Chapter Fourteen: Mouthbreathers

(The Body, Pt. 3)

***

*trigger warning: homophobic slurs and language*

Rowan was drawn out of her daze by a brisk knock. She looked over to the door at seeing the principal and a police officer standing there, interrupting the boring English class and jolting Rowan out of the daze the teacher's voice and Stevie Nicks' much more bewitching voice had lulled her into.

For a minute, she wondered if it was yet another round of interrogations for her and Alistair, but then the principal said, "Nancy Wheeler? If you'll come with me, please?"

Rowan looked at Nancy, brows furrowed.

The brunette looked similarly confused, but stood up and walked out of the classroom, following the officers.

Once she'd left, the teacher continued, but Rowan couldn't focus for an entirely different reason, looking at the doorway, her confusion alleviated as the only reason for why Nancy would be questioned by the police entered her mind.

They're gonna talk to her about Barb.

Rowan felt a nudge and looked over to see Chrissy staring at her, having poked her arm with her pencil. Robin was similarly staring at her from where she sat behind Rowan.

'You okay?' Chrissy mouthed.

'Fine,' Rowan mouthed back with a smile, and turned back to the front even if she was paying zero attention; between the dull books and poems they were required to read that sapped any joy out of reading and the teacher's monotonous timbre, it was honestly a miracle Rowan was passing the class. She guessed she could thank Chrissy for that, who made sure she studied and paid enough attention to take down notes and answer, and that the teacher, Mr. Hauser, was one of the nicer ones.

After the bell signalled the tepid class over, Rowan let herself be carried by the crush of students out of the classroom, heading to her locker as Robin and Chrissy followed, her mind consumed with the thought of the cops and Nancy, that it had to be something with Barb—it was the only explanation—and that they must be looking for her.

"What do you think the cops wanted with Nancy?" Chrissy wondered as she leaned against the wall of lockers.

"Maybe it has something to do with Barb?" Robin said, voicing Rowan's exact thoughts.

"I don't know," Rowan said. Looking at her friends, she asked, "Hey, do you guys mind if I skipped hanging out today? I think I might go over to the Wheelers' and see how Nancy and Mike are holding up."

Her friends shook their heads in unison.

"No, not at all."

"Nope, we don't."

Rowan smiled. "Thanks. You guys are seriously the best."

Chrissy smiled and Robin rolled her eyes, a fond smirk on her face. "Uh, duh."

Rowan grinned and nudged her taller friend. "Just don't get an ego trip from it."

"Please, any ego I have won't be as big as Harrington's," Robin muttered.

Chrissy snorted, and Rowan cackled, grinning.

However, the shrill ring of the bell reminded them they were still in school. As they parted ways, with Rowan returning to her locker to grab her textbook while Chrissy and Robin headed to their next class, Rowan  wondered how the questioning was going, if asking Nancy questions would help the police find Barb.

She hoped they did. She hoped they would find Barb, that they would find her alive, that it would disprove her dream, after Will, after he—

Rowan aggressively slammed her locker door shut. No. She couldn't think like that. Barb could still be alive. Rowan had to believe that.

The alternative was too terrible to think.

As Rowan made her way to her next class, shoving through the crowded hall, she felt eyes on her. The blue-eyed girl glanced over to see Harrington looking at her. She looked away, ignoring the glint of sympathy in Harrington's eyes, knowing it was all part of some sick act, even if a part of her wanted to believe it was genuine.

Sitting in her chair, she ignored the empty chair beside her that Barb used to sit in, tapping her pencil against her notebook.

She would visit the Wheelers, see how both Nancy and Mike were doing, offer her condolences.

And hoped her little brother was coping well, and was not haunted by Will's ghost.

***

Alistair glared at the students crying, anger hot in his chest.

Most of them hadn't even noticed Will existed, let alone knew him. But, he guessed that the fact a kid their age had died must have hit them hard, was something they didn't really think could happen because as a kid, a thought of invincibility was ever-present in your mind, so Alistair couldn't really blame them.

Still, it didn't lessen the anger.

Occasionally, he gave El's hand a gentle squeeze of comfort, when she needed it. The girl didn't give him much of a look, but the returning squeeze was enough. Mike also gave her a look of concern, just as worried about El as Alistair was, and a look at Mike and his other friends told Alistair they were just as mad at everyone crying about Will as he was.

While the principal continued talking, Mike muttered, "Look at all these fakers."

He shot them all a glare as Lucas said, "I bet they didn't even know his name until today."

"I know, but can you blame them? I mean, wouldn't you cry if a kid you vaguely knew had not only gone missing, but ended up being found dead?" Alistair murmured. Lucas frowned, but he didn't comment, knowing that Alistair had a point.

Snickers came and they looked over to see Troy and his friend laughing. Rage boiled in Alistair and his hands fisted, knuckles turning white. Of course they would laugh about Will's supposed death. Didn't mean Alistair didn't want to stand up and punch them.

Especially when they went from laughing to talking.

"Who is interested in this? This is so stupid," Troy sneered. He and the other Neanderthal chuckled, said Neanderthal muttering, "Blah, blah, blah, blah," before they snickered again.

"Oh, he was such a great student," Troy mocked. "Oh, he's gonna leave such a hole in the community."

They laughed, oblivious to the glares they were getting.

El leaned over, and muttered, "Mouthbreather."

Alistair nodded tightly. "The biggest mouthbreathers of them all."

He kept glaring at them throughout the rest of the speech until it ended and the bell rang, signalling the return to class. As the crowd of students got off the bleachers and out of the gym, Alistair followed after Troy, intending to do something and defend Will.

However, Mike beat him to it as he shouted, "Hey! Hey, Troy! Hey, Troy!"

Troy turned, and Mike said, "You... you think this is funny?'

"What'd you say, Wheeler?" Troy asked, squinting at Mike.

"I saw you guys laughing over there. And I... I think that's a real messed up thing to do," Mike said.

"Didn't you listen to the counsellor, Wheeler? Grief shows itself in funny ways," Troy's friend spat; by now, everyone was watching.

Alistair glared, his hands still balled tightly and he walked forward.

"That's not remotely what it means!" he yelled. "Will... he's dead, and you're both sitting there, laughing! He's dead, and you can't even go a minute without making fun of him!"

"What, you liked him or something, Graveswood?" Troy's friend sneered, and Troy scoffed.

"Should have guessed the schizo was also a queer," Troy said. "Was kissing Cyndi Rollins last year just to cover it up or something?"

Alistair glared; he had liked Cyndi, even if their first kiss was messy and they didn't really have a relationship, but she was nice. He'd been heartbroken when she moved last year. 

But he knew that as much as he liked Cyndi, he wasn't like the other boys; that while watching Star Wars he couldn't decide whether he found Leia or Han Solo hotter, that sometimes he would look at a boy and think he'd look as cute as a girl did. He hadn't talked to anyone about it, not even Rowan, except for Eddie, who said he was like Alistair, that he liked both boys and girls too.

But Will... 

Will was his friend, his best friend, and that was what he always would be. And Alistair would always defend his friend, no matter what.

"No, but he was my friend. One of my best friends. And it makes me mad that you're laughing about his death," Alistair said lowly, glaring at the bullies.

He didn't notice that there was a new chill in the room, that the invisible ghosts had frozen and were staring at the bullies, that hidden bones were trembling, that El was giving Alistair a look.

However, before anything could be done—whether by Alistair actually punching Troy or something supernatural—Troy opened his mouth.

"Whatever. Besides, what's there to be sad about, anyway? Will's in fairyland now, right? Flying around with all the other little fairies. All happy and gay!"

Troy grinned and began imitating a fairy. Alistair's blood boiled, and he saw red.

He was moving before he was thinking, fist raising, ignorant to how Mike was moving as well.

That at the same time Alistair's fist connected with Troy's face, Mike had shoved him.

The bully fell to the floor as their fellow students stared in shock. Similar shock jolted Alistair out of his anger as he stared at Troy, then at his hand, not believing what he had just done.

Troy also seemed to be in shock, clutching his nose that, while it didn't leak blood, it looked purplish and sore. His shock twisted into anger, and he hurriedly stood up, shouting, "You're dead, Wheeler and Graveswood! Dead!"

He made to punch them, but was frozen. Alistair stared, still braced for the returning punch, as the bully's face twitched in confusion, and then a dark stain spread down his leg.

"Dude, Troy peed himself!" someone shouted, and everyone began laughing as the invisible hold on Troy let go, but now the idiot had bigger problems than beating Alistair and Mike.

"Holy shit!" Dustin exclaimed as Mike and Alistair turned to El, the only person who could have done that.

Sure enough, a trickle of blood was coming from her nose. The psionic girl smiled and wiped it away. Alistair grinned.

"Hey! What's going on here?" someone shouted, this time someone who sounded like the principal. Alistair's face turned ashen. Shit.

"Mike, Al, let's go!" Lucas whispered, grabbing them.

Alistair didn't need to be told twice as the group of five raced to the doors, heading out and toward the AV club.

Toward the hope of Will still being alive.

***

AND HERE IT IS!! The chapter of where Troy was satisfyingly taken down!

I hoped you enjoyed the inclusion of Alistair being angry at Troy and punching him. Writing that was very satisfying. Also, yes, like I said in my notes in the beginning of this fic, Al's my bi baby who's oblivious to his crush on his best friend but is willing to fight for him and defend him.

Next chapter's switching back to Rowan fully, and this is the moment I've been waiting for—her team up with Nancy and Jonathan! They're gonna be an awesome trio.

Next chapter will be soon!

Please read, comment and vote!

GhostWriterGirl out!