Open Coffee and Despair

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty stared off down the hall, his breakfast untouched. He was nursing a coffee in his hands. He didn't even like coffee - the caffeine made him jittery and anxious - but he needed something to keep him awake. A good night's rest didn't seem as if it would be on the cards any time soon. He kept turning over what little he knew about Olive's death, trying to figure out who might have held a grudge against her, who might have wanted her dead. But he couldn't think of anyone. As far as he knew, she was a friend to everybody. It didn't make any sense.

There were conversations going on around him, but Monty didn't even pretend to be listening. Why was he still here? He had a class in an hour. Maybe he should tell somebody he was sick. It wasn't exactly a lie; he could barely stand to smell the breakfast food, let alone keep any of it down. But then he would only have thoughts of Olive to occupy him, and somehow that felt worse.

 

[Professor Angel Castillo]

"Earth to Monty," Angel said, dropping into the seat next to Pendleton. He glanced out at the rest of the hall and back to Monty a few times, trying to figure where the other man's head was at this morning. "Food's not that bad today, is it?" He asked, tentatively poking at some of the food on his own plate. Angel admittedly didn't know Pendleton too well, he may have somewhat been avoiding him and Alicastell more than his other colleges the previous two years, but now that Monty was one of the regular joes, he seemed safer to approach. And he'd also seemed pretty off lately too. Angel wondered if maybe all the stress of teaching the younger students had finally gotten to him and he'd cracked. Monty had always seemed a few bristles short of a broom already.

 

[Monty Pendleton]

Monty snapped out of his trance, blushing. How long had Angel been trying to attract his attention? He had enough to worry about without wondering if his colleagues thought him aloof. "Oh..." he said, his train of thought derailed again by the sight of Angel poking his food around. A hot wave of nausea made him momentarily lightheaded. "No, no, of course not. It's just me - I feel a bit sick. But I'll be fine," he added quickly. "My cousin just passed away. We were close." It occurred to him that Angel was the first person he'd told. He wasn't keeping it a secret - Wendall and the girls had probably told a few people already - but he knew he would be liable to cry if he started talking about it, and he didn't want anybody to have to bear the burden of comforting him. Even now his throat constricted with suppressed tears. Still, he felt the need to explain - and apologise for - his unsociable demeanour. "Sorry if I'm... you know."

 

[Professor Angel Castillo]

Angel watched with mild amusement as Monty seemed to be trying to gather his wits enough to answer him. He himself hadn't been much of a morning person, but it was something he'd had to quickly get used to teaching, and he could adapt at the very least. He did feel some sympathy when Monty mentioned he wasn't feeling very well, he certainly didn't look too hot, and Angel briefly considered giving him a little pat on the shoulder before Monty mentioned his cousin. "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Angel said slowly, his face falling. Angel wasn't sure on Alicastell's status on bereavement leave, but he was sure no one would begrudge Monty some time if he needed it. It wasn't like he taught any senior students with OWLs to worry about so the kids probably wouldn't mind either. "No one would blame you for being uh- Upset, I'm sure," Angel said, trying to be reassuring. "If you need something a bit stronger than coffee though, I've got some firewhiskey in my office. Just say the word," He added after a beat, giving Monty a grin, though it was soft around the edges. Comforting people wasn't so much his forte, but Monty looked so miserable sitting there and alcohol was really the best Angel could think to offer.