The women tensed, their expressions almost comical as they turned to look at him, eyes and mouths wide. The rest of the lounge was deathly quiet; members of staff weren’t even pretending not to gawp at the scene before them.
“M-Mr. Trunell …”
“Oh, I think you’ve said enough, don’t you?” he cut across her, his voice icy and smooth. “To set the record straight you gossiping little harpies; I was falsely accused, the charges were dropped and the police did not arrest me. Secondly; I got my degree before you lot were out of nappies and even now you’re half-arsing your life wondering why nothing good happens for twisted little cows like you. Thirdly; yes, I’m fucking gay, which sucks for you because it means yet another man doesn’t want to shag you. And finally; Rodrick and I were in the army together. Do you know what that means?”
They stared up at him, terrified. They didn’t move or speak.
“It means I got 276 confirmed kills before you even learned how to walk, and that man has had my back ever since.”
“Are -are you threatening us?” one of the girls, Cindy, asked.
Lucas scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Like I’d waste my time. I’m merely saying that if you don’t show up for a staff meeting and decide to spread rumours you know fuck all about, maybe you don’t start doing it in front of the man who fought for our country, okay?” He forced a mocking smile, before turning on his heel and making for the door.
No one dared to stop him. He was almost out into the corridor when one of the other girls -was her name Sarah? -stood up and shouted, “That’s it run away! That’s all you’re good for! I bet you just worked in the cookhouse, you short arse!”
Smirking over his shoulder he said, “Actually, Sarah, I didn’t work in the cookhouse. I was a sniper.”
He let the door bang closed behind him.
He had never hurried back to his office so quickly. He slammed the door shut, locked it, and hurried to his desk. Grabbing his phone from the drawer he didn’t even bother checking his messages, he just dialled Cavan’s number and prayed that he wasn’t in a lecture. As it rang in his ear, Lucas opened up his laptop and quickly e-mailed Rodrick to come to his office as soon as he was able. The man never ate in the staff lounge, either.
“Come on, kid, pick up! Pick up!” he grumbled under his breath; the phone pressed to his ear.
Voicemail.
“Fuck!” he cursed, hanging up and tossing his phone aside.
He hadn’t meant to get so wound-up. Every inch of his was tense and burning with anger. He clenched his jaw, trying his hardest to distract himself with eating -even though it tasted like ashes -and watching Youtube videos until Rodrick came to his office.
Lucas had barely finished eating and drinking his black coffee when Rodrick opened the door. He didn’t even wince as the man closed the door and sat neatly in the chair across from him.
“What’s happened?” he asked bluntly.
“T.A.’s sat around in the lounge gossiping about me, in front of me, and saying that you and I are fucking and that’s the only reason you’re keeping me here.”
Rodrick sighed heavily and shook his head. “This is exactly why I have the briefing this morning. I know you don’t like being show-cased, but I thought it would cut this nonsense out.”
Lucas waved his concern away. “I appreciate it, I do. However, those three girls weren’t at the meeting, they weren’t being subtle, and they had the gall to act as though they had any right to say what they said.”
“What did they say?”
Lucas repeated the conversation the girls had been having and what he’d said by way of correction. “Feel free to ask anyone else, the room was packed with people,” he grunted, twisting a pen back and forth on his desk.
Rodrick took note of their names. “Okay, I’ll bring them into my office. I don’t need this all to be made even worse for you just because you have a spine.”
“This is why they think I’m your favourite.”
“You are my favourite,” Rodrick smirked. “Besides, I’m fed-up of young T.A.’s thinking they know how life works and how this school should be run when they’re still learning how to wipe spit off their chin.”
Lucas tried to smirk.
“Are you going to be alright with the rest of your classes?” Rodrick asked, his face morphing into one of concern.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lucas slid his glasses back on and nodded. “Yeah, I should be fine. Just the Year 7’s to get through, then I can go home.”
“Is Cavan still at yours?”
“No,” Lucas tried not to show just how disappointed he was by the admission. “I drove him back home yesterday. His schoolwork doesn’t need to suffer any more than it already has.”
Inclining his head, the blonde man stood up, squared his shoulders, and clapped Lucas on the back. “Let me know if anyone else bothers you.”
“Sure thing, Dad,” Lucas snarked as he watched the man leave his office.
Rodrick’s rumbling laughter echoed as he carried on down the corridor.
Dipping his head into his hands, Lucas let out a long groan and clutched his fingers to his scalp. ‘Not long now and the day would be over. Just two more hours to go!’ he chanted in his head over and over, almost missing the end of lunch bell.
Tuesday PM
From Cavan to Bonnie:
(11:25) Hey Bonnie, have you looked in on Lucas at all?
(11:26) Not today, hun, why do you ask? X
(11:28) He seemed a little off yesterday. A little tetchy.
(11:29) It could just be first-day-back jitters? X
(11:31) … Maybe. I’m not sure though. He feels a bit off.
(11:32) These things take time, Cav. Just let the dust settle a little. Let him get used to a routine again x
(11:33) Cav?
(11:34) I nickname all my friends x
(11:35) So we’re friends now? :P
(11:36) I’d say so.
(11:37) Good :)
(11:39) So do you think you’ll be able to make it up this weekend? We want to have a game night!
(11:41) Really? :S
(11:42) It’ll be fun!
(11:45) I’ll have to see tbh. My dad’s really getting on my nerves lately, so it’ll depend if I can get a train up after my last lecture.
(11:46) I’ll know more by Thursday.
(11:49) Great, keep me posted! X
(11:50) Now shoo! Go and learn something x
(11:51) You sound worse than Lucas.
(11:52) Who do you think trained him? ;) x
(11:54) … Nah, I don’t buy it. That sort of attitude grows on its own, it can’t be taught.
(11:55) Touché, smartie pants. Touché ;P x
(11:56) Nice try though :D
(11:57) Thanks! x
~0~
Lucas made it through Tuesday with very little drama; he’d given three students detention and had physically walked them from their tutor group to the appointed detention room for that week. The boys glared at him as they filed into the classroom, but Lucas kept his face expressionless as always until the door slammed closed with just a little too much force.
Only then did he leave to go home.
He slammed his car door shut and was home within fifteen minutes. There were grey clouds hovering over the horizon today, and it reflected his mood perfectly. Eyes had followed him all, and he could tell that there were still people whispering about him. Just not loud enough for him to hear and then confront them.
From what he’d heard, Sarah, Cindy and Deana had been suspended for one week without pay for what they had done yesterday. Even Lucas thought it was a little extreme, but deep down he was glad to see the back of them.
He had barely text Cavan the normal amount and he knew the kid was starting to pick up on his bad mood. He tried his best to play it off as readjusting to work, but he doubted Cavan believed him. He couldn’t really think straight. Abandoning his grading on the dining room table, he went to hi
s bedroom, dumped out every drawer onto his bed as well as his wardrobe.
‘Right,’ he thought. ‘Time to recalibrate.’
Thursday PM
“Cavan! Dinner’s ready!”
Slipping the headphones off his head, Cavan left his bedroom and went downstairs for dinner with his Mama. This had been the routine lately; he would eat dinner with his Mama at least two hours before his Dad was due to come home. Georg would usually cook three times a week, but lately he hadn’t been cooking anything for Cavan and, if he had, it was sometimes something Cavan was allergic to, like shellfish.
Alas, their new regime was born.
It hadn’t taken long for Camilla to get fed up with it and sided with her son. Since coming home, Cavan had tried to talk to his dad three times about Lucas and the police investigation, but each time Georg either refused to listen to reason or would simply close the study door in his son’s face. This only served to piss Cavan off even more.
Still, eating dinner alone with his Mama had so many benefits, namely that they could discuss how Lucas was doing without anyone at the table making snarky comments whenever the name was brought up.
“Do you think he’s having a hard time still?” Camilla asked.
Cavan shrugged, as he pulled more of the chicken skewers onto his plate. He’d treated his Mama to a Chinese take-away. She was pleased enough not to have to cook. “He hadn’t been texting me or calling like normal, and whenever I ask him what he’s up to, he just says he’s cleaning.”
“You said he was a bit of a clean-freak, didn’t you?”
“Yes but … I think this is something else. Like stress-cleaning, if that’s a thing.”
Camilla hummed thoughtfully. “If that’s the case, he probably needs a distraction.” She glanced over at her son before ruffling his hair gently. “I’ve been thinking, since the other week, why don’t we have a new arrangement?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, I get to see you a lot these days, especially with your sister in Europe. So why don’t you go and spend the weekends at Lucas’ place?”
Cavan frowned, “what would you do on the weekends without anyone around?”
Camilla chuckled, “Oh, love, I have plenty to occupy myself. On the days when your dad isn’t around, I can get on with all the housework that I barely manage in the week. I can meet up with some of my friends or even just read a book. Cavan! Do you know how long it is, since I finished a book?”
He laughed. His foot started to bounce rhythmically on the carpet. It soon started to vibrate up his leg and soon he could feel the light ‘thud-thud-thud’ of his knee knocking the underside of the table.
Camilla squeezed his hand. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah just … Anxious. What if dad finds out and gets mad?”
“Cavan, you’re twenty-one years old. If you want to spend the night at your boyfriend’s place and do your dissertation, then I’m okay with you going,” Camilla smiled endearingly at her son. “If you like, I can even drive you up there.”
“N-no that’s okay,” he forced a smile. “Just to the train station is fine. I can find my way from there.”
“Nonsense,” Camilla said, tossing her dark hair over her shoulders. “It’s quicker to take the car, besides. I’d like to know you’re safe.”
“I always text you when I get there!” he protested.
“I know,” she laughed again. “I’m nosey about where this young man lives, Cavan. I promise I won’t stay long, nor will I embarrass you.”
“Can’t you just … stay in the car?” he pulled a face, earning another laugh from his Mama.
“If I stay in the car, can I drive you there?”
“What, so you can see the outside of his building?”
“You can tell a lot about a place on the first impression, Cavan,” Camilla scolded affectionately. “That’s why I wouldn’t let you grow your hair. I don’t need people thinking I’m letting my child run around like a homeless person.”
He rolled his eyes at her. “Fine! You can drive me, but only to the door! I don’t want Lucas to think I’m a big baby.”
Camilla chuckled as her son stuck his tongue out at her.
Thursday PM
What an awful day.
All Lucas had wanted to do since he’d woken up that morning was to pull the duvet up over his head and continue to sleep. He hadn’t even gone for his morning run, his limbs simply refusing to manoeuvre himself out of bed. He’d been running on empty all morning, taking a mug of black coffee just to stay awake during his first round of classes.
Lunch was a blessed reprieve, if only for an hour.
Despite everything that had happened throughout the week, Lucas could feel his resolve beginning to crack a little at the edges. He had never been such a poplar topic of discussion since starting at the school, and now it was as though he had a beacon strapped to his forehead. He couldn’t escape it. He’d already warned Rodrik that he would not be attending their Friday take-out night.
He dithered after the school let out. He wasn’t running the detention classes, mercifully, and he took his time packing everything away before turning off all the lights, locking his office door and striding leisurely out to his car.
On the way home, he stopped to buy some food and cleaning supplies. He ate a simple, almost bland, stir-fry, his heart barely in it to chop two peppers, before he emptied the bottles of bleach, wax and polish out onto the kitchen table. Wrapping a bandana around his head to keep his hair out of his eyes, he snapped on a pair of rubber gloves and got straight to work cleaning and descaling the kitchen.
He didn’t answer his phone for three hours.
From Cavan:
[18:24) Hey, I hope work was a little better today. You’d tell me if something was up, wouldn’t you? X
[19:02) Have I done something to upset you? I know I don’t always say the right thing at the right time but … you know I’m here for you, right? X
[20:36) I love you … please tell me if something is wrong :S
[22:18) Okay well it’s getting pretty late and I need to work on some stuff for tomorrow.
[22:20] I hope things go better for you. Get some rest. I love you. X
From Bonnie:
[21:26) Cavan said you’re not replying to him, is everything okay? X
[21:56) Lucas, don’t ignore me
[22:58) Fine. Rest up. And if you think you’re getting out of seeing us tomorrow, you’re wrong! Fletcher will drag you out if he has to!
He glanced at the time and winced. It was really late. He was meant to have started marking those homework sheets for his Year 8’s but he’s gotten side-tracked at a particularly garish spot of mould on bottom of his fridge. He peeled off the gloves and ran his arm across his forehead, sighing in defeat. The kitchen was so chemically clean, he could feel the hairs in his nose getting singed.
He’d swept and waxed the floorboards in the hallway, too, and could feel his joints protesting as he stood up and stretched. The rest could wait until tomorrow when he got home from work. Fletcher could try and drag him out all he wanted, but if there was one thing his friends had learned early on, it was to never get in between Lucas and his cleaning.
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