Algid (#TronnorAU)

Chapter 39: "We don't kiss"

-"... Of all the problem children we've had here, seldom do I see any that make the same mistake twice! I mean for crying out loud, what do you have against freshmen...!?"

The words echoed on Connor's ears. He was there, present, but he didn't pay any attention to what he was being told. He was used to the scolding, so tuning it out wasn't hard for him. Just like he had tuned out countless rampages of insults past foster parents had yelled at him for no particular reason, or like the sobs of other foster children that lived in the same house as he did at the time, or like Alexis' was tuning out his words, whenever he tried talking to her after what happened, and she proved to have learned from the best how to pretend like you don't even exist.

-"... And once the suspension is over, it's just two days after all, you will be in detention for at least one week!"

-"Eh... but Principal Hart, Mr. Graceffa is undisposed this week since his Cyprus tree died, and he's throwing a funeral, so there's nobody to watch over detention for junior year..."

It was a cold morning, colder than most. Connor had been called into Principal Hart's office to discuss what had happened the other day when he beat up Trevor Moran, joining him was Grace, Principal Hart, her secretary and Lisbug. They were all discussing what to do to punish him properly. Well, at least the Principal and her secretary were. Lisbug was being strangley quiet and Grace just sat next to Connor, rolling her eyes and sighing whenever Mamrie was about to get to a decision and suddenly the secretary said something that forced her to change her mind about it.

-"... Funeral!? What do you mean funeral, Gigi!? When did I allow this!?"

-"Two days ago, when he came dressed all in black, even the bow tie, and cried every time he walked past a potted plant..."

It didn't bug him that he was going to get punished, or that this probably meant that Lisbug was going to have to report to Brittany, his social worker, about his behavior; all he thought of at the moment was how he was lonelier now. Lonelier than ever. It was one thing to deal with the world with Alexis by his side, but now she hated him. She hated him, and she was not going to change her mind. Who could blame her, though? She had asked him to go away after all. Would he? And if he did, would anyone really care...?

-"... I don't understand why Sawyer can't do the job!"

-"Principal Hart, I've already told you; he's on leave because, and I quote, 'he felt like it'..."

-"ARGH! Fine, Gigi! No detention, then!"

Lilly was quick at making friends, that much was clear to Connor. Just like she had befriended him (even he was reluctant to it at first), she was going to befriend many more people in her life, and she would be just fine; especially now that she was back at the drama club. The guys from The Brits all had friends of their own outside the band and their little group; besides, Joe and Caspar were best friends, it was obvious they would be fine. And Connor did count Oli in that little crew as well. Oli, whom Connor had started to get to know and bit by bit, becoming more of his friend. Oli, who now didn't talk with Connor, or the girl he liked, because of all the shit that had been happening lately...

Yeah, none of them would suffer much if Connor left Yule at one point or another.

... Except maybe one person.

But would Troye really miss Connor? It had been Connor's fault that Troye had broken up with his girlfriend, after all, or at least that's the way Connor saw it. Hadn't he beat the crap out of Moran, the confrontation between Troye and Lia would probably never have happened.