Academy Murder Party

~:Chapter 28:~

"Oh. It's you." Jake blurted out, feeling nothing but disappointment at the sight in front of him. In the doorway, leaning up against the frame, was Brent. Instead of his usual smug demeanor, something was different about him, like his attitude had completely shifted.

"Out of everyone, it had to fuckin' be you," Adam grunted, which, to Jake's surprise, Brent ignored the comment. Instead, he stepped forward and looked around.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" He turned to look at Adam, shooting out a barrage of questions towards the two of them.

"Why do you give a fuck? All of it is your fault." Adam shot back at him, stepping up from his chair and facing the blonde-haired boy. He looked him in the eyes as he spoke, delivering a nasty response to his questions. In response, Brent stared at him before hitting him across the face. Adam recoiled, stepping backward and clutching his face, caught off guard.

"Don't act like you know anything. You're not much better than I am." Brent taunted him.

"Fuck you." Adam spat back, swinging at him and connecting his fist with his left cheek. 

"Jesus Christ," Jake muttered to himself, sitting back in his chair and watching the scene unfold. He, for one, had nothing to do with any of the situations, so he didn't care to get involved. Instead, he sat back and watched it unfold, knowing that if he were to intervene, it would only get worse.

Brent lunged forward, taking Adam into his arms and shoving him to the floor. He quickly sat on top of Adam's torso, pushing him to the ground and locking his arms into place against the floor. Adam struggled against it yet, couldn't break free.

"Jake! Get him off me!" Adam called out; Jake closed his eyes, deciding to tune out the fight next to him. He decided to let it go, as the constant fighting was irritating and required too much energy to prevent, even though it was bound to happen.

"You let your friends treat her like shit," Brent said as he looked at him entirely. "You can't just act like you're fucking better than me. You're not!" He stared at him, rage-filled his eyes like Adam had struck a nerve with what he had said to him. Yet, there was a twinge of guilt in his voice, like it was mere moments away from breaking, causing him to unleash a wave of emotion like a dam that was beginning to crack.

"I know," Adam whispered. Jake opened his eyes and glanced over, shocked at the response. The two of them were stubborn; he expected neither of them even to have a conversation in the first place. What he expected was more like insult slinging until either one of them ended up dead, whether or not it was by each other.

"What?" Brent asked, taken aback by what Adam had just told him.

"I've been an asshole, I know." Adam quietly responded. "But I made it right. So now, how about you do the same?" He asked. Brent started at him, loosening his grip as he thought deeply about this. Adam lay on the ground, staring at him, even as a door opening sounded behind him and Brent quickly scrambled off of him, turning to face her.

"Claire." He sputtered out. Immediately ran up to the girl, who stood a few paces silently in the doorway, keeping her eyes locked on the blonde boy who approached her. "You're alive! I'm so happy!"He placed his hands on her shoulders, staring her in the eye, yet, she did not respond. "I'm sorry. I fucked up." He sputtered out. She looked at him, not saying a word. Her face remained emotionless, yet her eyes were pact with so much emotion it was a surprise nowhere else was showing it. She looked up at him, her mouth twitching as she began to speak.

"I almost died." She said quietly. Like a guise, her stone-cold face stared up at him, despite glossy eyes forming tears that she held back from falling. "Two trials. One I don't remember, and the second I remember completely."