Friday, lunchtime

Even though he had seemed fine the evening before during their practice, Santino’s absence in the school the next morning was one of the first things that Noah noticed. And not just because Karen wasn’t circling them like a hawk as usual, or because teachers were complaining about it. No, it mainly stood out because everyone, as usual, already had a story to tell as to why he was absent.

Noah wondered if it wasn’t exhausting to Santino for people to gossip about him as much as they all did. He himself wouldn’t be pleased with all the attention.

“Is he sick?” Noah asked, watching the empty chairs on their lunch table with a frown. The only good thing out of Santino’s absence, was the fact Karen didn’t have a reason to sit with them either.

“Probably,” Layne mumbled, unpacking his lunch as he shrugged a shoulder, “haven’t heard anything.”

“Probably a migraine attack,” Julia replied as she sat down next to Lori.

Noah hadn’t seen his cousin around much, but he also knew she really didn’t like Karen and liked avoiding her like the plague. Since Layne and Julia were always accompanied by Santino, and she was practically glued to Santino’s side, it was hard to avoid Karen now that the group had taken Noah in as one of their own.

“Joey said he got arrested last night,” Lori told them, not understanding that even though everyone else told big stories about Santino, they didn’t.

“No, he wasn’t,” Layne replied with a sigh, “I dropped him off at home and he said he was going straight to bed. He probably has a migraine attack indeed. He was unfocused during practice too.”

“Oh, right. I just figured Joey was right because Santino was seen in Perton. Who hangs out in Perton if not to do some illegal shit?”

“Are you one of those gossipers?” Julia asked with a frown, taking a bite from her apple without breaking eye-contact with Lori.

“We don’t mind any of Noah’s friends sitting with us because he’s a friend. But please, refrain from spreading false rumors about a guy you haven’t even ever exchanged words with.”

Lori’s face became red in seconds, while she grabbed her phone with shaky hands, opening a group chat, and a picture, that made Layne’s and Julia’s eyes go wide before they exchanged a look and Julia pulled to phone closer.

“Why was he in Perton that late?”

“Uhm, what’s Perton, and why is that an issue?” Noah wondered as he watched Julia zoom in on the picture to take in Santino’s face.

“He has a black eye,” she told Layne, handing Layne the phone before she turned to him. “Perton is a bad neighborhood. Lot of drug dealers and shabby shit. Either you live there, which he doesn’t, or you’re up to no good. But Sonny wouldn’t do anything illegal, I’m sure of that.”

“Well, there has been some sort of fight last night, in Perton,” Lori pointed out. “Multiple people got arrested and since Santino was seen there and isn’t here, people assume he was arrested as well.”

“But why would he go there?” Layne frowned, still staring at the phone in shock, “and who took this picture? Whoever did, was in Perton as well.”

“I don’t know. It was sent through snapchat at first, but I don’t know who sent the original photo. I just figured you guys would know about it.”

“No, it makes no sense to us either. Sonny was at practice, I dropped him off around eleven after we had a drink at Alan’s place, and that was it. He said he’d see me today and went inside,” Layne explained, grabbing his own phone, and sending the picture to himself and probably to Santino afterwards. He handed Lori her phone back when Alan sat down by his side.

“Sonn—”

“We know,” Julia cut him short, waving him and his worried look off, “but it’s probably a coincidence.”

Against all expectations and causing Lori to rise to her feet and rush off without another word, Karen sat down at their table with an angry scowl on her face. She was followed by Daphne and Jackson.

“Jackson,” he quickly introduced himself, sitting down as well.

“It’s probably just another stupid rumor, right?” Daphne asked as they all remained silent. “Sonny isn’t dealing drugs or whatever, so he was probably in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

“Very wrong place,” Julia agreed with her, nodding her head, sending Noah a look that told him she really didn’t want to talk about it. But right before he was able to say something, his phone buzzed in his pocket, and it distracted him. Who would text him? Everyone he knew was right there at the table.

Colin: hey… it’s been a while…

Noah smiled at his phone, felt his shoulders relax because Colin was replying, and he hadn’t expected it since he had already read his message the evening before but didn’t reply. But this was good, Colin wasn’t angry either.

“Well, I asked Santino about the picture, but I haven’t gotten a reply yet,” Layne explained, waving at his phone when Noah looked up. Julia was still staring at him, Karen was too, Layne was seeking eye contact with Julia.

“Can we talk, outside?” Julia mumbled as she leaned against him, “I hate this gossip.”

Noah recollected himself and nodded, putting his phone away after typing a quick reply to ask Colin how he was doing. He followed Julia out of the lunchroom, out of the building and towards an empty bench on the other side of the grass.

“Sorry, I just can’t stand the gossiping. Usually none of the stories are true and it doesn’t matter. But Sonny was in Perton, and he is sporting a black eye in the picture, so I’m worried.”

“Totally understandable,” Noah agreed, putting his phone on silence when it buzzed again to tell him Colin had replied. “he’s your best friend. I’m sure he’ll explain it to you.”

“If only he would,” Julia mumbled, fiddling with her fingers. “Truth is, and that’s why Layne reacted worried as well, is that he’s been acting strange for a few months already and he just disappears for days and then returns and pretends like nothing happened. Cool as a cucumber. He never really explains where he’s been in the meantime. Usually says he had a migraine and was in bed. That’s why I thought it was just that.”

“But the picture doesn’t lie.”

“No, he was in Perton. I recognize the street because a friend of my brother used to live in that street. It really is just that, a shabby part of town. Poor people, drug dealers, lots of fighting. Shootings even, on occasions. Why would Sonny be there?”

“Maybe it really doesn’t mean anything. Maybe, just like you, he has friends who are poor that you don’t know about, who live in that area.”

Julia sighed, but then she relaxed a little and perked up. “he does  have a friend there!” She grabbed hold of his shoulders and shook him lightly, “you’re a genius. Ralph lives in Perton. He just went to see Ralph, of course!”

“See—”

“But…” Julia cut him short, slumping down in her seat again, “then why does he have a black eye? After practice he didn’t have a black eye. He does have one now. And it still doesn’t explain why he isn’t in school.”

“I’m sure it’s all reasonable. Like the scar story. Bears, sharks, seagulls, robbers… and it turns out he just fell from a rock as a kid."

“You’re right,” Julia said, smiling at him, “thanks, I needed to hear that.”