scream; malec au

chapter eight

The next day at school was indescribable. It felt as though the water that everyone who attended the school drank was poisoned with paranoia. No one trusted each other. After it was discovered that Simon was the killer, but then he wasn't the killer, everything and everyone turned upside down.

While the situation was confusing and overwhelming in itself, the way that the teenagers were treating each other didn't help. Everyone saw everyone as a suspect, their closest friends included. A few fights had already occurred, which were results of petty arguments.

Everyone was on edge, which didn't help Alec's anxiety. It was through the roof at the moment, and nothing seemed to comfort or console him. Magnus and his family helped him, but only to a certain extent. The police officers who looked over his shoulder for him didn't ease his nerves at all; if anything they made him feel weird and secluded from everyone else.

Alec knew that they were just doing their job, and he was grateful for protection against someone who might try and attack him again, but they were so serious. They loomed over him like trees high up in the clouds, lurking around corners to check up on him.

He also knew that if he tried to complain about them to his mother, he would be called ungrateful and too reckless. She wouldn't understand his loss of freedom or how they made him feel, as long as he was safe. He understood, but he was frustrated at the same time. He mainly hoped that the situation would resolve itself when the killer was finally found, if they ever were.

Magnus walked through the hallway, noticing how everyone averted their eyes, although looked once more, as if he were a forbidden desire. He knew it was because he was now part of the story, as he and Alec had wrongly pointed the finger at Simon. It didn't make him feel all that great.

He was glad that Alec was going through the same thing, although ten times worse. Alec felt as though he was the target. All of this surrounded him, so it must be his fault. And it would end with him. He considered giving himself up to save a lot more lives, but how would he even find the person who was doing this? It was like trying to catch smoke.

Alec found Magnus by his locker, trying his hardest to ignore the stares, striding up to him, keeping his eyes focused on Magnus. "Hey," Alec greeted him, scooting closer to him, almost using Magnus as a shield to all of the other students. 

Magnus smiled in response, asking how he was doing, rummaging around for another second before slamming his locker shut. Alec sighed, "I feel like everyone is blaming us for what happened to Simon. No one understands that we really thought it was him."

Hearing his own voice start to break and spiral, Alec immediately put a hand over his mouth, almost willing himself not to say anything else. Magnus noticed that he was about to cry, in fear for his life and for his reputation.

Magnus reached forward gently to grab Alec's hand, leading him towards the boys' toilets. He shut the door behind them and pushed a door stop against the door, blockading them from the outside world.

Alec gripped a nearby sink, ignoring the dirt that covered the surface. It felt as though someone had reached into his chest and pulled out his beating organ, the heavy force pushing down onto his chest like a bodybuilder crushing a rat. The feeling began to spread through his entire body, his hands beginning to shake.

A wave of dizziness poured over his body, dripping off his fingertips and onto the tiled bathroom floor. Everything was crashing in on him, whispering poisons in his ear that manipulated his brain into thinking that he was about to die. He felt as though he were dying. His wishes had come true.

Magnus noticed the panicked expression on Alec's face, that was slowly becoming less animated, and became scared that he might pass out. He approached Alec, knowing not to touch him right now, but was close enough so that if Alec did fall, he wouldn't hurt his head when falling against the hard ground.