(8) Blue Tint

                                        

                                              

Tom had promised his father that he wouldn't come home for the duration of him having the robo legs. There were just somethings Tom did not want to see; and the fact that he hadn't heard anything was a good sign in his family. When he tried to call any phone related to them, it was to get a message that they were unavailable.
If his dad hadn't gotten a vasectomy after the miscarriage, Tom would worry about having a younger sibling after this. As it was, he was probably going to be uncomfortable around the flat surfaces at his parents for a while. It made for an unsettled week, at the apartment and work alike.
Nate had his finals before graduating and was stressed to shit about it, and that was before Grace had decided to stay at her parents so they would both focus on exams. Tom heard immediately how she'd nearly pushed him out the window when he snuck over anyways. Nate had thoroughly enjoyed reliving the sneaking phase of their relationship.
"Dude, I am not exactly getting any right now so could you not?" he didn't think before speaking.
Thankfully, Nate was good at supplying his own narrative, "Oh she cut you off to study and do exams too eh? And you've never been all that good at sneaking in windows."
"No that's your specialty if I recall all the stories." Tom took the chance to turn the tables a little.
"Only one window I want to sneak in tonight." Nate sounded wistful despite having seduced his girl over the weekend.
The exams meant crowds came in waves; after morning were food rushes, after evening were bar shots. Monday passed in a blur but left Tuesday feeling sharp edged. He was antsy enough that Wade of all people picked up unit. "Did you mainline something?"
Tom checked the time again, figuring the brat would be the type to use all 3 hours of an exam to go over it repeatedly. "Just keeping time man." he tried to brush off the bartender.
"You're here all day ass hat." He wasn't wrong. 
"Not going anywhere." If it would help maybe, but it wasn't like he could help Dri with her exams, even the practical one.
"Right, that's why you've checked the time every 30 seconds." Wade gave him a flat look.
"His girl's probably writing an exam." Nate jumped on riding his ass too, and Tom's head snapped too quickly to brush off as nonchalant; both his friends laughed.
"D'awww," Wade made a mockingly sweet sound, "You gonna text her for luck or congratulate her for finishing?"
Tom couldn't answer that will Nate there, not knowing if he knew Dri's schedule. He had to think of something and his eyes flashed to the clock again; noon. "I'm taking my lunch break since you two chuckle-fucks seem to have nothing but time.'' He headed for the Supra.
"It's only 30 minutes!" Wade called out after him. 
Thankfully Nate couldn't follow, and Tom pulled out towards campus even as he texted the brat. She'd looked so stressed in those quiet moments but never said anything about it. But four fucking exams in two days would be rough on anyone, even Dri. He couldn't do anything to help, but may be seeing a friendly face was better than nothing.
To his surprise, she actually came. And when Dri got close enough that Tom could tell she'd been crying, he didn't even think about it; he got out and hugged her. After that his idiot brain let the mouth go while he held her. She fit under his chin and didn't seem to mind, and despite know he was going over his time he didn't say so this until his phone rang.
At least all signs of the tears were gone by then. Tom sped back to the Nightside feeling better, and like an idiot all at once. It got worse when he got back; he walked in to an almost empty restaurant and bored friends. The moment they saw him scowling Wade swore and passed Nate a $20.