"Here's a copy of your schedules boys. Have a great semester."
"We will, Principal Victoria." Mike and Pete reply in unison to the blonde educator. They then walked out of the gym, which had students lined up to the entrance waiting to be admitted, and began walking through the halls to find their lockers.
Mike grumbled. Something, for once, hadn't gone according to plan. "Damn… Looks like my locker is on the other side of the school. That's a shame. I'll be back as soon as possible, Pete." He smirked. "Stay out of trouble."
He didn't respond. He was just grateful that Mike wasn't around for a brief while. He sighed, feeling like he could think for himself and breath for a while. He wanted to take advantage of it immediately. It could be a long time until he got the chance to do it again.
He found his locker and put the combination in, placing all his books and other personal belongings inside. He left the top shelf of his locker empty, that is, except for a few personal pictures. Firkle, Craig, Tweek, Butters, Bradley, and even Bloodrayne would greet him when he stopped by to pick up his items for the next class. Pete gave a sad smile at the happy, grinning faces. He closed his locker and made to report to his homeroom.
"There you are, you bastard!" A familiar female voice shouted from down the hall. She sounded very unhappy. On edge, even.
Pete tensed up, instantly recognizing the voice as Henrietta's, and also heard a quieter male voice trying to calm her down; undoubtedly being Michael.
"Come on Henri; let's just go to our usual spot behind the school. He's not worth it."
"No Michael! I want answers!" Henrietta snapped back at him. Pete could tell by her tone that she was enraged, but didn't have a chance to flee before he felt her presence right behind him. She then harshly grabbed his shoulder, and spun him around so he was looking at her.
Pete saw that both Michael and Henrietta looked exhausted; emotionally drained even. He could see that, underneath their thick black eyeliner, their eyes were puffy - signaling they had been crying recently.
Henrietta sneered slightly before hissing out, "You better have a good explanation for what you did, you fucking prick!"
"Henri-" The taller Goth began to say; only to be cut off.
"I mean, I can forgive you suddenly being besties with Vamp-Queerand his minions, maybeeven over-look you not replying to anyof multiple text and calls we've sent you over the past freaking month, but not showing up to Firkle's memorial?! That crosses the fucking line!"
"Maybe he's just dealing with this in a different way, Henrietta." Michael suggested meekly; trying to get the enraged girl to calm down even the tiniest amount.
"That's not an excuse!" Henrietta defended; her glare never leaving Pete. "You don't think we'rehaving trouble dealing with this?! Going to Firkle's memorial practically tore me and Michael apart, but we still went because he was our friend! Even kids from Firkle's class who barely knew himshowed up to pay their respects, and you?! You didn't even care enough to send a fucking flower, and you knew him better than anyone! What makes you so fucking special?!"
The Goth held his tongue, but a rising need to talk built within him.
In all honesty, he had heard about the memorial for Firkle, and wanted to go with all his heart. But Mike had forbidden him from going the second he heard of the event. Whether it was to mentally torture Pete or to keep a low profile was unclear, but either way, it had crushed him.
Of course, the two standing before him could never know the truth.
"...Come on Henrietta; he's not gonna say anything." Michael said gently, placing a hand on the girl's pale shoulder as an attempt to bring her down.
"Fucking bastard. Fine. Go hang out with your new conformist friends, you poser, backstabbing… son of a bitch." She spat the words like vinegar before turning and storming off down the hall - Michael following close behind without giving a second glance to Pete.
When they were gone, the Goth sighed and turned back to his locker. He grabbed his books and headed for his homeroom. He nearly ran into Mike, who was coming from the other direction, and jumped so high he nearly dropped his things.
"Easy, Pete. No need to be so on edge." The head vampire says with a teasing smirk.
He glared at the vampire. He kept his voice low to avoid attracting attention, but he made sure the anger in his tone came through. "My friends - my actualfriends, that have been there for me for as long as I can fucking remember - wanted me to explain why I couldn't go to Firkle's funeral, and I had to stand there in silencebecause I can't tell them. I am going to be on edge, sir."
Mike crossed his arms. "I'd watch yourself, Pete. You're letting your emotions get in the way of logical thought again."
"I don't give a fuck. I know that you said I can't tell anyone, but could you at least tell me a lie to tell them so they don't hate me?"
"That was the plan, Pete." Mike replied blandly. "To drive them away from you. Clearly they're no good for you, since they haven't noticed how distressed you clearlyare. So much for being good friends."
The Goth didn't want to think that. He didn't want to think that Michael and Henrietta abandoned him since that fateful night. He curled his hands into a fist, but knew better than to swing. "They wouldn't. They aren't like you.They're people,with logicand thought.They're worried. I might be forbidden from speaking to them, but you can't keep them from speaking to me."
Mike saw the teachers about the hallway and knew he couldn't lash out at Pete. He put an arm on his shoulder, instead, acting all friendly and kind. The teachers couldn't see through the facade. He muttered in Pete's ear. "You lash out at me like that again, and I'll cut out your tongue with the dullest pair of scissors I can find. Got it?" He flashed a grin at a janitor, waving to greet him as they walked by.
Pete remained silent until they passed by him. "Except I'd end up drowning in my own blood. Then where would you be, with me dead? All of that was to get me,right?"
"I'd find a way. Drink your blood straight out of your mouth…" Mike's breath was hot on the Goth's ear. He could almost smell the blood on his breath. Pete wondered desperately why no one could see the panic he was vaguely suppressing. Not a teacher seemed to see the bruises on his wrists, the gashes on his face, the hickeys on his neck; the marks seeming to possibly be invisible to all but the two of them. Didn't anyoneworry?
Even Henrietta or Michael?
No. He had to face facts. They wouldn't possibly worry for him. Not after he was forced to betray them. After all, Goths look out for one another, and if you do anything to upset that bond in the slightest, you were blacklisted for life; dead to them even.
Suddenly, the bell rang, and the remaining students left in the halls began scurrying to get to their classes.
"Look's like we better get moving." Mike smirked, slyly using the arm that was already around Pete to bring his skinny frame closer to him. "Wouldn't want to be late to class, would we?"
The Goth couldn't help but shudder slightly at the other words, and nods - letting himself be lead down the hallway by the taller teen next to him. Of course, he knew no one would pay him any mind. Thanks to being forced to hang around the vamp kids, people just assumed he was another pawn in their group, and that he was just like the others.
If only they knew the truth; then they'd be concerned. Pete thought to himself as smiling, blissfully ignorant students continued to pass by. If only…
The two eventually arrive at Pete's homeroom, pulling the other from his thoughts, and Mike finally released the shorter from his grasp.
"You'll meet me right here by this water fountain after this period ends so we can walk to first period together. Am I making myself perfectly clear?"
"Yes, m'lord." Pete replied; being careful to not draw attention by calling Mike "master".
"Excellent." MIke smirked; his fake fangs showing. "See you there then." The head vamp then glanced around to make sure no one was close by, and leaned in before whispering lowly once more into the other's ear. "And just remember; if you breathe a word of this to anyone, I will find out, and you willbe tasting your own blood."
Pete watched as Mike left him to walk to the opposite side of the building, towards his own homeroom. The other was uneasy, that was certain. Why else he wouldn't feel the need to threaten him constantly? The Goth wondered what was going on. Mike mentioned that people were suspicious.
Although, even if he managed to find out what was going on, Pete doubted that he would be able to exploit it for his freedom. Fear was the only thing that kept him by Mike's side. Not friendship, blood pacts, or love. He wished he had the courage to fight him. If nothing else, he hoped for the courage to end it all and not be part of these killings any more.
Hell couldn't possibly be much worse than what he had going on, right?
Pete headed to class, figuring that if he was going to be at school, held against his will by the government - and Mike - he might as well spend it productively. He just hoped someone would ask what was going on...