Grinded

chapter IV.

Sunset Ridge High had been taken by the storm of the recent breaking story. The normalcy was long buried beneath the panedemonium that had uprooted the entire town, with journalists swarming the campus, sniffing around at every student, every faculty member, anyone that they thought could serve up a scoop for them.

The morning heat felt so much more excruciatingly warm than it was; the cluster of students, press and cops being so close together made the high school give off heat like a furnace. And God knows what it felt, or smelled like, once someone set foot inside. And to top it off, there was no sign of a single cloud. It was like they had hidden themselves, evaporating into thin air to escape the madness.

Walking up on to the campus, August and Freddie stayed close to one another as they were hit with the mayhem that emanated from the high school. From what they could see, it looked to be infectious as their peers clamoured around reporters and cops excitedly, desperate to hear the latest developments.

"What is actually going on with this place?" Freddie asked, his mouth cracked open in disbelief at everyone's lack of respect. "We went to school with them, why is everyone treating it like this?"

August shrugged as they walked, his eyes carefully examining everyone he passed. He wasn't taking any chances - the killer is still on the loose, after all.

"I wanna know who it was," August stated softly, hoping not to come across like he was being a gossip, "just in case it was someone we actually knew."

"Maybe Lily's got an idea or two on that," Freddie suggested, leading the way as they started across the grass, nodding his head at Dan Forbes, another person on the team, "but I'm not sure if she can even say anything."

August scoffed playfully, giving Freddie a fiery stare through his eyelashes, "Lily not saying anything? Now that's something I'd like to see."

Freddie chuckled, enjoying the private moments they got to steal together like this. He really liked August. He liked August a fucking lot. He liked the way the other boy laughed when Freddie made a dumb joke that would make anyone else cringe. He liked the way August treat him; he remembers times they've been at parties together, and the music has been drowning out every word said, but August always made an effort to press his hand on Freddie's lower back, gently, and lean in closer. They'd then talk, whisper even, into each other's ears. The hot breath against bare skin always made him go fucking crazy, wanting to absolutely ruin August right then and there.

But he isn't like that. Freddie wanted to take things as August wanted them. He just hoped it wouldn't be all for nothing. 

Not that he'd have to worry about that - August was fucking nuts over Freddie, too. August had tried dabbling in a few flings before, but no one had quite captured his attention and feelings the way Freddie managed. Any bit of attention that Freddie directed to him always made August weak in the knees as his stomach erupted with butterflies, his face flushing red each time. And Freddie's reaction killed him; it was always a smirk. A smirk that was brimming with sin and thrill. 

August had been dying to act on it, to try and take their blossoming crushes to the next level, but he hasn't got the balls to make the next move. August was praying that Freddie wouldn't get bored by the time the next step came.

They neared closer and closer to one of the many picnic tables littered around the front of the high school campus, where they saw the rest of their friends already sitting down and talking vigorously amongst each other.

And August had an inkling on what exactly was up for discussion.

"Yeah, my Mom's staying back late today. She's got the PD breathing down her neck for anything that could help," the beach blonde haired girl said. She was sat by the tree, nestled into a guy with a baseball hat on and a letterman jacket on. She was wearing jean shorts and tights, both of which accentuated the oversized navy blue sweater she had on, hanging down her shoulders loosely.