Love Lessons

7. The Safety Of Home

Alec didn't do much the next week. He had some projects to do, so that he wouldn't miss out on much of what they did at school while he stayed at home. He was glad he had been allowed to stay home. He couldn't imagine going back to school. He didn't even want to think about it.

Besides, Magnus wasn't there either, so there was absolutely nothing good about going back to school.

Alec was in bed, trying to finish something for math, when someone knocked on the door. Fear settled in his stomach. Nobody ever really came to his room, his father aside. He visibly tensed as he froze. Maryse walked in.

"Hey, honey, I finished early at work," she said, staying at the door. "What are you doing?" She noticed Alec's tensed shoulders; she had always noticed how tense he was, but she had never given it much thought. She had always thought it was related to school and his stress about exams or schoolwork.

Alec needed a couple seconds to swallow back the panic having risen inside of him. It was his mom, not his father. He licked his lips, wondering if he would ever stop thinking it was his father, the one knocking on the door.

He forced a small smile for both his and Maryse's sake. Alec wasn't used yet to his mom coming to check on him randomly. He could already suppose it was because of what he had told her about Robert and his situation at school.

She had been coming to check on him the entire week and Alec appreciated it; a lot. It was way better than his father coming to beat him.

"S-Some homework." He muttered, closing his laptop.

Maryse patted the door, "Well, I just came to remind you that Magnus is coming over tonight."

Alec did not need a reminder. It was all he had been thinking about since Maryse had asked him if he could ask Magnus what day he could come over for dinner. It didn't fail to make him smile and even blush a little bit.

"I'll go make dinner now, but is there something he's allergic to, or can't eat for some reason?" Maryse asked; the last thing she wanted was to have to send Magnus to the hospital, just like her husband had done.

Alec shrugged. He hadn't thought of asking him that. "I-I don't know. Uhm, I c-can't text him, I don't have his number, though. I-I could send him an email." He quickly answered as he saw his mother about to suggest probably that same thing.

Maryse seemed to think about it for a couple of seconds, before giving him a short nod. She looked worried.

"All right. Tell me once he answers, okay?" After getting a reply from Alec, she left the room.

Alec opened the laptop as fast as he had closed it earlier. He went to his mail. He had sent Magnus a couple emails before, but they had all been school related. He had been thinking of sending Magnus an email all week long. For some reason, however, he hadn't.

He wasn't sure if Magnus would see his email now. After all, who checked their inbox on a Saturday? Magnus did not check his inbox, because three and a half hours later, the bell at the Lightwood house rang and there was still no answer from Magnus.

Alec was practically hyperventilating the moment the bell rang. Maryse told him to go open the door, but he was already on his way there. He was slowly processing the fact that his family, Magnus and him would be all together for dinner.

Everyone already knew Magnus. Maryse had met him at the hospital and Jace and Isabelle knew Magnus from school, just like Alec. He had no idea why he was so damn nervous. It was all going to be fine.

"Make sure it's him." Isabelle said, from the sofa.

Alec's insides twisted at the thought of Robert standing on the other side of the door. It couldn't be him, though. He was being held at the police station until trial and in case he got out of there somehow, there was a restraining order against him.