Running || A Garrance Fanfic

Chapter Twenty Six

Aphmau's POV

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE NOT HERE?!?!"

"I mean, 'they're not here'." Vylad rolls his eyes at the fuming Zane gripping his shoulders. He lets go and shoves past him.

"I don't believe you," he grumbles as he disappears up the stairs. Vylad sighs.

He looks over at Aaron and I near the front door.

"You guys were dragged into this, too, huh?"

I shrug: "I didn't trust Zane to drive himself. Besides, I'm worried about them, too."

He smirks: "You and your heart of gold, Aph." He chuckles. "Don't worry about them. While they aren't here now, they were about a week ago. They're totally fine. I promise."

"Well, that's a relief," Aaron says and I nod in agreement. Zane comes barreling back down the stairs.

"Where are they?!" he growls through gritted teeth. Vylad's only response is a single shrug, which doesn't help Zane's temper.

"I KNOW YOU KNOW! TELL ME NOW!"

"Chill, bro. I can't tell ya. Sorry, but I swore I'd keep it secret."

"That Laurance is so dead when I see him."

"Zane-" I walk over and gently place my hands on his shoulders. "-calm down. They're both fine. Vylad said they were both here last week. Nothing could have happened in that time."

"They were?" He moves my arms from his shoulders and steps up to Vylad again.

"Why? What happened? What did Laurance do?"

Vylad blinks: "L-Laurance?" His voice cracks, as it usually does while under pressure. "W-What do you mean? What about him?"

"You're hiding something."

"What? No way! What do I have to hide from you?"

Zane narrows his eyes.

"You know, don't you?"

Vylad makes no response.

"He told you, didn't he?"

Still nothing.

"Vylad."

"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, Zane!" Vylad shouts defensively, obviously covering up something. I catch his gaze and suddenly know exactly what he's hiding.

Laurance told me the same thing years ago...

**********

There was a quiet knock on my bedroom door. I was on my bed, finishing up the last of my homework. It was he middle of my junior year of high school.

"It's open," I said, assuming it was just mom coming in to check on me. To my surprise, however, the brunette boy stepped in, visibly anxious about something. I paused my work.

"Laurance?" I questioned. "What are you doing here?"

"H-Hey, Aph..." Laurance never stuttered, which was a red flag instantly. "I...um...n-need to talk to you about something."

It was obviously something that was really troubling him, otherwise he wouldn't have come to me about it. He usually talked with Garroth about things like this.

"Sure, Laurance." I took my binder off my lap and plopped it beside me. I patted the bed and he came over to sit.

"It's..." He hesitated. "...hard for me to talk about..."