Chapter Forty-Two
FARLDEN IGNORED the increase in glares and racist comments during his lecture the day after Nolan’s expulsion and, when it was over, his mood lifted as he headed for the canteen, anticipating seeing his brother and friends. Without warning his arms were grabbed. He struggled against the grip but couldn’t shake himself free of the hands as he was shoved into a men’s toilet.
“Get off me,” he snarled, taking in the fact that there were three boys of around his own age holding him and they were all a lot taller than he was. That was usual with Sapiens but it wasn’t a good sign now.
They let go and one of them gave him a push that made him crash into the sinks. Pain spiralled through him as his ribs collided with the hard enamel, pushing a groan from him. As he tried to get his abused body to move, he could hear a tap dripping behind him in the heavy silence.
“We don’t want you at our university,” the largest teenager said. He was attractive, but the look in his green eyes wasn’t. The boys seemed like the upper class types, the kind of people he had once thought Elliot to be, far too aware that their ancestors had been the ruling class. All three teenagers were crowding into Fal’s personal space again, blocking him into a corner of the damp room, the threat of violence in the air. “Pack your bags and get out.”
Fal straightened, getting his breath back, and faced them. “It’s my university too and I like it here.”
“Good,” the boy said, expression contemptuous. “It looks as if we’ll have to convince you. It shouldn’t take long as all Neans are cowards.” He commented to his mates: “This one’s covered in make-up, like a girl.”
They laughed as the first boy began to move towards Fal, who darted forwards and punched him. The teenager froze, blood dripping down from his nose and the other two stared, wide-eyed, as if Fal had used magic to cause the injury. His people might be pacifists but Fal had always been able to defend himself and his brother, and had frequently needed to over the years. Perhaps he had more Sapiens blood than the rest of his family did but, right now, surrounded by these examples of the species, he hoped not.
He kept his fists up, adrenaline and hatred flowing through him, as the first boy came at him.
“Break him, Dave,” one of the other kids urged.
The boy – Dave – tried to hit Fal’s face but Fal dodged to one side, shoving him back. Another boy joined in and aimed a blow at Fal’s stomach that he couldn’t avoid and that made him double over in pain, the breath knocked out of him. He grabbed the sink, using it to lean on as he pulled himself upright. His body protested but he knew he’d be hurt a lot worse, perhaps even fatally, if he didn’t defend himself and, besides, everything in him told him to make them regret doing this.
Dave aimed another punch at his face that he just managed to evade and he pushed at the teenager, knocking him backwards a few steps. One of the others grabbed Fal’s arm and Dave caught hold of the other so that, as much as he fought, there was nothing he could do to defend himself. This was going to get ugly.
Dave used his spare hand to punch Fal’s face and his friend was about to join in when the door to the toilets opened and a couple of boys came in. “Get out,” Dave told them, “while we teach this Nean who’s in charge.”
“I’m not going anywhere – I need to pee,” one of the new boys said in a Cockney accent, frowning. “If you want to fight, go outside, but if you end up getting expelled it’s your own stupid fault.”
“Let’s get out of here,” one of Dave’s gang said. It was the boy who’d urged the others on but hadn’t joined in with the fight. “We don’t want to get in trouble.”
Dave hesitated and glanced back at Fal, who glared at him and shook his arm free of the grip, waiting for the boy’s decision. Dave gave him a nasty look but backed away. Dave grabbed a wad of toilet paper and wiped the blood off his face, chucked it in the bin and then walked out, the other two boys following. The door thudded shut behind them and Fal sagged, the pain from his side growing more intense as the adrenaline left his body.
The newcomer who had spoken before headed towards a urinal and the boy with him eyed Fal with an uncertain expression. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” Fal said. “Thanks.”
He took a breath and walked out, tensed in case the first boys were waiting for him outside, but there was no sign of them.
“What’s wrong, Nean?” some yelled out to him. “Fell into the toilet because you’re too small to use it?”
Fal didn’t bother to look for who was speaking. Ribs hurting with every step, he walked the rest of the way to the canteen, receiving several more jibes. He had never felt more vulnerable.
Elliot was the first one of his group to see him, eyes looking him over. He got to his feet as Fal reached the table. “What happened?”
“Nothing.” Fal carefully put his bag down and slid into a chair, unable to stop a grimace as pain shot up his side. At least he hurt a bit less once he was seated.
“Did someone attack you?” Barve asked, taking in the damp stain from the wet sink he had leaned against on his sleeve and on the side of his jeans.
“It was nothing,” he repeated.
“Here.” Lila pushed her can of cola towards him. “I’ll grab some sandwiches for you. Lettuce and tomato?”
“Yeah.” He threw her a grateful look. “Thanks.”
“We have to get the professors to intervene before things get out of hand,” Elliot said in a hard tone as Fal took a sip of cola.
“Good luck with that,” he said flatly.
“People can’t go around hurting you on university grounds.”
“And you think the Vice Chancellor and the other professors will care?” Fal asked, unzipping his coat. He lifted his arms to take it off and winced in pain, but batted away Elliot’s hands when he tried to help. He got the jacket off and, careful not to twist more than he had to, put it over the back of his chair.
“I don’t give a damn whether or not they care,” Elliot said. “It’s their job to sort this out.”
Fal didn’t bother answering and Barve said to him, “Do you need to go to a doctor?”
Fal felt his side. It was painful but he couldn’t feel any sharp pain that would suggest any ribs were broken. “No.”
“Farlden...” Elliot began.
“... Just leave it!” he snapped, not in the mood to argue about what to do. He’d been fighting Sapiens prejudice all his life and he knew by now that no one else would be on his side.
Lila returned and put a carton of sandwiches in front of him, sitting back down in her seat.
“How much do I owe you?” he asked, getting his wallet out from his jeans pocket.
“My treat,” she said lightly, opening a packet of crisps.
He glanced round at them, for the first time taking in their worried expressions. He wouldn’t be facing this alone at least and he’d never before imagined that any Sapiens would care what happened to him. “I appreciate it,” he said to her, but he let his glance encompass them all.
The look in Elliot’s eyes softened and he smiled at Fal as they went back to eating their lunch.
* * *
Elliot was nearly at the end of an English essay when someone knocked on his door that night. He got up to open it, not sure whether he hoped or dreaded that it might be Farlden, but instead found Barve standing outside. Elliot invited him in and asked, “How’s Farlden?”
“Stubborn,” Barve said, leaning against the wardrobe. “There’s something you need to know. Fal does have feelings for you – he won’t act on them because he wants to protect me from more pain. I’ve tried to tell him that I can cope with it, but you know what he’s like.”
“Stubborn.” Elliot repeated Barve’s word. Farlden cared about him after all. It made Elliot’s heart soar, even while he wanted to yell at Farlden for putting them both through this. But Elliot understood Farlden’s love for his brother. “Are you sure you could bear to see us together? Farlden obviously doesn’t want to risk losing the closeness between you two and I would hate to lose you as a friend.”
“Seeing you and him unhappy just makes me feel worse. My feelings will go away one day and, in the meantime, I’m glad that we’re friends. I promise it won’t cause problems between any of us if you two do start dating. I want you and Farlden to get together.”
“Then we will.” He would convince Farlden somehow. Loving him was the only thing that had made sense since Elliot started university.