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Her glare turns to me as she paces in front of the sofa. For a second I feel like me and Steve are being disciplined like a pair of naughty children.
“Uspokoic sie? Calm down? How are you so bloody calm right now?” My mum was never strict but she's a worrier, about absolutely everything. I’m not calm at all, I’m just not showing it.
“Because freaking out isn't going to change anything, we just need to be patient.”
She lets out a frustrated groan and rubs her fingers into her temples. My phone rings, breaking the silence and she practically jumps on me but I hold out a hand to stop her as I see Tom's name.
“Tom?”
“Hey babe.” His voice is calm and it annoys me that he can be so calm in this situation when his future is on the line.
“Are you both out? What happened?” I snap.
“I don't really wanna speak about it over the phone.”
“Is it Aleksy? Let me speak to him!” My mum interrupts.
I shake my head. Did I not just say Tom’s name?
“It's Tom.”
She lets out an exasperated sigh.
“Where are you?” I ask Tom.
“We've just walked out of the station, We're headed to the flat.”
“I'll meet you there.”
I hear him start to object and then Alek in the background. Neither of them likes me being at the flat they keep as a base where they keep the drugs etc. I don't particularly like being there myself but I'm not waiting for an explanation, my nerves are shot as it is. “Shut up the pair of you. After what I just had to deal with last night, neither of you has a leg to stand on. I'll see you in twenty.” I don't wait for a reply. They know they can't say shit.
“Well?” My mum asks, putting her hands on her hips.
“I’m going to pick them up. Okay?”
She pulls her dressing gown tighter around her. “I'll come.” She strides off towards the stairs and Steve grabs her hand to stop her.
“Let Cas go get them. I'm sure Alek is stressed enough.” He puts a hand on her shoulder and she glares at him again before nodding and pointing a loaded finger right at me. “Przyprowadz go tu z powrotem.” You bring him right back here.
I nod and shoot Steve a grateful smile before heading back up the stairs to pull some clothes on so I can drive over to the flat.
Their flat is on the seventh floor of the high-rise located in the middle of the estate. It's this big grey block surrounded by a few other shorter buildings. I never used to have a problem with this place, this is where Hannah used to live, where her mum still lives but, since they started doing what they do here, it just feels dark. I think about the family members of the people who take their drugs, I think about Lydia, Hannah’s mother. The people it filters through and how it ruins lives. The more I think about it the more it gnaws at my chest. I try to remind myself that they'd take them anyway, whether it's Alek and Tom supplying it or the next guy.
As usual, there's a group of guys hanging around the entrance. Alek and Tom's runners. Their bikes lay strewn on the floor, the smell of weed strong. I jog up the stairs, keeping my speed the whole way up even if my lungs start to burn. When I reach the door I knock four times calling out that it's me, Tom opens the door. Dressed in the standard grey crew neck jumper and joggers they give you when you enter the cells for the night.
I wrap my arms around his neck and he hugs me tightly. I may still be angry with him but something like this puts everything into perspective. When he releases me, I hold his face for a second and kiss him before walking into the flat heading straight for the kitchen where Alek is leaning against the counter, his arms crossed and his face ashen.
I throw my arms around him too for once and he hugs me back, resting his head against my shoulder. It's out of character for us, we don't really hug. It's just a strange feeling when I hug him, like I'm hugging myself.
I look at the chairs on offer and decide I'll stay standing. I go to lean against the counter too but when I see the white residue covering the sides I opt for not touching a single thing.
“What happened?” I finally ask, looking between my brother and my boyfriend.
“They pulled us over in central London whilst we were on our way to meet someone,” Tom says as he takes a seat at the table, throwing his arm over the back of his chair.
“How much did you have on you?”
“Enough,” Alek says. I only now notice the bags under his eyes. He obviously didn't sleep a wink last night, compared to Tom who doesn't look nearly as stressed. “I've been charged with possession and intent to supply a class A.”
