Chapter 10.4

The next morning, I have my lessons like normal. I finish my last lesson about the ancient gods in the morning and took up Reagen with Elliana after lunch. We were reading a child's book that I probably should have been able to read years ago, when we hear a smash coming from the kitchen.

I shot a tense look at her and she yelled "Sean is everything alright?"

When there's no answer, she goes to investigate, and I follow close behind her. In the kitchen, there's a smashed mug on the floor which Sean is attempting to sweep up and a half-opened cupboard above him.

"Alex how many times have I told you to put them face up?" there's a tone of anger in his voice, as he swept all the pieces into one pile to avoid stepping in them.

"My dad always told me to put them face down." Alex argued defiantly. He seemed a bit out of character, like something else had upset him.

"In these cupboards they have to be face up or they get in the way of the hinges when you close them." He explained a little impatiently.

"My dad told me off if I didn't put them like that." Suddenly, he looked hurt- angry and frustrated.

Sean didn't reply and hastily went about changing round the cups before scooping up the broken pieces on the floor.

"Alex we have our own way of doing things-" Sean started to explain.

"-and my dad isn't here." He finished curtly.

"That wasn't what I was going to say."

"That's what you meant." He glared at Sean.

"It wasn't."

"I don't care." He hissed.

"Alex! What's gotten into you?" Elliana demanded, looking shocked.

"Nothing!" he answered defiantly and hastily shoved his chair back, which scraped along the kitchen floor and left.

I was conflicted: I felt like I should comfort him, but I didn't really understand, so I just followed him up the stairs and lingered awkwardly in his doorway as he flopped on his bed, face down.

I was about to say something, when he yelled something incoherent into his pillow, then lifted his head to add "I don't want to get reminded that my dad's dead. My dad wasn't always nice to me, but I hate that he's dead."

I can't see his face so I can't see how upset he was, so I answer "I'm sorry."

"Please don't apologise." He suddenly growled in frustration, rolling over onto his front "I hate it when people apologise!" he yelled at the ceiling.

I was about to apologise again, but I caught myself, instead, I kept the awkward silence. He didn't seem to mind but then I heard Elliana coming up the stairs. She slipped in behind me and sat lightly next to him on the bed.

She put a comforting hand on his shoulder "I understand that you miss your dad, but we're trying our best… Do you want to visit his grave sometime soon?" Somehow, she knew what was wrong.

"What good would that do? Its just a piece of rock."

"You can talk to him even if he can't answer." What did she mean? If he's dead, how can he talk to him? I didn't understand but I knew enough to know I shouldn't ask.

He sighed, looking miserable, "okay. When can we go?"

"I can take you both, tomorrow."

Both of us? I almost asked why but then I catch Alex's expression and I know. He's pretty upset. Even after telling me he didn't want to be sad anymore, I knew it couldn't be as easy as that. There were so many things I didn't know about him, and his relationship with his parents were one of them. But like he didn't pose for answers about my past, it wasn't my place to ask him.