With students pouring out, the bus stopped by the academy. Skye was going to get off the bus with Tom when he noticed Lewis, who was staring at the academy in a trance and didn't seem to want to leave.
"Lewis?" Skye asked quickly and quietly, a bit confused on why his best friend was just…staring out the window at the academy. Waving his hand in front of Lewis's face yielded…no results…as he simply just stared out "Lewis?"
"What the-?" Lewis spoke, concerned and afraid. Lewis's breathing seemed heavy and quick even as Skye tried to hold his shoulder "Lewis! Are you okay?"
"NO!" Lewis suddenly called out, the shout coming from nowhere and causing Skye, Tom and even the kind old bus driver to jump in shock.
"Lewis!" Skye called out, afraid for his friend as the callout sounded eerie and full of fear
Skye lets out a shaky sigh, his gaze full of worry as he looked at his friend, knowing whatever he was seeing was just another one of his episodes "Lewis! Wake up!" Yet Lewis didn't respond to Skye's words
Skye watched as Lewis's expression kept changing from fear to anger to confusion. Skye looked up to Tom as he quickly put a hand on his shoulder to try and comfort him, tightening his grip subtly in a kind gesture "He'll be okay…you know he will"
"I know Tom…I'm just scared for him…I feel so fucking helpless! He's my best fucking friend and…and I can't do anything about…"
Skye gestures helplessly to Lewis even as Lewis yells out once more "It was NOT my fault!" but Skye started noticing Lewis's gaze now looked more guilty as he spoke out once more "No"
"Fuck this!" Skye's face suddenly fills with determination as he yells into Lewis's ear "LEWIS! WAKE UP!" The yell was jarring and seemed to work as Lewis suddenly jerked up from his seat.
"The hell?" Lewis replied, looking over his shoulder towards Skye and Tom who were standing over him. Skye replies quickly with concern within his voice "You had another episode Lewis...you okay?"
Skye watched as Lewis slowly looked back to the academy for a moment, his gaze landing on the sky above before he replied "Yeah..." his tone confused and hesitating.
Just as Skye was about to ask what happened, Lewis stands up quickly and exits the bus leaving him and Tom reeling in confusion for a heartbeat before they both nodded and quickly rushed out to join Lewis.
"You sure-" Tom begins only for Lewis to quickly look over his shoulder, a weak smile on his face "I'm sure Tom...I don't need a baby sitter ya know" Lewis lets out a small laugh, clearly trying to lighten the mood even as Skye sensed something was wrong with Lewis at the moment.
"Oh look...the schizo, the twink and the guardian angel" A deep masculine voice rang out from the sidelines "CATCH!" Before any of the trio could even react, a brown and white football flew through the air, sailing and whistling until it slams into the side of Lewis's head, sending him crashing to the floor onto the soft grass.
"GAH!" Lewis yelled out and Skye could see as Lewis fell that he attempted to catch himself with his hands even as tears pricked his eyes. "Lewis!" Skye called out, rushing to his side.
"Guess he couldn't catch huh?" Another voice rang out, softer and delicate yet laced with a toxic tone which stung more than seeing his friend hurt as Skye whips around to see Eric and Tracy, the school tormenters.
"Hey assholes! You think you can just hit my friend and insult us three and get away with it!?" Tom's voice yelled out, attempting to confront the bullies as usual. "Usually yeah" Eric spoke out followed by the entire cheerleading team and baseball team laughing, their cruel and mocking tones showcasing no remorse for hurting Lewis.
"C-can you not j-just leave us alone?" Skye hears Lewis ask, his tone bordering on tears yet it bordered on a whimper more than anything. Yet even as Skye wanted to hit the pair of them, the cruel laughter only seemed to increase until it drowned out any other noise.
"Aww...is the little crazy guy gonna cry? Can't handle a bit of joking between friends? Get over yourself!" Eric's voice speaks up and Skye watches as Eric leered over Lewis's prone form, Lewis's hands instinctively wrapping around his head "Aww! He's curling up like a fetus...just like you should be, you crybaby!"
Lewis stood up and sprinted towards the college doors and yelled out down the corridor to the group "S-stay back!" Skye knew that he and Tom had to do SOMETHING and so, the duo sprinted after Lewis and the crowd of bullies "Lewis!" Skye called out yet the sound seemed droned out by the endless footsteps of the people blocking their path to Lewis.
Skye watched as Eric and Tracy, surrounded by the football team with the cheerleading team next to them, walked after him in a cruel and tormenting joke for them "Aww! Is the crybaby running away like always?" Tracy's voice echoed throughout the empty hallway as Skye watched helplessly from behind the crowd as Lewis sprinted down the hall in a panic, looking left and right.
However, it was Tracy's next words that truly stunned everyone, including the rest of the baseball and cheerleading teams "Maybe you should have died in that fire like your parents did!"
Lewis stood perfectly still now, his breathing heavily as he slowly looked over his shoulder. Skye could clearly see his gaze that was filled with anger and hatred "Excuse me?" was all he said yet the tone of his voice gave everyone pause, stunning Eric and Tracy alongside Tom and even Skye himself.
"You heard her! She said you're a baby and your parents would be ashamed of who you became" Eric smugly spoke out yet his gaze was slightly confused but any confusion was changed into smugness and mocking, speaking in that tone once more "Tried off running? Good...I don't like to chase for too long, nerd!"
Yet Skye could clearly see Lewis just standing in the center of the hallway before his gaze slowly drifted to the right where...a fire axe was sitting inside its case as Skye and Tom followed his gaze and instantly looked to each other with fear and concern, Tom mouthing to Skye "He wouldn't…right?" which only gained a shrug from Skye
Skye could see Eric and Tracy following Lewis's gaze, their gazes quickly changing to be filled with confusion and a tiny hint of fear as Eric spoke out, his voice now concerned and confused yet he only utters 2 words to Lewis, even taking a slight step back, followed quickly by Tracy "You wouldn't"
Yet Lewis, for what Skye could see, didn't even seem to hear what Eric had said as his gaze was simply locked onto the fire axe before he began moving with purpose as he takes one step towards the fire axe's case...then another...then another...while his right hand extends towards the case slightly. Skye could hear Lewis's voice as he speaks out to Eric and Tracy, taking a small glance towards them both as he speaks "Repeat...what you just said to me"
Skye could see Eric and Tracy instantly look at each other, locking eyes yet before anyone can mutter a word, Skye witnesses both of them turn and sprint down the corridor, followed swiftly by both groups as Eric yells over his shoulder "YOUR CRAZY MAN! STAY AWAY FROM US YOU MONSTER!" leaving only Skye and Tom left with Lewis.
Skye, without even missing a beat, sprinted towards Lewis and quickly grabbed his wrist, shoving it downwards "Lewis no! There are better ways to deal with things! You are not a monster!" Skye practically yelled out, his hand quivering slightly whilst holding Lewis's wrist.
"Skye!" Tom quickly runs towards Skye, slowing down only once Lewis looks towards Skye, seemingly not even remembering what had just happened "Uhh...guys? What...just happened?"
"Oh thank god!" Skye quickly pulled Lewis into a deep hug, nuzzling his face into the crook of Lewis's neck whilst releasing his wrist, just holding him in the hug tightly. "I thought you were gonna..." Skye trailed off as he looked towards the fire axe before replying quickly "Don't you EVER do that to me again, you hear!?"
"Oh shit! Did I almost...?" Skye watched as Lewis began speaking, his gaze followed Skye's gaze towards the fire axe within the glass case, the light above flickering and flashing.
"What the?" Lewis begins speaking as Skye looks up to the broken light "Don't" and "Stay Safe" which confuses Skye but he shakes his head, looking towards Lewis and softly smiling, hearing Lewis joke around "I...promise...I won't try murder anyone with a fire axe" which strikes a chuckle from himself and Tom.
"You better not mister! I won't be there to bail you out...probably…and don't worry about the lights, you know this college is cheap and haven't got the funding to fix the lights yet" Skye replies with a teasing smile upon his face before Skye goes rigid and and suddenly kisses Lewis's lips, his face lighting up as red as a tomato and Skye watches as Lewis's face began doing the same yet expressing more confusion than his own as he stammers out "S-Skye?"
Tom burst out laughing, even slapping his knee but Skye doesn't even register it as he replies to Lewis, dodging what he had just done as he changed the topic quickly "C-come on! I-it's time for class!" He manages to stammer out just as the bell rings, forcing the trio into their classrooms for the first period of Tuesday.