Four

“James went back to the tower? But he told me he’d see you tomorrow.”  Kimberly said into the phone but the line was dead.

 

Kimberly felt a slow hot burn begin on the back of her neck.

She scrolled through her contacts until she found the number she was looking for.

“Hello, Richard. Would you do me a favor?” Kimberly set her jaw. She’d find out what was going on.

 

David was craving another cigarette but he’d borrowed his first from Richard the custodian and Richard had disappeared.

He tapped his finger across his leg waiting for James to catch up. He knew it was stupid to run but his legs started moving before he could think.

 It took about a minute for James to catch up and another two minutes to find David leaning against the wall of the supply closet.

 

James didn’t say anything and David just stared at the wall, tapping his fingers. David knew if he opened his mouth to say anything, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself. The silence grew longer and longer but neither person said anything.

 

Then James’s phone began to ring. Kimberly, thought David with a rueful smile. James looked at the number before he silenced it.

 

“I’m sorry.” He said after a moment.

“Like f**k you are.” David replied still staring at the wall. “ Like f**k you are.” He repeated quietly, shaking his head.

“I am sorry.”

“Is that all? Did you come all the way back here to say sorry?”

“Yes.” James said, stepping into David’s eye line.

“I noticed you haven’t told Kimberly about me. Does that mean that�"�"” David’s voice broke as he looked into James’s brown eyes and suddenly he couldn’t stop speaking. “Does that mean you’ve decided you don’t want me? Is that what you mean by sorry? Cause I’ve been in some fucked up break-ups and this is pretty bad. This one’s right up there with Lawrence. I mean I can’t believe you came back to say sorry that’s�"” David trailed off as James covered his mouth with his hand.

 

“No, I haven’t given you up.” James said intensely. David pushed James away, freeing his mouth and almost as an afterthought, he punched James in the gut.

“I’m not going to let you f**k around with me, James. I’ll let you have Kimberly. I won’t even tell her about us. So, just leave me alone. I can’t deal with bullshit like this again.” David left James standing alone in the supply closet.

 

David turned the corner and bumped into Richard. “Watch it.” David hissed. Clearly still pissed off, he pushed past Richard, scowling. 

 

Richard looked at David surprised, “You ok?”

“I’m f*****g terrific.” David said not turning around. 

 

Richard paused, not sure whether to follow David or to check in on James. He had seen James follow David in but hadn’t been able to hear or see much without exposing himself.

Richard thought the closet would tell him more than David so he walked over to the supply closet, pretending to pick up some supplies. He looked over at James who had just sworn under his breath before leaving the closet.

Obviously something was going on but he couldn’t figure out what David and James had in common other then school. He smiled, closing and locking the door behind him.