not as strong as you think i am (i'm no superman) [dalkenzie]

Chapter 8

Unlike the news of Dalton being admitted to the hospital, there'd been nobody nosy to hear about when he'd be out; only MacKenzie and Will had the information. It was one hell of a difficult decision, but they didn't let anyone else in Dalton's circle of friends know. "He's gonna need the privacy; once he's home he can...do whatever he wants," was Will's reasoning.

The remarks and whispers in the hall seemed to have died down altogether, like students had given up on expecting Dalton would come back at all.

God, that was an option Mack hadn't considered. What if he was being sent to a different school because this place was just too much? And there didn't look to be any 'specialized' schools around here, if Dalton had to go out of town or even out of state-

OK, relax, the rational side of MacKenzie's brain took over, they wouldn't do anything so disruptive in his senior year. He'll be back.

*

Mack knew if it was a futile effort- after all, Dalton could've easily come home during the day- but during Thursday evening he'd gaze out his window, watching the headlights of passing cars and idly wondering if one of them would slow down when they reached this block. He remembered the times Dalton would drive over, in some rare cases even the middle of the night when he was all alone, and they would hold each other until the plaguing insecurities faded away. It was a night like this Mack missed those moments the most, thinking on them until heart and eyelids grew heavy in sleep.

***

Friday. What felt like the longest day of the longest week of his life, and despite the advice and reassurance of the last few days, nerves still coursed through MacKenzie's system for him to take every class in a dazed state. Of course his friends understood his weariness and didn't say anything. Until the last class of the day, no teacher spoke up either-

"MacKenzie?"

"Hm?" He snapped his head up to see Mr. Cook directly addressing him. And he could've sworn there were snickers from the back.

"Do you need the school nurse, MacKenzie? You look pale."

A paleness that ended when his cheeks flushed from embarrassment. When had he last been caught spacing out in class? "Oh, no, sir. I'm just tired." He took a pull from his water bottle and Mr. Cook just nodded and turned back to the chalkboard.

The whisper flittered from the back of the room, audible enough to hit MacKenzie's ears and sting.

"Think the nurse already used all her straitjackets."

He curled his fingers on the desktop, anything to keep the rest of his body from turning around. He was not going to lose it this time, not when Dalton was waiting for him. He couldn't afford to physically lash again.

After the final bell, Mack gathered his books to get out of the classroom quickly as possible and meet with Will at the other end of the hall. Unfortunately any chance of a smooth exit was jostled by a purposeful bump at his elbow. He knew it was on purpose as when he turned he saw a smirking Gabe with his girlfriend clinging to his side as she often did.

MacKenzie remembered Dalton once telling him that Gabe's only human quality was having been loyal to the same girl since middle school, and he'd never heard any rumors to the contrary. But he often had to wonder if she (Alana? Alexa? Mack wasn't sure, since she was usually quiet and simply hung onto Gabe like other girls latched to teddy bears) was aware how her boyfriend acted around everyone else, was she truly happy with him?

"You think you're so funny, huh?" MacKenzie curled a fist in his pocket to keep it there.

"Somebody's gotta, an' you're not doing a good job of it," Gabe's tone dripped with derision.