The Fragile Ordinary

Someone so totally opposite me it wasn’t even funny.

And now I had to spend even more time with him.

I became so preoccupied with the thought of meeting Tobias after school and walking to Stevie’s and his flat with him, and then working in close proximity in their bedroom again, I was utterly useless as a friend. I barely had any recollection of anything Vicki or Steph said to me all day, and it became clear to them why when we walked out of school at the end of the day and I told them I had to wait for Tobias.

“So that’s why you’ve been so distracted all day,” Steph said, sounding put out. “You get to spend the afternoon in Tobias King’s bedroom.”

My God, was she jealous?

It sounded like she might be a little envious.

“Oh, Comet, please don’t tell me you like him,” Vicki said, not sounding jealous at all, but very concerned.

“I don’t,” I lied.

“Good. Because he’s a bad boy. And you’re...”

“Comet,” Steph supplied, like that explained everything.

Ugh. It did explain everything.

Total opposites.

“Well, I don’t. Now go, before he thinks we’re standing here gossiping about him.”

Steph laughed and threaded her arm through Vicki’s to lead her away. I gave Vicki a reassuring smile and a wave when she looked over her shoulder at me, still plainly concerned.

“Ready?”

I almost jumped out of my shoes as I spun around to find Tobias towering over me. He was alone.

Hmm.

I’d been partly nervous about meeting him to walk him to his flat because I’d suspected Stevie would be joining us. Relief moved through me. “No Stevie?”

Tobias’s brows drew together. “No. Why would there be?”

I shrugged, confused by his somewhat belligerent response. “You live together.”

“He skipped out after lunch.”

Of course he had. I turned away so Tobias wouldn’t see me roll my eyes. “I suppose we better go then.”

If I’d thought last night’s walk was quiet, this one was positively dead. We said not a word to one another. I was going to start up conversation, attempt to not be socially awkward, but Tobias seemed lost in his thoughts and his silence made me lose my nerve.

“You’re not afraid of me, are you?” He spoke up suddenly, only a street away from the flat.

The question surprised me so much my tongue loosened. “What? Why would you think that?”

“The way you reacted when Mr. Stone made me sit next to you. Your hands were shaking yesterday. You were nervous at Stevie’s flat. The way you’re acting now.”

“It’s not that I’m afraid of you.”

“So you’re just shy as shit?”

What a charming adjective. I wrinkled my nose. “Maybe.”

Tobias chuckled. “You don’t have to be shy around me. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not actually Satan.”

“No one thinks you’re Satan.” I shook my head. “Just...maybe not the kind of boy who would talk to a girl like me. I get that.” I wanted to assure him that I knew we were just presentation partners and not actually friends. “So let’s just get to your place and get our work done.”

“First...go back. The part about me being a guy who wouldn’t talk to a girl like you. Explain.”

I frowned at the demand. “I’m academic. I like school. You...you may be smart, but clearly you don’t like school.”

“I can see where you might think that.” He nodded and then flashed me that boyish grin. “But maybe you’re wrong.”

“Possibly.” I nodded. “I don’t really know anything about you.”

“I don’t know anything about you either. Most girls are pretty talkative about themselves. You’re not. You’re kind of a mystery.”

Tobias King thought I was a mystery.

That made me laugh, and his eyes widened as he watched me, his mouth curling up at the corners in that way it was wont to do in lieu of an actual smile. “I’ve never seen you laugh before.”

Did he think I was some emo, miserable teenager incapable of it? “It’s been known to happen once in a while.”

This time he full-out grinned at my dry tone. “Apparently.”

We turned onto his street and I watched the smile on his face drop as he took in the sight of the building he lived in. “You don’t like it here?” I guessed.

He shrugged. “It’s somewhere to lay our heads, I guess. Mom is looking for a place.”

I wanted to ask all the questions that had built up inside of me since yesterday, but a slight warmth had grown between us and I didn’t want it to dissipate because I was being nosy.

When I followed Tobias into the flat, the first thing that assaulted my ears was the sound of cartoons, reminding me of Vicki’s house after school with Ben. As soon as the door slammed shut behind us we heard, “King, is that you?” just before a little boy threw himself out of the living room and hurried down the short hall to grin up at Tobias. He was about six or seven, as I’d suspected, a mini-me of Stevie, and he was hopping from one foot to the other like he had ants in his pants. “Yer home early. Where’s Stevie? Come play the Xbox with me!”

“Kieran.” The blonde from the couch yesterday appeared in the doorway of the living room. She had dark circles under her eyes and a weary expression on her pretty face. “I told ye, yer cousin is working on a project with his friend from school.” Her gaze moved to Tobias and she gave him a fond smile. “Hi, darlin’.”

“Carole.” Tobias gave her his lip curl. “This is Comet. Comet, this Stevie’s mom, Carole.”

“Nice to meet you.”

She smiled. “You, too.”

“Comet,” Kieran suddenly said. “Cool name! Can I come sit with you and Comet?” he asked Tobias.

“Sorry, buddy.” Tobias mussed his little cousin’s hair in affection. “We’ve got work to do. I’ll come find you after.”

Kieran’s face crumpled with frustration. “But—”

“Kieran, come watch yer cartoons and give Tobias and Comet some peace.”

To my surprise Kieran, although pouting comically, did as he was told and disappeared into the living room with one last soulful look at us. Carole gave us another tired smile. “I’ll keep him occupied. Yer mum called. She’s working overtime.”

Tobias barely acknowledged this. Instead he gave her a scowl along with a nod of his chin and turned to me. “You know where you’re going, right?” He gestured up the hall. “I’ll be there in a sec.”

Realizing he wanted privacy with his cousin, I walked down the hall, giving her a shy smile before I disappeared around the corner. However, I hadn’t quite made it to the bedroom Tobias shared with Stevie when I heard him ask, “Did you see the doctor?”

I froze, curiosity and, let’s face it, nosiness, getting the better of me.

“I was working until two. I didnae have time before picking up Kieran from school.”

“You told Mom you’d go.” He sounded frustrated.

“As I told Lena, I’m fine. I’m just fighting off this flu.”

“Mom said—”

“While yer mum is at work, I’m the adult in charge of ye here. So stop worrying about me and go be a kid. Worry about yer schoolwork. Lena says yer grades are suffering, and if I find out it’s because Stevie is leading ye astray, I won’t be happy.”

“I do what I want, not what anyone else wants.”

“Then ye’ll only have yer own stupidity to blame when ye end up living in a flat like this, working at a job with crap pay and no future. Yer so smart, Tobias, smart enough to listen to me when my son won’t. Lena says ye enjoyed school back in the States. Pretending to not like it because my kid doesn’t like it is the opposite of smart.”

“I don’t need a lecture, Carole.”

“Don’t ye? Life is short, kid. Don’t waste it pretending to be something yer not.”

I hurried into Stevie and Tobias’s room before I could hear Tobias’s response. I didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping. But I was intrigued about Tobias’s life even more than I had been the night before.