𝚆𝙰𝙸𝙳𝙼𝙰𝙽𝙽𝚂 𝙷𝙴𝙸𝙻 ,, magnus nielsen

chapter three|another night on mars

I was not prepared for the overwhelming response to this book. Fifteen votes in the first three days. Thank you guys so much <3

Chapter Three

another night on mars

Magnus Nielsen would never admit it, but he was truly and wholly infatuated by Annaliese Kruspe.

They were in her room, curled up next to each other in her bed, pale blue fairy lights on behind them. Her laptop was open playing the ending of a Criminal Minds episode, and empty plate of cookie dough at the end of her bed. Annaliese couldn't keep her eyes open.

"I think you need some sleep." Magnus said, closing the laptop and placing it on the nightstand

"I agree." The dark-haired girl yawned, fixing the pillows and laying her head back, eyes closed. Magnus reached over and carefully pulled off Liese's glasses and untying the bandana around her head.

She rolled over slightly so she was facing the boy and he smiled, slowly taking his phone out of his pocket and switching off the fairy lights to take a picture of the girl.

"Magnus..." She groaned, reaching for his wrist. "I'm cold."

The blonde boy laughed, stepping over her body to get out of bed. "Of course, you are."

The girl chuckled, rolling onto her back, then reaching down to turn on a constellation lamp she bought on a girl's weekend with Martha, Heidi, and Franziska in Munich last summer. In the process she kicked the empty bowl of cookie dough off the bed. The lamp projected a blue light and constellation patterns around the room. Annaliese likened it to sleeping under the stars. Magnus walked over to the desk, where a Mexican blanket was haphazardly thrown over the back of a spinning chair. When he turned back to look at his best friend, he bit his lip to stop himself form doing anything impulsive.

Everything about her was perfect in that moment. Well, to Magnus, Liese was always perfect, but right now she was really taking his breath away. Her plump, parted lips, the peaceful expression on her tired face. Her lacy tank top slid down her front just enough that the corner of her bra was showing. Magnus hoped that in her groggy state, Annaliese wouldn't notice the growing tightness in his jeans as he walked back to the bed to wrap the girl in a blanket.

Magnus unfolded the blanket and carefully placed it over Liese's sleepy form. She reached out and grabbed his wrist while he leaned over her. They held each other's gaze for longer than they should have, Magnus getting lost in the girl's heterochromic eyes. One eye was a sharp hazel, the other a subtle blue. Magnus could get lost in either.

Annaliese yawned, spoiling a moment that could have led to impulsive choices on either part. "Catch you in the morning, Nielsen." She flashed the boy a small smile before rolling over.

Magnus smiled, gently running a hand through the girl's hair before moving to leave the room. He fully intended to sleep next to the girl, as they had always done before, but there was something he needed to tend to first.

On his way out, a picture tacked to the wall above a neon flamingo sign caught his eye. Every year in Winden, there is a small festival to celebrate the town's foundation. Nobody really cares. For the teens it was usually just an excuse to light off fireworks and smoke weed. This picture was taken in their freshman year, shortly after Bartosz Tidemann and Jonas Khanwald had dared Annaliese to dye her hair orange. A year before Heidi had moved to Winden. Before life had gotten complicated. Younger Magnus was sitting on a log, his arm around Liese's shoulders, Jonas on his other side, next to Martha. Bartosz was behind them, and Franziska was sitting in front.

He smiled to himself, looking back at the sleeping girl once more before retreating to the bathroom.

____

I woke up the next morning with a crick in my neck, obviously from watching Netflix on my laptop with Magnus the night before. Magnus was lying next to me, snoring softly. I laughed to myself before sitting up and putting my glasses on. I pulled on a grey flannel before gently shaking Magnus' shoulder. Without me, that boy would never wake up on time.

"Hey, sleepyhead, come on. It's time for breakfast."

He slowly opened his eyes, moving his arm just enough to get a look at his watch. "Are we that late already."

I laughed "If we hurry, we can make it in time for first period and Franziska won't thin you're a total loser." Not gonna lie, encouraging Magnus to go after Franziska hurt my soul, but if he wasn't interested in me, the least I could do was support that.

"Fine. Fine." The boy said, sitting up. "Race you downstairs?"

"You're on, Blondie."

Laughing, we both took off down the hall, Magnus in the lead. About two thirds of the way down the stairs, I jumped over the railing, getting a head start to the kitchen.

"That's not fair!" Magnus shouted as I threw up my middle finger on my way to the toaster.

"Home field advantage, Nielsen." I grinned, putting a bagel in the toaster.

"Unfair." Magnus countered, drinking orange juice straight from the bottle.

"Do you kids need a ride?" My dad offered from behind Magnus, who jumped three feet and almost dropped the orange juice.

I laughed at the Nielsen boy, who proceeded to stick his tongue out at me. "Yeah, dad. That would be amazing."

My dad worked with Adele Vogel at the nuclear power plant. He was the second in command behind Aleksander Tiedemann. My mom was an art teacher at a private school in Frankfurt, so usually she was gone by the time I woke up.

Not even half an hour later, Magnus and I were sitting with Jonas Kahnwald at the bike rack in front of the high school, laughing about some practical joke Magnus and Jonas had played on Erik Obendorf years before.

"My brother, at school on time?" Martha laughed, walking up to the school with Franziska

"It's never going to happen again." Magnus said

"So long as Beck Kruspe has a say in it, he will be." Jonas said, earning a joking cuff to the back of the head

"Nobody tells me what to do." Magnus joked

"Except Annaliese because you-"Jonas never got to finish that sentence because Magnus decided to chase him around the campus.

"What's wrong with those two?" Bartosz Tiedemann laughed, walking towards us hand-in-hand with Heidi

"Honestly, I have no idea." I laughed, moving to give Heidi and the girls hugs

"So, Anna, did you think about what I said? About Magnus?" Heidi asked

"What's the hot gossip about my brother?" Martha piped up.

"Nothing you need to worry about." I lied

The truth is, I had thought about it. When I reached for his wrist last night after he brought me the blanket, I almost kissed him. I could have kissed him. But I got cold feet and backed out.

I wonder if he felt the same.