Black Sheep Part 1 - 17. Chapter 17

I walk onto the school ground and see Vic leaning against the wall in our usual spot. His hair is hanging in his face as he looks at the floor. His shoulders are hunched and to me his whole stance screams 'broken'. I stroll towards him, reluctant to talk to him as I feel bad for not being able to talk to him for the whole weekend after leaving him alone like that. When I come close he looks up, his eyes are hollow, his lips turn into a slow smile which falters before fully appearing.

“You okay? I'm so sorry that I didn't call this weekend, we had no connection.” I reach out to touch his shoulder, just to feel any connection with him, but he quickly redraws.

“We're at school, you shouldn't.” His voice sounds distant, his words slow.

“What's wrong? What happened? Vic?” I try to look him in the eyes but he keeps looking away from me.

“I had an attack. I think I'm not really getting over the drugs this time. I've slept most of the weekend.” He sighs and pushes himself off the wall. “We better get inside for class.”

“I think you better go home.” I try to grab his shoulder as he walks away from me but he shakes me off.

“I'm staying. I'm not going anywhere. Deal with it.”

I'm frozen to the ground as he walks into the school, his shoulders hunched, his posture that of a broken man. I think about what my Steve told me, maybe he simply no longer knew how to take care of himself. I follow him into the school, keeping an eye on him as much as I can. If he can no longer take care of himself, no matter why, I will do it for him.

In front of his house Vic freezes, a look of utter fear on his face as he looks at the car parked across the street. I look at the car then at him, his lip starts trembling when a man gets out of the car.

“Hi Vic, long time no see.” The man leans on the car as he looks Vic up and down. “I heard you had gotten yourself a twink, never thought they were referring to his age and not his looks.” Only then the man looks at me but soon diverts his eyes back to Vic, a superior smile plastered on his face, he was mocking me knowing I wouldn't be able to fight him. I turn to look back at Vic and see pools of tears forming in his eyes, although they are still fixed on the man, and his breath comes out in gasps.

“Come on Vic, lets get inside.” I guide his shaking body towards the house.

“Stay.” The man's voice is low but Vic immediately stops moving. “You will be back with me, you know you can't ignore what we had. No-one loves you like I do.”

Vics eyes go wide and he starts shaking harder, his teeth scattering, he grabs my arm in a death grip his fingers digging in my skin.

“Look at you, they really are not taking enough care of you. I knew that would happen. I'd never let this happen to you. You know that.” I hear his car door slam and footsteps approaching us.

Suddenly the front door opens and Anne is standing there, first looking at us and then at the man.

“Take him inside, bring him to his room and put him in bed. And you...” She focusses on the man as she gestures to me to quickly take Vic inside. “Leave this place. You have no right coming here. How dare you disturb him like this!”

I put both my arms around Vic to guide him through the door and up the stairs. It seems like the little energy he had still left now was gone too. I take his jacket and his shoes off as I guide him onto the bed under the blankets. Covering his body with mine to hopefully lessen the shaking.

“He will come back to me! I've taught him well! He will come back to me!” Dave's screaming still reaches us as we're under the blanket.

“Leave him alone. He's been through enough shit because of you!” A smile appears on my lips as I think of how motherly she sounds. Like a mother lion protecting it's cup.

“Because of me? Me?! I did nothing wrong! You were the ones who took him away from me! You made him hate me! You're just jealous because no one wants you!” The man keeps yelling at her. Vic slowly moves his hands up to cover his ears, the shaking has gone into a full heaving motion, rattling his skinny frame. I wrap my arms tightly around him closing my eyes as not to start crying too.

“If you don't leave right now I'm gonna have to call the police for disruption of the public peace.” Anne sounds calm and strong.

“Fine. But I will be back and he will come with me!” I hear angry foot steps walking away from the house, slamming of a car door and then the start of an engine. The sound of a car driving away relaxes me a bit.

A sudden hand on my back startles me.

“How is he?” Chris' soft voice reaches us through the blankets. I can still feel Vic's breath come in and out at irregular intervals but he seems to have calmed a bit.

“Bad.” I answer her truthfully, I don't trust this seemingly new calmness in his body. It's almost like he is too exhausted to fight anything any longer. “He seems calmer now but I don't trust it.” Vic grabs the hand that lies under him and hugs it as if it were a toy. I wrap both arms tightly around him and lean my head against his back, willing Vic to be okay again.