Zalex One Shots

We're Screwed

(Credits to nerearobinsonn on ao3)

*PRESENT*

Zach is in class. The class was already done, but he has not yet risen from the chair. He is absorbed in his thoughts, until he heard whispers and it take him a second to realize that they belong to Monty and a friend of his.

"Fuck" says Monty "I'm shocked about Clay, he killed Bryce."

Zach knows that Monty says that phrase on purpose, to annoy him and, unfortunately, he enters the game.
He turns and faces Monty.

"Shut up Monty, they still don't have anything against him, they don't know if it was really him."

Monty sketches a sly smile and says to Zach:

"And where were you that night, Zachy?"

It takes Zach a few seconds to respond, fleetingly remembering images of the night he thought he had forgotten.

"With a friend." He replies, which is not quite a lie, and he runs around to avoid talking more about that subject.

He listens Monty whisper "right, with a friend..." but it doesn't matter. Zach is too busy trying to forget certain memories of that night, and not precisely those that are related to Bryce's death.

******************************************

Alex is at home, eating with his family. They were having an informal conversation when suddenly his father brings up the subject of the murder of his former classmate, Bryce Walker.

"They think they have found more clues about what happened that night." Drops his father.

Alex is aware that everyone is watching him, but he does not look up from his food. He does not believe he is able to look up and look at his family in the face without them reading the truth in his eyes.

"Where did you tell me you were that night, son?" his father asks suddenly, which surprises Alex, since he wasn't expecting that question.

He dares to raise his head from his food while saying:

"I already told you I was with Jess."

Fact that is true, but Alex was not telling him the whole truth, and his father knew it. But the fact is that his father only thought of Bryce and what his son could have done, while Alex thought of Bryce and what happened that night, but also thought of one more person.

**************************************

*FLASHBACK*

Zach was nervous about everything that had happened that night. The welcome game had been crazy and the fucking Bryce had broken his knee. Goodbye to his dreams and goodbye to his college scholarship. He couldn't do sports anymore.

He felt very helpless, alone there, in his room, lying in his bed without being able to do anything, looking sideways at the crutches he would have to wear every day for the following months.

His life had been ruined in a second.

He was absorbed in his thoughts when someone knocked on his door. Zach, imagining that she would be his mother, didn't even bother to answer. Then they knocked on the door again, and Zach feeling impatient, said: