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 Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 1:22 pm
Chad had been missing since his dentist appointment. Elliot knew he should have just asked him to come, too. Even if it would have been boring to sit in the waiting room! Instead, he was alone somewhere. ‘Safe’, but gone.
He’d missed the little party they’d been planning. A ‘happy end of the school year but actually surprise, happy birthday’ party.
It got worse when the police officer came by.
Horrible when Chad wasn’t there at school on Monday.
But, he was in witness protection, apparently, even though Elliot didn’t know what he was witness to, or why there was so much secrecy for an internal investigation and–hadn’t the information come from the police? How could he be trusted? He had no proof that Chad was even alive somewhere!
How was he supposed to focus on school? He didn’t. He couldn’t even appreciate the fact that they were in their final week. Chad didn’t get to be there for the parties, or the fun.
Chad was all he could think about. He tried to smile and enjoy the time with his other friends, but.
It wasn’t the same. He wanted Chad there.
He didn’t tell anyone that he’d cried–only once!–after he found out that Chad wasn’t going to be able to come over for a while. He knew it wouldn’t be forever! But it was still too long.
School let out early, so Asher had come to pick him up and take him back to Azure; the day might have ended early for students, but the teachers still had work to do in preparation for the summer.
Elliot was sulking by the time he got to Michael’s classroom. Oliver was working on getting some papers together and Asher was getting his work so they could sit together. So, Elliot went to keep Michael company, and maybe bother him a little bit about if he’d heard anything new.
“Hi, Michael,” he greeted, and tried not to sound miserable; he dropped his backpack by the door when he came in, but he had two brown paper bags in his hand and carried them over and held one out for Michael. “Dad and I got lunch on the way over, this one’s for you.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:13 pm
Michael was trying to keep busy. Trying to make sure he ate enough. Trying to not think too much about how Devyn and Chad were doing.
He felt bad for Elliot, because he knew how much Chad meant to him. And he felt bad for Asher and Oliver, who knew Chad was missing and safe but not the full extent of everything.
“Hey, Elliot,” Michael greeted as he looked up from the pager Soleiyu had made for him and Devyn. There hadn’t been any message recently, so he just wanted to make sure he didn’t miss the vibration.
“Thank you, that’s very thoughtful,” he said as he reached out to take the bag and set it on his desk, but pushed his chair away enough so he could get a better look at Elliot without a bunch of paperwork in the way.
“How are you holding up?”
He didn’t look very happy, but Michael could understand that. Not knowing was probably worse than knowing for sure what was going on. But he knew he couldn’t let Elliot know. Not without risking him and his parents.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:24 pm
Elliot sighed, loudly and for a good few seconds. He pulled a desk closer to Michael’s–lifted it up, so the metal didn’t drag on the ground, and set it down so his desk was touching Michael’s. He settled himself into the seat and started pulling out the snacks.
“I’m okay,” he said finally, but he sounded disappointed. Worse than when he lost a debate, or when bad weather ruined one of his ball games, or when he didn’t do as well as he wanted on an exam.
He was visibly sullen and didn’t look like he was in any sort of good mood.
Carefully, and specifically, he laid out the burger he’d gotten; he unfolded the waxy wrap to make sure he didn’t get the desk dirty, and then poured out his fries on top of it.
“I kept expecting Chad to show up at school today. I don’t like not knowing how he’s doing. I wish I never went to the dentist, I’d rather have cavities.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:39 pm
“I don’t think anything would have changed if you didn’t go to the dentist,” Michael said gently.
It was obvious that Elliot was upset, and Michael didn’t blame him. There was no telling what would have happened if Chad wasn’t with Devyn at the park when his father showed up. Maybe it was best that it happened the way it did, as horrible as that was. Because if Devyn didn’t know to be keeping an extra close eye on Chad, who knew if they would have gotten there in time, or had Soleiyu keeping watch.
“I promise he’s being looked after, but I bet he misses you, too,” he said as he pulled out the burger from his own bag, copying the process Elliot took with unfolding the waxy paper before putting the fries on top.
“You only met him recently,” Michael observed. Not that it was a bad thing! He only met Devyn recently, so he knew how quickly connections could form, but it was a little different for him than it would have been for Elliot.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 5:59 pm
“Doesn’t mean I care about him any less, though,” Elliot reminded. “Anyway, he hasn’t had people to care about him for a long time, so I’ve gotta put in extra work. Dad says you can tell who needs a little extra gentleness and who needs a good friend, and he was right. I knew it as soon as I saw him. I didn’t even have to think about it, I just decided that we were going to be friends.”
He took a bite of his burger–not too big, because he spoke around it, “What if he’s lonely? You can be looked after but still be lonely. And he’s so shy, Michael. He’s probably just sitting there all quiet and trying not to take up space. And he won’t tell anyone when he’s hungry, or if the air conditioning’s too cold–or not cold enough! He needs someone loud to be there with him.”
Elliot was obviously talking about himself; he had no issues being loud, and if he didn’t have a good reason to hold his tongue, he wouldn’t.
“Have you gotten any updates on anything? Like if he’s going to be able to come out of hiding soon? Or if I can send him a care package or something?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:36 pm
Elliot had always been a sweet kid. Smart. Witty. Clever. But also kind and patient and passionate about what and who he cared about. Michael was pretty sure anyone would be lucky if Elliot considered them his friend. And Chad exceptionally so. He’d only met the kid once, officially, but he did seem to need a little extra gentleness and a good friend.
“I don’t think you’ll be able to send him a care package, but you can make something for him if you’d like. I only found out late that it was his birthday. I’m sorry that he missed it,” Michael said with a small, sympathetic frown. He knew Chad had been forced to miss things before, like Elliot’s baseball game. He’d missed class before as well.
“I don’t know how soon he’ll be able to come out of hiding, but maybe you’ll be able to see each other. Maybe by the end of the week.”
If Soleiyu could figure something out, at least. He didn’t want to get Elliot’s hopes up, but he also didn’t want him to be miserable the whole time.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:41 pm
Elliot released a heartfelt, wistful sigh. “I hope so. That would be great. Even if it was just for a quick hug or something. He likes those. I can make him something. Like a card? Because, I’d like to at least send him a sketch book or something. Maybe some Pop Tarts.”
He sighed, and looked miserable as he ate a few more fries.
“He’s going to be so bored, cooped up. Summer’s only just about to start. We were going to have a birthday party for him. Dad was setting it up while I was at the dentist.”
Another sigh. “We had a whole cake. An ice cream cake. It’s still in the freezer, we couldn’t eat it without him. I got him this whole bead making set. One of the resin ones. My parents helped me pick it out, it was a good one. They chipped in too. It’s not fair that he had to leave so fast. I hope he’s not scared. But I bet he’s scared. Are you sure I can’t put together a little box and you can give it to that officer to give to him or something?” If he could even trust it was going to get to Chad. “Any package I make is going to be a care package. Because I care about him, a lot. I can’t even focus, I just keep worrying about him. I don’t know how I’m going to enjoy break without him.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:46 pm
Was this how Elliot acted with all of his friends? Michael wasn’t so sure. Maybe there was something about Chad that Elliot saw that few others did. Maybe once this was all over, he would get to know Chad a little better. For Elliot’s sake, if not for Chad’s, himself. Michael tried not to get attached to people. It was easier that way. And yet he was irrevocably attached to the Reids.
“Maybe something small,” Michael relented, because could he ever really say no to Elliot? Especially when he was looking so miserable and barely even touching his food.
“That’s really kind of you to want to celebrate his birthday. I have a feeling he didn’t get to do that very often. Did he tell you anything about his dad?”
Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to bring up that topic. He just wanted to make sure Elliot knew to be careful.
“I want you to be careful around… everyone that you don’t already know. Maybe be careful around those you think you know, but not very well.”
Elliot was lucky he hadn’t run into trouble like Chad had, but he was afraid it was only a matter of time.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 6:56 pm
“Have you met my parents?” he asked, but he was probably specifically talking about Oliver. “My first words were ‘stranger danger’.”
He sighed, still a little mopey, but there was at least an obvious spark of interest when Michael said he could maybe do something small.
“He said his dad was a police officer. And kind of scary. That they didn’t get along. I don’t think his dad’s nice to him. I don’t know,” he said, in the tone that said he knew more than he wanted to say. Maybe that had something to do with why he wasn’t sure he trusted anything the police were saying.
“How small is small? Like, shoebox small? Backpack small? Mini-van small?”
Elliot picked at a few fries and looked up at Michael while he ate, and maybe he knew he was kind of bothering him, but it was nice to be with a friend.
“...I would be really happy if I could get him a sketchbook and some pencils, and maybe some letters. If that’s all I could get him. But I want to send him a little more. Maybe some french fries,” he sighed, pushing a few more into his mouth.
…But something Michael had said seemed to be sticking with him, and he dropped his dramatics briefly to ask, “Is everything okay, though? …Like, really okay? You’re not going to tell me that he had to move to California or something and he’s going to lose contact with me when in reality he’s like, in the hospital fighting for his life, right?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:20 pm
Michael’s lip twitched at the corner when Elliot reminded him about his parents. Michael also knew he was probably specifically talking about Oliver.
“Your parents are smart,” he said with a nod as he picked at his fries and listened to what Elliot had to say. He could tell there was more, but suspected that maybe the more were things Chad didn’t want Elliot to talk about.
But Elliot was perceptive and was probably only able to play along for so long. Not that he was outright showing disbelief in everything he was being told, but there was something in his voice and expression that made it sound like he thought adults were full of s**t who didn’t trust teenagers to understand.
Not that he expected Elliot to ever say that outloud, but he was smart.
“Why would you think he’s in the hospital fighting for his life?” Michael couldn’t help but ask, tilting his head to the side curiously. He knew he should have just denied it. He wouldn’t have even been lying. Chad wasn’t in a hospital fighting for his life. But he was a bit farther than California.
Maybe Elliot would rather think about his care package, so before Michael took a big bite of his burger, he concluded with, “Let’s do backpack size. Maybe even pick out a backpack, how about that?” Then paused and added, “School backpack. Not a camping backpack.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:28 pm
“Ah, you got me,” Elliot said, because if it was within the parameters of a pack one could wear on their back he might have even gone with the absolute largest one he could find. “You think we could pick out one? –You’re not just trying to distract me, right?”
He gave Michael a look, like if he squinted enough he’d be able to read the truth right off his face.
It didn’t work; he might have been good at reading people or arguing in debates, but Michael had one of those faces where he couldn’t tell if he was serious or was just really good at poker.
“Because if you are serious, I could make a backpack work. I could start writing notes after I eat.” Maybe let Michael finish some of the work he was supposed to be doing. “But I don’t want to write ‘glad you’re doing well’ if he is hurt, you know? I just–I don’t know.”
He used one fry to poke at the half-pile remaining on the desk and sifted through his thoughts.
“It’s just a feeling, you know. There were police cars all over the neighborhood, and I definitely saw some dogs out looking too. It just seems like that’s a lot of effort for someone who just snuck away. Even if it is all performative. Even if he ran away, even if someone broke in. That’s just a lot, you know? The last time I saw that many police anywhere was when there was that burglary where the couple inside got really hurt. And there was a crime scene van in front of Chad’s house. Just like then. And you’re always looking out for me, so if something really bad did happen, it wouldn’t surprise me if everyone was trying to lie because they wanted to keep me safe. But the thing is, I worry about him when there aren’t people out looking for him because he’s ‘missing’. So, I don’t know. And because I can’t see him or hear his voice or get any messages from him right now, my mind’s like ‘oh no’ so of course it fills in the blanks and gives me the worst possible situation.”
Well, there was one other worst possible situation but he wasn’t ready to start thinking about that yet. Not seriously, at least.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:33 pm
Michael raised his eyebrows in response to Elliot’s look. He didn’t usually lie to Elliot, so he thought it was pretty easy to get Elliot to trust him when he did have to lie. He didn’t like it, but it was usually for Elliot’s safety.
But Michael could relate to worrying even when there was nothing wrong. He worried all the time, had nightmares about horrible things happening. They had been mostly absent for the past few months, but now a single night without Devyn was enough to relapse into the what ifs.
“You’re a good friend. Chad is in good hands, that I can promise you,” he said after a few moments. Still, he felt bad for not just telling Elliot everything he might want to know. That Chad had been hurt. That he would likely need to be gentle once they did meet again. And he hoped that would be by the end of the week once he went to check on him and Devyn.
“I don’t know all of the details,” Michael said, his voice lowered to make sure no one passing by in the hall could overhear. “But we’re not letting Chad go back to his father once he does come back. We’re going to figure something out to keep him safe, even if that means he has to wear a disguise. You understand why we can’t talk about this, right?”
He knew Elliot did. And if Elliot didn’t seem so upset, Michael might have just kept it all to himself.
“Yes, he did get hurt, but he’s at a place where he can recover safely. No one can get to him there. You can’t talk to anyone about this, okay? Not even your parents. The less they know, the safer you all are.”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:44 pm
Interest sparked on Elliot’s face, and when Michael leaned in so did he.
He could keep a secret, and even if there was still a small shroud of doubt in his mind, he trusted Michael. So, he sucked in a breath and–finally–nodded.
“Okay.”
Worry was still obvious on his face, but that was something else there–relief.
He sank back into his chair, poked at his food again for a few seconds, ate another fry.
“I won’t tell anyone,” he promised, because he didn’t want Michael to think that he wasn’t taking it seriously. “You mean no one bad can get to him, right? And he’s not alone, he’s got people who are going to care about him, right? –And he is coming back?” he pressed.
His voice was soft, and he obviously understood he needed to be quiet and calm about it all; at some point in time he’d leaned close again, but he couldn’t really remember moving.
Elliot didn’t need to know all the details. Just the important ones.
Just enough to know that he was really okay, and he was really going to come back. When he was safe.
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 7:52 pm
“Devyn’s with him,” Michael admitted, although he said it in a hushed way that he hoped Elliot understood was also meant to be a secret. Not that anyone could get to Devyn or Chad at the moment, but Michael didn’t need anyone hovering around his house, trying to arrest Devyn the moment he got back because of some bullshit spouted off by an accomplice to attempted murder.
“They’re going to stay hidden and probably talk about art and… whatever it is artists do,” he sighed, because it didn’t always make sense to him. He was much more into literature than paintings and things of that nature.
“You’ll just have to remember to be gentle when he gets back. His foot was hurt, and so was his side,” Michael said, gesturing to which foot and where on his side Chad would have been hurt. That way when Elliot went to hug him, he could avoid it.
“He is coming back and--”
Michael stopped for a moment. The pager had vibrated and he picked it up to read the message. And then he sighed softly, letting out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.
“Would you believe me if I said he’s still okay and prefers to go by ‘Atticus’ now?”
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Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2022 8:06 pm
Elliot immediately perked up when he heard Devyn’s name, and then he visibly relaxed again. Not quite completely, but it was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
And then, the beeper–or whatever that thing was–went off, and Elliot looked like he’d won the lottery. He could have energetically jumped up, he could have run over and hugged Michael, he could have just screamed–but instead he sucked it all in and nodded.
“I could believe that, yeah!”
Too enthusiastic! Not too loud, he was quiet. But he didn’t want anyone to come bother them while he was talking about his best friend, Atticus.
Who would have known that if it wasn’t actually him!
“We talked about that some, while he was at my place. Tell him–are you talking to him now? Tell him I said ‘Hi, Atticus’. Tell him I miss him and hope he feels better soon. Ask him if he wants me to get him anything for his care package. I mean–please!” he added quickly, because he was still visibly excited but he couldn’t just forget his manners.
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