaction, Gabriel stopped, then headed after him as Eddie turned around the corner, walked past the yard in front of the school building and toward the library. "What's going on? Are you guys having a fight?" he asked, spotting Liam and Jack walking out the side entrance to the bicycle stand.
"You're damn right we are," Eddie hissed, his head turning a tinge redder. "I mean I like Jordan just fine, but this is betrayal. If worst comes to worst, we guys gotta stick together."
"What are you talking about?"
Glaring at Liam, Eddie almost seemed to choke on his words. "That little...weasel decided it was just fine to ditch me and instead help out Jordan. Like she didn't deserve her punishment. Me, well, that was just an accident."
Gabriel frowned. "What do you mean, help out Jordan? With–"
"With her punishment," Eddie spat. "Every other day he stays after school and helps her. This way, she gets out an hour early." For a second his eyes darted to Gabriel. "You didn't know that? I should tell on him." A devilish smile spread across his face. "Yes, I should tell Principal Hall. Better yet, I should make her catch them." Looking smug, he rubbed his hands with barely contained glee. "That'll teach them."
"Are you insane?" Gabriel called, loud enough that Liam and Jack looked up, heads turning in their direction. He waved at them and then grabbed Eddie by the shoulder, who continued staring past him, fixing Liam with an evil eye. "Snap out of it!" Gabriel said, shaking him. "This is not what friends do."
"Friends?" Eddie asked, finally looking at him. "Don't friends also help each other?"
"Yes, they do," Gabriel said. "And he is. He is helping Jordan, who is our friend too, in case you've forgotten."
"But–" Eddie opened his mouth, but Gabriel instantly cut him off.
"Did he really ditch you or was he already helping Jordan before you thought of asking him? Or are you just mad because you found out?"
Eddie frowned, but his shoulders seemed to relax. "Well, he should have asked me first."
"Why?"
"Because...," he shrugged. "Well, she's a girl. We guys gotta stick together."
Gabriel laughed. "One, you've already said that, and two, that's lame." At his words, a spark of anger returned to Eddie's face, but luckily it didn't ignite. "Liam is your friend and so is Jordan. Today he is helping her, next time he'll help you."
Eddie shrugged. "If you say so," he mumbled as he turned down the street and headed towards his punishment.
Gabriel took a deep breath, hoping that Eddie and Liam would be okay. Then he slowly walked down the other direction to the bike stand where Jack and Liam were arguing, as it seemed.
"It is her punishment," Jack hissed. "If you help her, it's like you're saying what she did was okay, and it wasn't. It was a stupid thing. She could have killed herself."
"Yes, I know," Liam said, trying to cool Jack down. "And I told her so. She knows how I feel about this."
"And you think she cares what you think?" Jack asked, glaring at his best friend. "If you do, you are an idiot. Just like her. She doesn't see what she did wrong, and next time maybe she won't be so lucky. Maybe then she'll get really hurt." He exhaled slowly. "Only if the consequences hurt now, only if they really hurt her, then she might just stop to think first the next time."
Head hanging, Liam nodded. "Yes, I know. I know you're right, but I already promised her. I can't go back on my word."
Jack shook his head. "Oh, c'mon. Don't give me that crap! You just want to get on her good side. Why is that so important to you?" Jack's shoulders slumped, and for a second he didn't say a word, just looking at Liam. "Would you really rather help her clean up the school than hang out with me at the Dive?"
"That's not it," Liam said. "It's got nothing to do with you. It's just I promised and–"
"Oh, save it!" Jack cut in. "I don't want to hear your excuses!" And with that he jumped on his bike and rode down the street.
Stone-faced, Gabriel watched, as for a second Liam just stood there and looked after his friend. Then he closed his eyes as though to shake off their fight, turned around and headed back inside.
I think Jack likes him.
Gabriel flinched. "Hannah?"
Yep.
"What are you doing here?" he whispered, looking around. "Where are you?" There was no tiny light anywhere he could see.
I thought I'd drop by before you spend another night sitting by my headstone. And stop looking around! You can't see me, not in the daylight.
"You can do this?" Gabriel asked. "Just come here?"
I did, didn't I? You should go after Jack. He seems to need a friend right now.
"Yeah, but...Hannah?" Gabriel asked, still looking around. Suddenly he felt alone again. "Hannah? Hannah?" But there was no answer.
***
As he came through the high grass and the water came in sight, Gabriel remembered all those wonderful days, just swimming and hanging out. It had been an amazing summer. The water still shimmered in the rays of sunshine reaching through the densely growing trees and bushes, but the sky had lost some of its color. The bright and vibrant blue had dimmed and spoke of colder days, hiding on the horizon.
Jack sat by their spot under the big tree. His head hung low and he turned a small pebble in his hands. When he heard Gabriel's footsteps approach, he turned to look.
"Do you mind if I sit?" Gabriel asked.
Jack shook his head. "What are you doing here?"
Lowering himself into the grass, Gabriel shrugged. "Don't know. It's been that kind of day."
Jack nodded, his eyes returning to the pebble in his hands.
"Have you finished the first assignment yet?" Gabriel asked, but Jack just stared out toward the water and the tree line in the distance. "I'm not sure what to write." He too grabbed a pebble. "Things are difficult right now."
Again Jack nodded. "Yes, they are."
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