Control (Dark Romance)

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• - (A/N - whenever you see this dot, that means the chapter will be set in the past - i.e. it's a memory)

Also, for those who like music, I wrote the first half of this chapter to Pumped Up Kicks.

Enjoy!

OHHH also, an anime is mentioned here, so please avoid spoiling it if you're up to date with it. Thanks!

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Hagen's P.O.V

As I climb out the backseat of the car, I carefully close the door behind me, knowing exactly how psycho Damon could get when we slammed the doors.

"I'm leaving ten minutes after schools done," he announces as he steps out and passes his icy gaze over all of us, "be here or walk home."

"Like if you'd ever leave your favourite sibling behind," Josey says with a smirk as she tosses her bag over his shoulder.

Damon raises a brow in question before he looks around with confusion, "That's weird, I don't see Levi here."

Josey scowls while Damon and I don't bother trying to keep our laugh short, even Peter struggles to hide his snort as Damon locks up the car with a satisfied smirk.

"I'm serious, Jo, I don't want to wait for any of you."

"Yeah, yeah," I say as I grab Josey's shoulder and lead her away, "we'll be on time."

"More like I'll be on time and make sure you are too," she mutters as we make our way inside the building that hoisted way too many of my nightmares.

New day, same hell.

"That's why I love you," I reply with a grin and a nudge.

Josey rolls her eyes and tries to fight a smile, but there's nothing in all the realms that can stop her from grinning at me as she nudges me back.

"What do you have first period?" I ask while I scan the busy hallways for my friends.

"Martin," she replies with a grimace, "you?"

"Conwell," I mutter with a similar shudder. History was not my strong suit.

Yeah, but you're passing so we're going to take all the wins we can get - Zyair replies encouragingly.

Zyair was literally the only reason I was making it through this school year.

I'd never been the scholarly type, that was no secret, but none of the stuff we used to learn had ever been particularly hard. Then middle school happened, and well... my brain had been struggling to keep up ever since.

It took a particular hit this year though, 8th grade was no fucking joke but Zyair's constant support was what was keeping my head above the water and I made sure to thank him for it every single day.

More like every other day...

As we turn down a new corridor and spot Josey's friends, she heads their way but not without the same reminder I'd been hearing since last night, "Don't forget, the first world war was four years long, 4 not 6," Josey repeats, "that one was like 3 marks, so don't mess it up."

"I won't," I promise, not for the first time eternally grateful to have my own personal cheatsheet for a sibling. "Meet for lunch?"

"Obviously," she replies before rushing off to join her friends.

While I pass by the group, I give them the usual salute but my eyes can't help but linger on Radha for a moment.

Radha.