Chapter Six: Biology, the new chemistry

The next day went agonisingly slow for Alec. He had made a good job of avoiding his siblings so far, knowing they would inevitably have questions for him about a certain teen who, to his disappointment, he hadn't seen all day. It was only lunch time and Alec wished he could go home or at least anywhere but school. Although Alec was a star student, it didn't mean he particularly enjoyed school. He was near his friends in the canteen when he heard their usual chattering.

"Wait, you're telling me Magnus Bane, new killer in town, dropped Alec home last night?" he heard Jordan say.

"How many times do you want me to repeat it, huh?" Izzy snapped, looking around for anyone else with the courage to repeat what she had said a million times. Izzy looked up and noticed Alec standing not far from their table. "Hey Alec, come sit," she said innocently, as if she hadn't been gossiping about her older brother only seconds ago.

"Erm... no thanks. I'm going to take a walk, I need fresh air," Alec said, knowing very well why his sister wanted him to sit; to interrogate him.

"Alright bro, see you later." Jace interjected before Izzy could pester Alec any longer. Alec nodded his thanks to Jace and made his way to the woods behind the school, hoping that Magnus would be there. He sat down on the very spot he sat with Magnus only the day before for a few minutes, waiting. Magnus didn't show up; Alec wondered if he was okay. He got his phone out and before he knew it, he had sent a message to the boy questioning his not being there.


Magnus was sat in the middle of a meeting with his attorney when he felt a vibration in his pocket, indicating that he had a message. He sighed at the fact that he couldn't check who the message was from while his lawyer was going on about something which was probably important to his case, that would be rude.

He woke up that morning feeling lively at the fact that he was going to see his blue eyed beauty, that was until he got a call from his lawyer telling him he and his mother needed to come immediately. He felt a sharp pain in his ribs and realised he had zoned off again. He looked up at his mother and was greeted with a killer glare he would never get used to and came to a conclusion of the source of the pain in his ribs; his mother had pinched him. He knew he should be paying attention since there was a problem of some sort with his case but he just wasn't bothered enough to care. He knew in his heart that he wouldn't have killed his father if the choice was given, he couldn't watch his dad kill his mother, and so in his heart he knew he was innocent. He didn't need to prove that to anyone.

Magnus' eyes trailed off to his lawyer, catching his last words. "So, they've arranged your hearing to take place at the Institute on Saturday at one o'clock. In order for us to be completely ready, I would like you to be there an hour early so we can go through some things. It's your first hearing so we have to give them everything we've got, it will intimidate the opponent." He said in a monotonous voice.

"Okay, thank you so much Mr Starkweather. Your help is very much appreciated," Magnus' mum said while standing up from her seat.

"No need to thank me Mrs Bane, I am getting paid for this after all, right?" Mr Starkweather said as he got off his seat.

Of course, he is just after the money, Magnus thought.

"Right. We will be on our way then," Magnus' mother said, still oblivious to the fact that her son's lawyer just implied he simply wants the money and doesn't care whether or not he wins the case.

"I will see you on Saturday then, please don't be late," Mr Starkweather said as he held the door for Magnus and his mother to get out. "Bye Magnus," he said once they were out of his office and Magnus simply nodded his goodbye.

Immediately after the door closed indicating the lawyer had gone in his office once again, Hannah turned to her son with a sad expression. "It's going to be okay Magnus, right?" She said, asking for confirmation instead of giving consolation, making Magnus notice that the confident aura of his mother had dropped.

"Of course mum, don't worry yourself too much. Mr Starkweather is one of the best lawyers so we will win the case. Plus, it was just...defence so this whole thing is pointless. Grandma and grandpa just can't accept that their son was crazy and there was nothing to do about it," Magnus said, trying to ease his mother's worries.

It was in vain since Hannah's expression turned sour at what Magnus had said. "Don't talk ill of your father like that, he just... couldn't be helped. He was a good man before-before he-" Hannah's voice broke as a flood of tears flowed down her face. Magnus put his hands around his mother, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words into her hears.

"It's going to be fine mum, I promise." Hannah nodded under her son's chin and wiped her tears away with the sleeve of her peach cardigan. Magnus took his mother's hands in his and they walked out of the building to the car park, hand in hand.

It wasn't until Hannah started the car that Magnus realised he hadn't checked the message, he got his phone out of his pocket and a big smile replaced the grim expression he wore moments ago. The message read: "Hey, are you in school today? I haven't seen you so I was wondering if you were okay. If you are in school, where are you? Oh and this is Alec by the way." Magnus checked the time on his phone; it was ten minutes till lunch break was over.

"Mum, could you drop me off in school?" Magnus asked, hoping his mother didn't have to go to work.

"You don't have to go if you don't want to. It's nearly over anyway and I called your principal to let her know you wouldn't be in," Hannah said, not taking her eyes off the road once.

"Oh its okay, I don't want to miss too much," Magnus said, trying to look sincere.

"You are finally taking school seriously?!" Hannah said, unsure if it was school her son really wanted to go to. Magnus had never liked the idea of school.

"Uh-huh, is that so hard to believe?" Magnus replied, trying his best to look innocent.

"Er.. I guess not," Hannah said, still unbelieving. Magnus quickly texted back a reply saying: "on my way, meet u behind de skl. N u don't hv 2 clarify who u r silly, I knw its u xoxox"


Alec felt his phone buzz in his hand, bringing him out of his dazed state. It took him a couple of seconds to realise the buzzing of his phone meant he's got a new message. He checked his phone and blushed a light pink colour when he read the message and blushed a deeper red when he saw the hugs and kisses Magnus had added at the end of the message. He wondered what Magnus meant by "on my way." Did he mean he was in school and coming or just getting into school?

He was sat there alone for a few more minutes when he heard hurried footsteps and for a second, he thought Izzy had followed him into his hiding place. He got up quickly just in case he needed to make a run for it away from his sister. He stopped short when he saw Magnus coming into view. He seemed a little out of breath, his hair a little dishevelled but to Alec, it made him look all the more beautiful.

"Miss me?" Magnus asked, his signature smirk present on his face.

"Erm... I-I" Alec stuttered, unsure what the right answer was. He didn't want to make it seem as if he'd been thinking about Magnus, which he had.

A slight laugh escaped Magnus' lips and he said, "Just joking. But you did text."

Alec shifted from one foot to the other, uncertain how he should answer that since he wasn't sure why he texted himself. Magnus leaned on the tree opposite Alec and slid down until he was sitting on the ground. Alec did the same, though not as gracefully as Magnus did.

"How come you haven't been in school till now?" Alec asked, looking anywhere but the boy sitting opposite him.

"My asshole of an attorney called this morning, something about important details we need to settle before my hearing on Saturday." Magnus said unconcernedly while fishing for something in his back pocket; he took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.

"Oh, I thought your case was closed because they found out it was defence," Alec said, recalling the news a couple of nights before.

"Yeah, but it wasn't proven in court. The police spoke to witness but my grandparents took it to court. They are trying to get me convicted for murder." Magnus said, unsure why he was telling Alec everything. He usually didn't share the bad side of his life to anyone.

"Why would they do that?" Alec asked, confused that a family member would do something like that.

"Well, they-" Magnus' answer was cut short by the bell coming from the school building.

"There is no point lighting that up, we've got to get to lesson." Alec said, pointing at the cigarette Magnus was about to light up.

"Who says I'm going to lesson?" Magnus asked with one sceptical eyebrow raised.

"Bu-but the bell just went," Alec stuttered, not entirely sure if Magnus had heard the bell.

"Oh I heard it," Magnus said, as if he read Alec's thoughts. "I'm not even meant to be in school today anyway so I'll wait for you here." Magnus said, lighting up his cigarette despite Alec's worried look.

"What lesson do you have anyway?" Alec asked, starting his short walk towards the school.

"Double biology, even more reason to skip." Magnus said, following Alec anyway.

"I have that too so you might as well come. Knowing the teacher, he will probably test us on Friday about whatever we learn today so its best you come," Alec said, not noticing that Magnus had thrown his cigarette away when Alec mentioned they were in the same class.

"Well okay. If you insist." Magnus said, eagerly following Alec.


"Oh my god! I don't get any of this stuff," Magnus exclaimed for the tenth time that lesson. Alec had introduced Magnus to their biology teacher and Magnus was instructed to sit next to Alec in the back seat. They had to sit through a long lecture for the first of the double lesson and now had to spend the last lesson answering questions.

"That's because you weren't paying attention while the teacher was explaining it!" Alec said under his breath, trying not to gain any attention from other students and the teacher. Most of the students were either staring or whispering anyway because of Magnus, he didn't need any more starrers.

"Neither were you, we were not paying attention together because we were talking. Together! So why do you get it and I don't?! I knew I shouldn't have come to this lesson," Magnus continued, not caring that he sounded like a whiny child.

"No, it's good you came. And I only get this because I read ahead in the biology book. Sir never explains anything right," Alec said, looking over at Magnus' book to see what he'd done.

"This is so confusing, how am I supposed to know the difference between mitosis and meiosis? They are both just cell division, right?" Magnus said, closing his book in frustration. "Yeah, they are both cell division but mitosis is when a parent cell divides into two identical diploid cells and meiosis is when the parent cell divides into four different haploid cells," Alec said, pointing to the diagram in the text book.

"Same difference," Magnus mumbled under his breath as he laid his head on the table, facing away from Alec.

"If you don't finish all the questions he will make you do it for homework, you know that, right?" Alec said, closing his book since he finished his work long ago. Magnus signed at the thought of more homework, but his head remained rested on the table.

Alec looked at Magnus, not for the first time, finding himself staring with a sudden urge to touch the other boy's hair. Magnus' hair was slightly spiked with golden glitter here and there. The strands without gel falling down his neck like black silk. Alec blushed furiously as he realised he had unconsciously moved his hand, which was now hovering over Magnus' hair, almost touching. He quickly took his hand back, looking around to see if anyone saw what he just did.

"I could help you with it if you want," Alec blurted all in one breath. At that, Magnus lifted his head slightly off the table, once again facing Alec.

"Huh?" Magnus asked with questioning eyes.

"Your work, I can help you study if you find it hard." At Alec's words, Magnus ' bored expression turned to pure excitement.

"Sure, that would be immensely helpful," Magnus said, the thought of spending more time with Alec taking over his mind.

They went on for a while, talking about their schedules and when they had free time. The sound of the classroom phone suddenly rang, attracting both their attentions to the front of the class where the teacher's desk was. They watched their biology teacher have a heated argument with whoever was on the phone; something about "students have to spend all lesson time learning and should not be distributed." The angry expression he had at the end of the conversation said he lost that argument.

"Magnus Bane, the principal's office now!" He said, not so kindly.

"What? Why?" Magnus said, annoyed that his conversion with Alec was interrupted.

"Why don't you go and you will find out," the biology teacher said, scowling as he took his seat.

"Fine, whatever." Magnus mumbled as he packed his thing, getting ready to leave.

"What's it about?" Alec asked, looking worried.

"Nothing to worry yourself about, I don't think." Magnus said, thinking back to the day's events in an attempt to figure out what he'd done wrong. He was nearly out the door when he turned back and said, "Oh Alexander sweetie, wait for me here when the bell goes?" He didn't wait for an answer from Alec and left.

Alec was mortified. He didn't understand why Magnus couldn't have told him that when he was still close to him like normal people. Alec got bored and got out his sketch book to do some drawing to get his mind off the fact that every one keeps staring at him, more so than usual due to Magnus' words before he left.

He opened the sketch book of the page of his last work, the painting of Alec the night before. Alec never complimented his own work but this was one artwork he could truly call perfect. He got his pencil out to do little patterns on the background of the already magnificent art piece. He was surprised when the bell went and quickly closed his books and waited for everyone to get out so he could walk out in solitude. He carried his books in his hands and left the classroom. He was further down the corridor when he remembered that Magnus wanted him to wait for him and walked back to his biology class.

Ten minutes in and Magnus was nowhere in sight. Alec sighed, knowing his coach would not be impressed by his lateness. His phone vibrated and he took it out to read his new message, which was from Jordan. "Where de heck r u?! Coach is getin angry!" The message said and Alec replied with a short "sorry, I'm in science corridor. I'll be there in five," deciding Magnus had probably gone home.

"Hey, Alexander! Wait a minute." Alec heard someone yell from behind. He turned around and the annoyed feeling he had for whoever yelling his name dissipated when he realised it was Magnus.

"I thought I told you to wait for me," Magnus said, not so pleased that Alec wasn't outside the biology class when he returned.

"Oh sorry, I waited for a bit I've got football practice. If I'm late, coach is going to get hysterical." Alec said, feeling guilty.

"Oh its fine I can wait for you," Magnus said at the same time someone yelled Alec's name.

"Oh I've got to go, I will call after practice," Alec said, running towards the direction the voice had come from. In his hurry, he didn't notice when he dropped one of the books in his hand.

"Alexander! You dropped your-" Magnus tried yelling but Alec was already out of ear shot. He picked up the book and went the general direction Alec had run. He guessed he should be looking for a school field since it was football Alec was going to be playing. It took a few minutes to find the field, considering how big the school was. He had come across two fields with no footballers, but the third time was a charm. It too late to give Alec his book back when he got there since practice had already started. He made his way to the seat stands, deciding to wait for Alec to finish. He checked the time on his phone for something to do. He looked at the book in his hand and for the first time noticed that it was Alec's sketch book.

Out of boredom and interest in Alec's work, he opened the book, admiration for Alec's work clear in his eyes. It took him a few minutes to go through all the pages and it was the last one that surprised him the most; it was a painting of him. He inspected the painting further, as if to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him. He tore his eyes away from the painting to look at the football field and Alec was the first player he saw.

Alec had just got hold of the ball, making his way to the goal post and effortlessly kicking the ball with enough force to break a wall. He scored, resulting in his team mates jumping on him all at once in a group embrace. Magnus' smile faded, not liking the fact that so many people were hugging Alec, not him. He looked down at the painting again and the slight tension he was feeling in his heart lessened. I'm the one he spent his valuable time drawing, not them. Magnus thought, his previous broad smile making another appearance.


Like what I did with the tittle, there? Oh and also, my friend, Angel has been beta reading my chapters so far. I forgot to say in the other chapters so thank you Angel! Angel isn't his real name though but I think it should be.

~Sherry