Mad Hatter

Melting Through The Cracks In My Hand, I Guess I Held On For Too Long

A/N: I honestly couldn't decide between Marliza or Meggy soooo yeah.

Steady breaths were shared between two lovers in a steady silence. Tangled in their embrace they enjoyed the quiet, just for today, just for now. The tan male lost his hand on the other boy's hair, fondling his wild brown curls, with his other hand he scrolled down on his phone, letting the screen of it be the only light on the room. The second male, meanwhile, was satisfied with sniffing his Alexander's shirt for the moment.

"I made a friend" He said suddenly, after what felt like hours filled with tender silence.

Alexander looked at him with a smile when the words slipped out of his mouth. A beautiful smile, shinning and adoring. If making a friend made Alexander look at him like that he may as well befriend the whole school.

"Really?" Alexander mused. "Who is it?"

"His name is..." He trailed off, slightly unsure of how to respond. "I call him Redhead" Alexander gave him a look, it wasn't a pitiful one, but it felt like it. "And he's like, very Christian. He's nice"

The Caribbean took him gently by the cheek, then kissed his forehead. "I'm glad you're making friends, baby. I really am"

"You'll always be my best friend, though" John said, and he meant it. Alexander had been his first friend, the first one to ever show kindness towards him, and that was something that John will never forget.

They smiled at each other, going back to a gentle silence filled with love and care.

And the someone started knocking at the door.

And knocking.

And knocking.

And knocking.

And knocking.

And knocking.

And knocking!

The repeated sound taunted even the smallest and most fragile of John's neurons, but he didn't show it. Instead he just hugged Alexander tightly and pretended that he noise wasn't piercing his whole being. After all, John liked hugs.

"Baby I'm gonna go check who's at the door, okay?"

He let go.

—~•~—

At the door was a woman. No, a girl. No, a teenager. No, a woman. She seemed confident and even with her small stature managed to look tall, like she could tower over you if she wanted. She held what looked like yearbook close to her chest, almost protectively. Almost possessive. She scanned him, eyes piercing, and then she smiled. It was only a polite smile, but she didn't seem to be in the mood for genuine grins.

"Hi, my name is Maria Reynolds" She announced, her voice deep and husky. "Do you by any chance know of an Angelica Schuyler?" Maria asked.

"Yes, actually I do. She's my friend" Alexander responded and John wanted to coo at the naivety of his parter, he hadn't even realized that Angelica wasn't with them anymore.

"Where was the last time you saw her?"

"Around a few weeks ago?" He said. "She told me she would be "disconnecting" herself because of this important tests and papers she had to do"

Oh, right, John had almost forgotten sending that message from Angelica's phone, which he has retrieved from the school library.

"Why?" Now Alexander was the one to wonder. "Is she okay?"

"I don't know" Maria mumbled, showing slight weakness for the first time.

"W–What do you mean you don't know!?" The man demanded.

"She's been missing for awhile, I was a friend of her and the girlfriend of his sister... sisters" She sighed. "I'm going to find her" Maria declared, firm and decided, like nothing could stand in her way. A way too ignorant thinking fashion.

While Alexander went through the shock, the woman's eyes trailed to John, and they widened. She walked pass Alexander like she owned the place and stood right in from of John, her eyes now both uncertain and worried.

"Jack" She breathed. "Jacky Laurens"

"Actually it's John" He corrected harshly, not really knowing why being called like that caused such reaction on him.

She nodded. "Do you remember me?"

Like hell he does, he doesn't even know what's memory before his sixteen birthday.

He simply shook his head.

"Understandable" Maria mumbled. "See, I went to elementary school with you" She explained sheepishly.

"You were.. quite a character" Maria continued. "Do you remember Mr. Gun?"