Page 82 of Save You
“So?If any of your family acts like a dick to you, do I get involved?No!”
“That’s because my family would never treat me the way yours act to you.Just be glad I’ve got your back.”
Alistair snorts.“You’re such a hypocrite.You only have my back when it suits you.I can do without support like that, thank you.”
Kesh flinches like Alistair’s hit him.His eyes flit to Wren, Cyril, and me, and then back to Alistair.I frown and look from one of them to the other, but before I can make sense of what’s going on, Alistair turns and runs out through the same door as Fred.
“What the…?”Wren starts, but Kesh instantly begins moving and chases after Alistair.The door slams behind him.
“…fuck was all that about?”
Wren, Cyril, and I all seem equally confused.
Then Cyril groans and leans his head against the back of his armchair.“This isn’t how I was expecting this evening to go.”He fiddles with his phone and turns up the volume on the music.
“I hope they don’t kill each other,” I say after a while.
Cyril grins and shakes his head.“Doubt it.But my money’s on Alistair.”
I’m not really listening, still looking at the door they just vanished through.I’ve never seen Alistair and Kesh fight like that.
When Alistair came out as gay and his family practically disowned him, he spent a lot of time at each of our houses because he couldn’t stand it at home.It brought us all closer together, but especially him and Kesh.Kesh’s parents are friendly and accepting, and they became like a second family to Alistair.
“Something’s not right with those two,” Wren says.
“Yeah, I noticed that.”
Wren raises an eyebrow and for a moment I get the feelingthat he wants to say something, but instead he just takes a huge swig from his whisky and Coke.
I sigh.“Wren,” I begin.
He looks cautiously at me.
“I’ve been a crap friend lately,” I say.“I’m sorry for being too caught up in my own shit to be there for you.”
“It’s not like you didn’t have a good reason,” Wren replies quietly.He exhales audibly.“Your mum died.I acted like a dickhead.Sorry, bro.”
“I should have noticed that you’ve got stuff going on too, though.”
Wren shrugs his shoulders.
“Now would be a good time to tell me,” I say.“That’s the main reason I came tonight.”
Wren looks uncertain.He glances at me over his glass.Then he shuts his eyes like he’s psyching himself up.
“We’re…moving.”
I scoot a little closer to him.Did I mishear that?“What?”
“My parents lost all their money.We found a buyer for the house last week.We’re moving in March.To a semidetached.”
I stare at Wren.The words echo around my head, but I can’t make sense of them.
“Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?”Cyril asks.He stands up, comes over, and drops onto the sofa beside Wren.“We could’ve helped.”
That frees me from my state of shock.“Cy’s right,” I say.“There must have been some way you could have kept the house.”
Cyril nods.“My parents would have bought it and let you keep living there.”
