Setting Fire to the Stars (mxm)

Chapter 2: Whispers

(Note: this chapter contains death and panic attacks)

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Lauren
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The unexpected blast threw me off my feet, catapulting to the floor. Pain laced up my back as my side collided with the hard concrete. Shouts of the frightened students and teachers were drowned out by the agonizing shrieks tearing through my ears as the lights handing on the walls flickered.

A moment later, something heavy collapsed on top of me, a groan squeezed from my lungs from the impact. A sound like thunder rumbled, followed closely by a horrible snap that signaled the fall of the grand chandelier, the large crystal fixture suddenly falling with an earsplitting shatter. Enormous cracks appeared on the towering walls of the brick hall as shards of glass scattered across the floor like diamonds.

After what felt like forever, the quaking gradually subsided. The painful sound stopped as well, just as suddenly as it began. The remaining lights continued to flicker, the panicked cries of terrified students remaining.

Blinking the dust from my eyes, my gaze rose to the crumbling ceiling, taking in the cracked spackle and broken chandelier. Vaguely, I realized the weight hanging over me meant that someone was lying on top of me. Before I could ask whoever it was if they were all right, my heart stuttered in my chest at a single word.

"Fuck,"

I shuddered, the throaty groan having been spoken directly in my ear, their hot breath caressing my neck. Carefully, I inclined my head to see who had pinned me down.

Storm grey collided with ocean blue and my whole world shook. There was no doubt in my mind that only one person on Earth has eyes that shade of blue. He was flush up against my body, strong legs on either side of my hips, his muscular hands braced next to my shoulders, our chests touching, faces inches from each other.

My bully, Peter Ducane, was on top of me.

Surprise was frozen on his face as his eyes searched mine. It took several moments for me to realize that neither of us had made a move to get up.

Okay, confession time.

Peter was my first love. I don't know when it happened exactly. Even though we were so different, we got along like two peas in a pod. Peter was as brutal as a typhoon. He was the kid who drank his juice with rocks in it, constantly getting us into trouble while I bailed us out. He was my own personal heart attack that never ended. I just always figured we'd be together.

His betrayal had left a sour taste on my tongue and bitterness in my heart.

I opened my mouth, unsure exactly what was going to come out before one of Peter's football buddies clasped him on the shoulder.

"Bro, you good?"

Peter snapped out of whatever trance he had been in and struggled to get off of me. Whatever spell we were under was broken. With a trembling breath, I shoved him off me and sat up slowly.

Peter stood, angrily dusting off his blazer. Raising his head, his eyes rose to inspect the dining hall. "Jesus—"

Following his gaze, I stared up at the large cracks snaking across the ceiling of the vast room. Even the grand chandelier was in disarray, the fallen crystals glistening like a pile of discarded treasure on the floor.

Pushing a lock of hair back from my eyes, I couldn't help but blink in astonishment.

What the hell happened? Did a bomb go off?