Page 38 of Inbetweeners
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When they reached the flat, Nix parked under the building and Emmett followed him upstairs.
“Still sulking over that little twerp?” Nix asked.
“I’d really like to think that deep down you’re a kind person, but you’re not, are you? Don’t you feel even a bit sorry for him?”
Nix put his key in the door. “No. He’s dead. He’s had his time. He should leave.”
“You don’t care at all?” Emmett gaped at him.
Yes, but I’m not going to admit it and I like winding you up.“What’s the point fretting about stuff you can’t change?” Nix pushed open the door and went inside. “I don’t fucking know him. He’s not a friend or a relative. What is there to care about?”
Emmett closed the door. “Oh my God. You should care because he’s a person. You don’t have to know him. He’s little more than a kid and he died before his life got going. He’s lonely. He can’t talk to anyone. He has no friends. He’s surrounded by people, by the life he once had, and yet he’s lost. How would you feel if it was you?”
It fuckingisme. Apart from the kid thing.“You feel sorry for me too?”
“Yes.”
Nix was shocked by that. He walked into the kitchen, opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of beer.
Emmett came up behind him. “Going to ask me why?”
Nix flicked off the bottle top.
Emmett picked it up from the floor and put it in the bin. “Don’t ignore me, you dickhead.”
“Fuck off.” Nix took a slug of cold beer.
“Where did the beer come from? There wasn’t any in the fridge.”
“I bought some.”
“While I was lying in the morgue, trapped in a metal box, freaked out of my skull, you found time to buy a T-shirtandalcohol?”
“Yes. Stop whining. Grab a beer and chill out.”
Phoenix switched on the TV and put his feet on the coffee table. Cat jumped onto his lap.
“Get your feet off the coffee table.”
“It’s as much my coffee table as yours. You can own the legs, I’ll own the top.”
“You’re such an arsehole.”
“It’s your turn to cook, Mr Control Freak.”
“After I’ve showered.”
“You already had a shower.”
“So what?” Emmett stamped out of the room.
Nix had no idea why he deliberately wound Emmett up. Part of him might enjoy it, but the other part of him didn’t. Maybe it was just wanting Emmett to react to him, to see how far he could push him. He thought about heading for the shower too, pushing a little harder, but changed his mind. Maybe he should think about going out tonight and finding someone to fuck. That was probably all that was wrong with him.
Strange that he didn’t want to.
Strange that it mattered what Emmett thought of him.
