We Should Be Together - Lams AU

15.

Alex and I relaxed in our hotel room after everything today. He casually recliened on the white, linen sheets checking his phone, as I sat at the table, adding to my sketchbook from photos I had taken. So far, I was liking my Arc de Triomphe.

"So..." I hinted casually at Alex.

"So what?" He mimicked, making me giggle. God, he made me come apart at the seams.

"Lee?" I reminded.

"Ah, yes. Lee," Alex remembered. "So you're going to help then?"

"Of course. Especially after... What you offered me," I whispered seductively. Alex hummed a chuckle, but didn't reply.

"So how do we do it?" Alex slid off the bed and sauntered beside me. I swivelled in my chair to face him.

"Well, I'm not sure, but we could throw his body in the Seine afterwards," I suggested awkwardly. Alex's face lit up.

"Good idea! Then it'll be so much harder to trace where he came from!" Alex beamed. I loved seeing him this happy, whether it was because we were planning a murder together or not.

"In fact, it could be easier to muder him outside the hotel," I added, on a roll now. "Because then it will be easier for us to access the Seine."

"Great!" Alex hugged me, making my heart race. "Well, first we'll have to lure him out the hotel, because it'll look suspicious if we just drag him out of here, with him kicking and screaming, and it'll look even more suspicious if we carry him out in a body bag."

"Aren't we gonna be seeing Paris by night tomorrow?" I checked.

"Oh my God, yes! That makes everything so much easier," Alex agreed. " Once he's voluntarily walked out of here, then we can just do it in Paris."

"We have to get him away from his friends," I pointed out.

"Um, no. None of Lee's friends take Art, remember? He was moaning to them in Bio that he was going to have to 'See the hot French chicks' by himself. So he'll be away from his friends. We just have to kill him," Alex sighed.

"OK, so how?" I asked.

"Well, if he drowns, then it'll look like an accident," Alex smirked, a glimmer in his eyes.

"So we drown him on the edge of the Seine, and then dump his body in there and leave as fast as we can?" I questioned on final time.

Alex nodded. "Exactly."

Now all we had to do was wait.

***

I was so surprised that the teachers let us go into the French clubs, because we were on a trip, but they did. Mr Washington warned us to drink responsibly, glaring especially hard at Jefferson. He was known for his partying habits, and his opinions on Alex. He was a dick, and I seriously didn't like him, so it would be amusing to watch him get wasted and for Mr Washington to have to hold his hair back when he was sick in the gutter.

I watched Alex all night as he danced with Eliza. God, he was a good actor. Anyone watching would've thought that he was still into her. But they didn't have the knowledge I did. Alex was really in love with me. Eliza was simply a ploy.

Finally, Alex parted from her and came over to me. Butterflied fluttered around my stomach in anticipation. I was so excited.

"You ready?" He said, gesturing to the door which Lee had just left through. I nodded, and got off my barstool, before we edged to the exit, trying to look unsuspicious. We made it out onto the streets, and immediately spied Lee crossing the road to the Seine. I nudged Alex in delight as our unwitting target was getting closer to where we needed him to be.

Alex smirked in the dark light, before stepping forwards and into the street. We crossed the street together, me a few steps behind, and observed as Lee went down the steps to the river bank. He lit up a cigarette which he had got from somewhere and took a long, grateful drag. He looked out across the water as he breathed out, letting the puff of smoke disintegrate into the air. The gentle lapping of the water against the shore as the distant bass of the club were the only sounds disturbing the air - the traffic was remarkably quiet.

He didn't get much further than that first drag before Alex pushed him into the water. I leapt forwards to help keep him down as he thrashed around under the water, disturbing the peace. I heard his muffled screams, quietened by the water. No matter how he tried, Alex and I held him under, until his fighting slowed to a stop, and even though I let go, Alex held him there for another few minutes. When he was completely certain that Lee was dead, he let him go.

Lee disappeared entirely from view, as we both stood on the river bank, making sure that he didn't resurface. When he didn't, Alex turned and strode away, leaving me with the wind delicately moving my curls. I stared into the water, even though I knew Lee was dead. I was sort of hoping he wasn't.

What had I done?

I'd just killed a man.

Yes, he was horrible. Yes, he was a terrible person. But he was alive. And now he wasn't.

"John!" Alex called me. I didn't respond.

I sank to the cold pavement, tears swelling in my eyes, threatening to spill.

My heart started beating faster. I started to take more breaths. And more. And more.

Why did I have the right to breathe over Lee?

I started to hyperventilate.

Why should I still be alive?

I buried my head in my hands, starting to sob.

All because I wanted a boy. I'd taken a life because I wanted Alex. It seemed so superficial. And now that I had him, I felt empty. I didn't want him anymore. I'd just murdered someone to have him. Oh God, I was going to burn in hell.

Guilt exploded inside my conscience as a supernova does in the sky.

I was the monster now.

I looked up to see Alex kneeling beside me, wrapping his arms around me. I nestled into him, breathing in his scent again. My head nuzzled automatically into his shoulder.

"John, please," He murmured, begging. "John, we have to go or else we're going to be caught."

Slowly, I rose to my feet and let Alex pulled me away. But part of me wanted to get caught.

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Word Count: 1101 Words