Ilios High School - The Iliad but its a highschool drama

X. Obsession

pretend that time does not exist. :) it doesn't have to make sense TwT

cw: mentions of drugging (chapter 2 references)

There was way too much going on. Every dance prior to this one always was- it was a high school dance after all. Breakups, drama, kissing and chaperones eying every movement in every corner. 

Normally, Odysseus and Penelope were scouring the scene, writing in their notebooks taking note of every event, running around and rendezvousing at the punch bowl.

This time though, the pair were busy with their own drama. 

The two hours between the game and the beginning of the dance were tense. Clusters of sweat, showers, makeup, dresses and tuxes, students began piling up at the entrance of the hall where the dance was being held.

In the two hours between the game, Patrocles had to re-tied his tie seven times, all due to undoing it by accident from just fiddling with it in anxiousness. He was waiting outside Achilles' house for five minutes now, and he knew his little crush was the least of everyone's problems. Achilles's as well. He was probably thinking about how they were all going to be punished by the night's end, if Paris succeeded.

Well, everyone but him. He wasn't in Odysseus's notebook, as he was new when all this went down. He was probably the only one who was walking out of that dance unscathed. Physically, however, he might not, if a fight broke out.

He had seen Achilles leave the game with a calm rage behind his eyes. Achilles, the big powerful and wise guy, who always had reason and was always the bigger person, with any sort of rage made Patrocles a little uneasy.

Every since he got bashed in the game, while probbaly inevitable in a harsh game of footy, was more likely to be a targetted attack and the fact Achilles had resentment due to that- because of him, because he got hurt, Patrocles felt like maybe, just maybe, Achilles had more emotion inside for him than justice. 

"Hey," 

Patrocles looked up to see Achilles in a perfectly fitted suit, almost looking like the slightly too-small jacket was done on purpose to highlight his muscles and build. "Achilles, you, um, look nice," was all he could say, his eyes betraying him.

Achilles nodded in return, a slight blush creeping up but Patrocles blamed it on the chilly evening air. "Thank you, Pat," 

The first few sentences were short and sweet, which Patrocles welcomed as their casual routine as they settled into comfort. The conversation from the house to the school followed as usual, banter and words Patrocles memorised as they were worthy to be immortalised one day. 

Achilles was like a sun in the night sky, a glowing and divine calmness, a wonder in Patrocles' world. A scrawny kid like him was the complete opposite to him, but regardless, Patrocles could hope he was feeling the reciprocation radiating from Achilles.

---

Odysseus had gotten to the hall early, with Penelope quietly laying some bowls with chips and snake lollies in them. He had spent the last half hour on a ladder, taping streamers and banners on the walls of the hall while in a slightly uncomfortable suit.

He, Penelope and some other younger students from the committee had rocked up earlier than everyone else to set up, with teachers loitering around working out the admin.

All while, he and Penelope hadn't said a proper sentence to each other. On one hand, Odysseus was a little worried about the situation, but frankly, it was not their biggest concern. She hadn't brought up either his crush on her nor the Paris issue either and simply asked to have some sticky tape passed to her.