Nao Summers hates drama, but life becomes full of it when he's paired with the school delinquent on a film project. He's also in dire need of a way to break up with his girlfriend who wants to have lots of sex, while Nao would prefer to die. To crow...
"I loved her. You had no right— you had no right to do what you did."
Stars twinkled above December High on the 15th of December. Day had dipped into evening far sooner than it had any right to. By 3 pm, the streets had already been steeped in darkness, lit up only by the occasional streetlight.
"I had to watch you mistreat her, act like you loved her when really you..."
The school itself looked regal, almost unreal. Glittering strings of light had been fastened to the pillars and roof. The walls were lined with blinking decor, a mishmash of Christmas and festival symbols. People were crowding near the entrance, bodies glammed up in pristine outfits of celebration. A large "welcome" plaque hung above the vestibule entry. Mr. White was present just inside, greeting parents and students alike. He wore a slightly faded suit but otherwise didn't look like he'd been on the verge of a mental breakdown for the past three months. It was far from the only impressive feat that night.
"You didn't deserve her."
On the 4th floor, every surface was spotless. The alcoves had gotten a much-needed cleanup earlier that day. Even the pillows had gotten a washing. They were no longer the faded, dusty things that had been lying around since my first year. After hours had returned to this hallway once again, but no darkness or silence lived here now. There were plenty of erratic footsteps, but none of them belonged to thieves or stalkers.
On the floor, Axel was no longer wrestling a red-faced teenager, no longer grappling with the stolen model, which had been crushed with the tremendous impact. The floor was polished and inhabited by groups of chattering teenagers now. And Axel? Well, he wore a suit.
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"You?" Axel's voice was strained. He held the person as they struggled against his grip.
"Let me go."
The familiar voice prompted me to act. I'd been frozen in the alcove ever since Axel leaped, but now I sprang to my feet in recognition. It was like being woken up from a long, confusing dream. I swept around Axel, caught sight of the broken model on the floor, and found myself staring into two familiar, spiteful eyes.
"William," I said. Puzzle pieces aligned and slotted themselves together in my brain. I could feel my mouth falling open, but did little to close it. He looked so small and pathetic there on the floor. Reality came in the shape of our class' most diligent student, sprawled out underneath Axel.
"Get off of me," he hissed, fingers clawing against Axel's arms.
"Why?" I asked, word finding its own way out of me. "Why did you do all this?"
As William's eyes met mine, they were red and underlined by dark circles. His hair was a mess, and his vest — still wore a god damned vest — was in disarray. Understanding why he was lying there with a broken model, with hatred and spite bleeding out of his every mannerism -- it was quickly growing into an obsession. I had to know. I couldn't not know.
