Valhalla High (A Magnus Chase Fanfic)

Platonic Love

November 8

    Wednesdays meant Calculus tutoring with Sam. Honestly, Sam was a lifesaver. I currently had a B+ in that class and I credited a lot of it to her help. When I told her that she said, "Even the best tutor can't make a fool wise. You've worked hard for your grade and if you continue, I think you might be able to pull it up even higher."

    After that remark, she gathered up her stuff and left. "Hope you and Alex have a good time," she said.

    I would've thought she was winking, but Sam never winked. "You ready to look over each other's papers?" Alex asked me.

    "Yeah," I said. "I'll share the document with you."

A couple minutes later, we were going over each other's drafts. While I was in AP English with Odin, Alex had a dual credit English class. She had chosen to write about expanding anti-discrimination laws. I found myself agreeing with a lot of what she said, but I did find her language very colorful. I knew no one else who could drop the f-bomb in a paper as many times or in as many ways as Alex could. For that alone, I'd give her 104%z "Well, what do you think of my literary masterpiece?" Alex asked when she saw I was finished. "Do you think I could get it published in a journal so some poor students have to read it over for school?"

   I laughed. "I think you'll have to tone down the language a bit."

     "Serious topics require seriously colorful language," Alex said, "but you are right: the rough draft is for me. I won't turn the paper in without some editing or my teacher will have a heart attack."

     We both smiled at the same time and I felt like my heart was mimicking Jack during one of his dance routines. "Magnus, I think your topic is interesting," Alex said, "but you have focused a lot on the outcomes of bullies."

    "Yeah," I said. "I found out that bullies often end up badly and that intrigued me. Plus the whole notion of bully-victims; it's not like you see on television."

   Alex's eyes were dark. "I know."

   I licked my lips. "Were you bullied?"

    Alex sighed, her shoulders dropping. "Some, but not as badly as Adrian. . ."

    She trailed off and from the way she spoke his name, I gathered he was dead. I slowly reached my hand over, so that she could move away if she wanted. Then, I squeezed her hand. She met my gaze and both of her eyes were glassy with tears. "Do you want a hug?" I asked.

    Alex blinked at me. "They're scientifically proven to improve your health and your mood," I added.

     "Well, can't argue with science can I?" Alex asked.

    I could see she was trying so hard to hold it all together. I leaned over and wrapped my arms around her. Then, she buried her head in my t-shirt and let out a few tears. I stroked her back gently and in that moment, my heart wrung with her pain and was warmed by her presence.

***

     After dinner, I got a call from Halfborn. "Dude, when are you going to ask out Alex?"

   I dropped my phone. I bent to pick it up. "Sorry," I said. "My phone fell."

    "Just like you've fallen in love with Alex?" Halfborn asked.

    I facepalmed. "You're the worst; you know that."

He smirked. "You're not denying it."

I groaned. "Fine, you're right: I do have a crush on Alex. I do think about Alex a lot and I do find my oxytocin levels rising when I'm near her, but I know she doesn't like me back even if she kissed me."

"She kissed you?" Halfborn asked, practically screaming.

I bit back a few choice words that would've made Alex proud as I realized I'd thought aloud. "I did not say that, Halfborn."

"Not uh," Halfborn said. "I'm not going deaf. You said she kissed you."

"It was just on the cheek," I said. "It was probably just platonic."

Halfborn snorted. "I doubt that and beside, Plato's idea of platonic love was less 'just friends' and more like 'absolute soulmates.'"

"How do you know all this?" I asked.

"I learn stuff," Halfborn said. "It's how to stay sane in high school."

    "Duly noted," I said. "What have you learned?"

     "Languages mostly," Halfborn said. "My mother is bilingual, so I grew up on tongues and started learning more in elementary school. I am competent in 12 languages."

    "What?" I said. "Wow, you really are quite intelligent."

    "Brain and brawn in one," he said, "that's why Mallory likes me."

   I tactfully did not mention the fact Mallory thought Blitzen's sense of fashion was superior (which it totally was). "How is your essay going?" I asked.

"So-so," he said. "I got a little distracted reading the Prose Edda in its original language."

I laughed. "Show off."

He chuckled too. "Gotta be a peacock sometimes. Hey, did you hear Hearthstone is writing his essay on prejudice in the Harry Potter series?"

I sighed. "I haven't talked to him in a bit. I really should."

I said goodbye and texted Hearthstone.

Wassup man?
Not much. Just working on homework.
I heard you're writing an essay on HP.
Yes.
And prejudice in it?
Yeah. There is a lot in it. I mean all the stuff about house elves for one and all the goblin-wizard conflict. Plus, the treatment of werewolves, vampires, merpeople, and centaurs.
Yeah. Honestly. There is a lot of stuff in the at series.

Sorry. I have to go. My father saw me texting and he's angry that I'm not talking to you.

I felt a burst of anger towards Hearthstone's dad. Why was he such a horrible parent? Hearthstone couldn't very well speak to us! I mean, he could, but with his hands and not his voice and it wasn't his choice. Why couldn't his father see that Hearthstone was great just the way he was?