Chapter 11: Nothing

Damian let go of Noah so fast Noah hit the wall with his shoulders.

Damian grabbed for his fallen crutch and nearly went down himself.

"Brodie," he said. "Hey."

Brodie didn't move.

He stood at the top of the stairs with his keys hanging off one finger.

"What was that?" he said.

"What was what?"

"Don't. I've got eyes."

Damian got the crutch under his arm.

He laughed.

It was a terrible laugh, high and quick, nothing Noah had heard all week.

"He slipped, mate. On the lino. I grabbed him so he wouldn't go over."

Noah stood against the wall and looked at him.

Damian didn't look back.

"He slipped," Brodie said.

"Floor's still sticky from the Coke. You should've seen it. You left half a can on it."

"So you grabbed him."

"Yeah."

"With your mouth."

The corridor went silent.

Damian's face went a dull red from his neck up.

"It's nothing," he said. "Don't be weird. It's nothing."

Nothing.

Noah heard it.

He felt it go in and stay.

Brodie looked at him for a long time.

Then he smiled slowly.

"Sure, Skip," he said. "Nothing."

He walked down the corridor and picked up Damian's bag from beside the door.

He swung it onto his shoulder.

He stood very close to Noah while he did it.

He smelled like sunscreen and beer.

"Floor's sticky," he said to Noah, low. "Watch yourself."

Then he walked back to the stairs.

"Come on. You'll miss your flight."

Damian went after him.

Thump, swing. Thump, swing.