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Random fact about me: Today when I opened the cupboard to take out the pasta shells I knocked the bag off the shelf and the pasta spilled out onto the floor, most of it hitting me in the face first.

Chapter 13

Eyes sparkling with mischief, Lancelot stood up straight, tossing his black hair out of his face as he did so. A smirk stretched across his features and like a shadow he swooped down upon Merlin pulling him into a kiss without so much as a hello.

Pushing the older boy away from him, Merlin took a step back wrapping his arms around himself.

"What are you doing here?" He asked him.

"I came to see you darling." Lancelot told him. "You know I can't stay away from you too long. I love you too much."

He moved in to kiss Merlin again but he ducked out of the way.

"Lance, you need to leave." Merlin said trying to sound commanding but he was sure he just sounded meek and feeble.

"Babe, I just got here." Lancelot pointed out. "Besides, I know full well your mum isn't in. It's just us. Alone at last."

Lancelot pulled him into a kiss again and this time Merlin did nothing to prevent it. His tongue explored his mouth with an almost aggressive fashion as he guided Merlin to the bed settling himself on top of him. Experienced eighteen year old hands roamed the virginal sixteen year olds body.

Still kissing Merlin, Lancelot snaked a hand downwards reaching for the younger boy's cock. Merlin whimpered and struggled underneath the older boy as he fondled him through his boxers before Merlin managed to unglue his lips from Lancelot's and turn his head away.

"Stop." Merlin whispered as he kept his eyes tight shut praying this was no more than a bad dream.

"What's wrong sweetheart?" Lancelot asked as he pulled his hands away and sat up straddling Merlin's waist and looking down at him.

"I don't want to do this." Merlin answered quietly as he timidly opened his eyes.

"Why not?" Lancelot questioned. "We love each other. This is what people in love do."

"I don't love you anymore." Merlin whispered. "And you don't love me either…the spell…magic…it's not real."

Lancelot just chuckled darkly before moving off of him. He moved over to the window and sat on the ledge looking over at the younger teen with cruel amusement in his eyes.

From his position on the bed, Merlin watched Lancelot cautiously as the multi-coloured spots of light crossed his face as the disco ball continued to spin. He wanted to grab his quilt and pull it over himself to cover his near naked form but he couldn't seem to remember how to move.

"I know all about your stupid love spell." Lancelot informed him. "Me and the boys thought it would be a laugh to play along with it all and pretend it had worked. I thought I might even get a shag out of it. Virgins are my favorites you know, no slut or whore screams or feels as beautiful as a tight innocent virgin. But as luck would have it you're completely frigid."

"Arthur?" Merlin asked almost inaudibly.

"Arthur." Lancelot echoed. "What about him?"

"Did he…did he know?" He asked forcing himself to keep his emotions at bay; he would not cry in front of Lancelot.

"Of course he knew." Lance laughed. "It was his idea."

A flash of pain crossed Merlin's face and Lancelot's sharp gaze spotted it easily. He sniggered at him as he pulled a fag out of his jeans pocket and then took out his lighter. He took a puff on his cigarette and Merlin cringed as the fag ash hit the carpet.

"Oh Merlin." Lancelot sighed dramatically. "Merlin, Merlin, Merlin."

He laughed again and the mere sound made Merlin's blood curdle and his heart clench.

"Have you developed a thing for Arthur now?" He teased. "Merlin Emrys and Arthur Pendragon. That is so adorable. Are you going to try casting a love spell on him next?"

"Shut up." Merlin told him weakly which only made the eighteen year old laugh harder.

"A piece of advice babe, don't waste your time with Arthur." Lance said. "He's been dating my sister Ian for nearly three years now."

Merlin lifted his head up to take in Lancelot's expression. He hoped he was saying it to be cruel but he looked serious enough. He laughed at him once more before climbing out the window.

When the ability to move returned to him, Merlin got up and shut the window before returning to his bed.

His mind conjured up pictures of Arthur and Ian together and he didn't like it. In his head, the two of them looked good together and they kissed passionately before breaking apart to laugh at him.

He recalled the times he had spent with Arthur and how he had claimed that he liked him. He remembered the time the blonde had tried to kiss him but he had pulled back. Was all that just an act? Had Arthur been messing around with him just as Lancelot had?

Confused and upset, Merlin pulled the quilt over his head in a pitiful attempt to block out the rest of the world.

Merlin tried to think about his visit to Lancelot's house. That was the only time he had seen Arthur and Ian together but in that brief meeting there had been nothing to suggest the two were an item. The two didn't speak to each other; Merlin wasn't sure if they'd even looked at each other. Maybe Lance had just been lying to hurt him.

He then thought about the other things Arthur had revealed that night. The boys had known about his love spell all along and they were just pretending it had worked for their own amusement. Lance had said it was Arthur's idea. Merlin desperately wanted to believe otherwise but right now he didn't know what to think.

Deciding he would confront Arthur at school the next day, Merlin slowly drifted in and out of a restless sleep.

***

Morning came and Merlin dragged himself out of bed. He shrugged on a pair of comfortable jeans and a long baggy jumper.

He trudged downstairs and made himself some cereal but instead of eating it he just pushed it around the bowl with his spoon watching the milk turn the flakes soggy.

"Merlin?" Hunith asked gently. "Is everything alright?"

Ignoring his mother Merlin threw the uneaten breakfast away before sorting out his school bag.

"Merlin, what's up?" Hunith asked again as she studied her son with concern.

"Nothing." Merlin sighed.

"Is this about that boy?" Hunith asked.

"None of your business." Merlin snapped as he pushed past his mother and made his way to the door.

That morning, Merlin arrived at school earlier than he usually did. There were only a handful of other students dotted around and none of them were people he knew.

Not caring about the mud, Merlin sat down cross-legged on the grass with his school bag in his lap. He looked out at the parking lot waiting for Lance to drop Arthur off in his truck.

Several minutes later Gwen's boyfriend Leon made his way over to him and said hello.

"Hi." He replied politely without looking at him directly.

"Is everything ok?" Leon asked as he stood awkwardly above him.

"Fabulous." Merlin remarked sardonically.

"You look miserable." Leon told him. "Is it something to do with that older bloke, Lancelot?"

"It's none of your business." Merlin huffed. "Now will you just go away?"

"I was only trying to help." Leon replied defensively.

"Well I don't want your help so just leave me alone." Merlin snapped at him.

As the boy walked away Merlin couldn't help but feel a small sense of guilt but he couldn't take back what he'd said now. He looked out at the parking lot again and it was slowly starting to fill up but Lancelot's truck was nowhere in sight as of yet.

"Hey you, what's up?" Morgana asked as she made her way towards Merlin. "Damn, you look awful. And why are you sitting in the mud?"

The pale boy just shook his head before suddenly jumping to his feet when Lancelot pulled up in his truck. He marched over to the group of boys as they all climbed out of the vehicle and Morgana followed after him.

The moment they saw Merlin approaching, Valiant and Al burst into fits of laughter.

"Grow up you idiots." Morgana said to them which only made the two laugh harder.

"Merlin, how nice to see you." Lance commented as he leaned against his truck. "What are you doing here babe? I thought you didn't love me anymore."

Ignoring him, Merlin came to a stop directly in front of Arthur and glared up at him.

"Did you know?" He asked.

"Know what?" Arthur replied in confusion as he flicked his bangs out of his eyes.

"Don't play dumb with me." Merlin warned. "Did you know?"

"Merlin, I don't know what you're talking about." Arthur told him as he turned his eyes to Lance who looked highly amused by all that was happening.

As Lancelot's lips twitched upwards into a devilish smirk, Arthur knew then that his so called best friend had told Merlin the truth about their cruel plan.

"At least be honest with the boy mate." Lance said as he clapped a hand on the other boy's shoulder. "This whole pretending the spell had worked thing was your idea, you should at least take the credit for your genius."

"Ok, what the hell is going on?" Morgana demanded to know.

"Oh I think Arthur boy should be the one to tell you that." Lancelot replied as he ruffled the other boy's hair.

"Don't you dare touch me." Arthur snarled at him as he took a step back.

"What's going on?" Morgana asked in a louder voice.

Running a hand through his hair Arthur looked down at Merlin who was still glaring at him mutinously.

"I'm sorry." He apologized and that was all Merlin needed to hear to know that he had indeed created the plan.

"You jerk." Merlin whispered before striking him across the face then storming off.

"Merlin, wait." Arthur pleaded making to go after him but Morgana shoved him back forcefully.

"I don't know what you've done but just stay the hell away from him." Morgana told him before glaring at all four boys then hurrying away to comfort her friend. "Merlin, what's going on?" She asked once she'd caught up with him.

"I don't want to talk about it." Merlin responded in a weak voice before darting round the corner so he was out of the boys' sight.

He then leaned against the wall before his knees gave way and he sank to the ground with a single tear flowing down his cheek. Morgana crouched down beside him and waited patiently for her friend to explain what had happened.

The bell rang signaling their first lesson so Morgana encouraged Merlin to stand and they made their way to the science labs.

For the remainder of the school day, Merlin had a look of misery fixed upon his face and neither of his friends were able to cheer him up. At lunchtime it was raining so they sat inside to eat. They hadn't been seated for long when Lancelot glided into the canteen with Valiant and Al walking either side of him like bodyguards. All three of them looked over at Merlin and sniggered at him.

"Creep." Freya hissed under her breath as she glared at Lancelot. "Of all the times he chooses to come to school it had to be today."

"What is his problem?" Gwen asked.

"He wanted to see me upset." Merlin replied in a small voice. "In his sick game my hurt and humiliation is his prize."

"And it was all Arthur's idea." Morgana said darkly. "We should beat the crap out of them, all of them."

"Don't be silly Gana." Gwen told her. "Violence won't solve anything. Besides, they're older and stronger than us. It isn't worth it."

"Where is Arthur anyway?" Freya asked.

"He'll be outside." Merlin answered as he watched the raindrops drumming against the window. "He loves the rain."

"Freak." Morgana, Gwen and Freya said together.

"Yeah." Merlin replied quietly. "Freak."

He prodded at his cold pasta before dropping his fork onto his plate and standing up.

"Where are you going?" Freya asked him.

"Outside." Merlin answered before moving quickly out of the canteen.

Securing his bag on his shoulder, he headed out into the pouring rain. He made his way around the school building until he came across Arthur who was leaning against the wall, hair and clothes completely soaked through.

To Be Continued

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