Chapter 7 – Prom, Kisses and Confessions

Song: Hurricane Drunk – Florence And The Machine
There's probably one for after the prom but I can't think of a song.

Magnus felt his eyes widened as he walked into the venue. It was beautiful. The school had rented the local hall but instead of the usual decorations they entered by walking on a red carpet, glittering white netting hung around the entrance as he and Cat ducked under it, rippling curtains hung from the walls, the curtains were a deep blue silk like the night sky, fairy lights sporadically shone on the fabric like stars. On the stage a band was playing a soothing song and people were dancing in front of them, at the opposite ends were a few buffet tables had snacks and punch spread along them.

"This doesn't look like the hall we used to have birthday parties in." Cat breathed, the twinkling lights caught the dangling sapphire earrings hanging from her ear, her blue eyes were wide and her lips pink. Magnus realised how pretty Catarina actually was and how much she downplayed her look. Judging by the looks some of the guys gave her they were thinking the same, but unlike them, Magnus would never put a move on Cat, she just wasn't his type.

"I know what you mean Kitty Cat." Magnus smiled. Cat scowled at him but didn't respond, Magnus place a hand gently on her back and stirred her towards the people by the buffet tables, "We should find the others."

"Agreed." Cat nodded.

They waded through the throng of people, admiring and complimenting girls on their dresses and boys on their tuxes. They smiled and nodded to their closer friends and slowly made their way towards the back tables. Magnus saw Ragnor before he saw Camille. His friend was wearing a bright green tuxedo, his blonde hair was gelled up in a messy way and his bright green eyes were scanning the crowd, he looked agitated. His eyes hardened as they met Magnus', Magnus raised his eyebrows slightly, Ragnor said something to someone next to him and then Camille stepped around his side.

She wore a long deep red dress that hugged her hourglass figure nicely, her long blond hair was curled and left free but in her hear she wore a small tiara. Her lips were a deep scarlet colour which made her eyes greener, the rest of her makeup was as immaculate as he expected. She smiled as she saw him. He glanced at Cat and saw she was smiling at Brad, the tall, muscular, brunette next to Camille – he stood a little to close Magnus thought. They hurried over.

"Magnus…" Ragnor said as they approached, his voice had a warning tone to it but Magnus dismissed it.

"Magnus!" Camille grinned. She moved to his side and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"You look beautiful, Cam." Magnus smiled.

She ducked her head slightly, "Thank you."

Magnus looked up, Ragnor was staring at Camille and Brad, he looked like – what Magnus called 'scary calm'. Brad had his arm around Cat and Magnus took Camille's hand, it was surprisingly clammy, Ragnor stood alone. There was an awkward atmosphere.

"So, what were you talking about?" Magnus asked, trying to ease the gloom.

"Oh, just exams and stuff." Camille said with a curt smile.

"Yeah, how it's probably best not to cheat on them." Ragnor added, Magnus and Cat frowned slightly.

"Urgh, why ruin a perfectly good night by talking about schoolwork, I think we should change the conversation." Cat pressed her lips together.

"Please do." Brad agreed.

"What shall we talk about?" Magnus asked.

They thought for a moment. "Favourite animals?" Ragnor suggested.

"Why not?" Magnus said, "My favourite animals are cats."

"I like bats." Camille answered.

"Bats?" Brad wrinkled his nose, "Why have bats when you have crocodiles?"

"Why have crocs when you have dolphins?" Cat countered, "And Ragnor?"

"I like most animals, it's be easier to say animals I don't like, for example: hamsters, gerbils, cheaters, mice."

"A bunch of rodents then a big cat?" Cat raised an eyebrow.

"No I like big cats just not cheaters, they're sly and sneaky, shouldn't be trusted." Ragnor replied. Cat rolled her eyes, Camille looked at her feet.

"Does anyone want a drink?" Brad asked.

They all said yes and Camille spoke up, "I'll help you Brad, you'll need extra hands." And with that the two of them left.

"What is up with you?" Cat hissed at Ragnor.

"Nothing." Ragnor insisted.

"No, there's something, Kitty Cat is right." Magnus narrowed his eyes.

"There isn't."

"Liar." Cat glared, "Look, Ragnor, we can do this the easy way or the hard way."

"And there's two of us, one of you." Magnus backed her up.

"Fine, there is something." Ragnor admitted, he pressed his lips together and hesitated before answering, "But you won't believe it."

"Try us." Cat snapped.

"Well, the reason we were…" Ragnor was cut off Camille and Brad returned.

Camille passed Magnus a drink with a smile, Brad gave Cat and Ragnor theirs. "Shall we mingle and meet up later?" Camille asked.

"I need to talk to my friends, actually." Ragnor said, Camille turned and face him, her posture was stiff and a forced smile appeared on her face.

"You can talk tomorrow, can't you? We only have prom for one night." She told him.

Ragnor narrowed his eyes, "I don't think it should wait till tomorrow."

"Well, I intend to steal Magnus this night."

"Magnus is his own person, not a possession."

Camille was about to reply but Brad cut in, "I think it can wait."

"You would."

"Ragnor." Cat cut in, "We'll mingle and dance for an hour then come to you and you can tell us what's wrong, would that be okay?"

Ragnor clenched his teeth but Magnus knew he would do what Cat said, she had him wrapped around her finger without even knowing it. "Fine."

"Awesome." Camille said with a huge grin and then she grabbed Magnus' hand and pulled him away before they could talk anymore.

Camille and Magnus spent the hour talking and dancing. They laughed and joke and kissed and enjoyed their time together. Magnus glanced at the clock on the wall. They were on the dance floor, Magnus' arms around her slim waist and Camille's arms around his neck.

"I'd better find Ragnor." Magnus told his girlfriend. He didn't want to leave her but he had to.

"Why?" Camille asked, "It's probably a load of nonsense, I wouldn't believe it." She didn't want Magnus to leave her.

"He wants to tell me something and I need to listen." Magnus argued, "I'll be back as quick as I can."

Camille pouted, "You could just not go, say you lost track of time."

"Cam…"

"It's prom, it's meant to be our night."

"I know but I have to, it shouldn't last long." He started to pull away from her.

"Fine." She frowned, "But can I have a kiss before you go?"

Magnus smiled and leaned forward, they kissed. Camille tried to make it as long as possible, she tried to remember everything about Magnus because as soon as he talked to Ragnor he wouldn't want to see her again. But still it tasted like goodbye.

"I never want to hurt you, you know that right?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Just remember that."

Magnus pulled away and gave her a smile before disappearing through the crowd. Camille sighed feeling her heart break.

"So that was the end, huh?" a voice said from behind her. She turned around and her vision burred.

"I guess."

Brad took a step forward, "May I have this dance?"

"Of course." Her arms slid around his neck, his arms went around her waist – mirroring the exact position she had been in with her boyfriend minutes ago.

"Do you regret what we did?" Brad asked her, his expression was full of care for her and she felt her conflicted heart melt for him, she did like him. They had talked recently when Camille felt like Magnus was more her best friend than boyfriend and Brad thought Ragnor was trying to break him and Cat up, their talk had lead into kisses and then a little affair.

She answered, "Ideally I would have broken up with him before our little affair, I was actually going to do it next week, I never meant to hurt him like this."

"But you did."

"And you did to Catarina." She responded, "She likes you so much and so wholeheartedly."

"She doesn't like me like that, she just thinks she does. It's Ragnor she really likes, or should do – he's crazy about her."

"I feel horrid is all." She confessed.

"Well don't. They'll get over it." He replied.

He leaned down and their lips met at the exact moment someone moved from Magnus' view and he saw clearly Camille and Brad kissing. He had been on his way back to her, she had convinced him Ragnor could wait but now, his heart felt like knives had been stabbed into it. He turned on his heel and stomped over to Ragnor, tears blurring his vision.

A pretty girl was talking to Ragnor but as soon as his emerald suited friend saw him, he spoke quietly to her and she nodded, wandering off. Ragnor's eyes turned sympathetic as he looked at Magnus.

"Is that what you were going to tell me?" Magnus asked, a sob caught in his throat.

"What happened?"

"I was going to meet you but then I kept thinking about how prom should be a night for Camille and I and then when I went back she was kissing Brad." Magnus told him, he felt tears fall down his cheeks.

"I know." Ragnor told him.

"I feel so stupid! She'd been distant lately and now I know why and Gods above, I'm so stupid!"

"No, she had me fooled. Until tonight, I saw her and Brad kissing in the car when they picked me up, I yelled at them and made us late, it's the real reason we didn't pick you and Cat up."

"Oh, Cat!" Magnus exclaimed, "Does she know?"

"She doesn't seem to."

"She'll be crushed."

"No she won't." A voice said from behind them.

They both turned and saw Cat. She was stood with her arms hugging herself, her eyes were ringed with red. "I went to the toilets to sort out my face and when I came back they were dancing awfully close and were kissing."

"Cat…" Ragnor pressed his lips together, Magnus knew he was dying to hug her and tell her it was going to be alright, he knew how Ragnor felt about her and he knew how she only saw him as a friend.

"At least I realised I didn't like him all that much, it was more his appearance that I liked." Cat raised her eyebrows, "Besides, I'm planning to make a scene soon, I may need the punch bowl."

"I'm game." Ragnor told her, of course Ragnor was up for getting revenge on exes. Especially their exes.

"Magnus?" Cat asked, her blue eyes were a mix of worry and anger.

"I think I'm just going to go home." He sighed, truth be told he was tired, frustrated and angry, he just wanted to be alone.

"But revenge?" Cat pouted.

"I'll get it another time." Magnus told her, "I think possibly sneaking out in the middle of the night with some Veet hair removing cream – she was complaining about her eyebrows the other day after all."

"You better bring me along for that." Cat and Ragnor both said at the same time. They shared a look as if competing who Magnus' best friend was.

"Will do." Magnus smiled, it wasn't a full smile and it was completely feigned but he felt a little better for it.

"Are you alright getting home?" Ragnor asked. His green eyes were pleading with Magnus, Magnus had intended to walk anyway but he knew Ragnor would leave his chances with Cat if Magnus asked. Magnus wouldn't do that to him.

"I want to walk, cool off a bit." He nodded.

"Alright. I'll call you tomorrow." Cat said, she hugged him and then stood back.

"I'll video Cat's scene for you." Ragnor promised, he hugged Magnus too.

Magnus took this chance to whisper to him, "Good luck with her, make a move if it feels right."

Ragnor made a choking sound and pulled away, his cheeks were slightly flushed pink. "See you Magnus."

"Bye." Magnus answered and walked away from them.

He waded through the throngs of dancing and talking people, no one noticed him so he let his façade crumble. The tears welled in his eyes and blurred his vision but he kept going, he got to the entrance and the first tear fell.

He pushed out of the hall and into the cooler night. His tears falling faster now, he couldn't see and that's why he bumped into someone. He sniffed back the snot and tears and looked at the person. The familiar blue eyes and black hair, the pale skin and elegant features.

"Alec." He sobbed.

"Magnus…" Alec didn't think he just took the other boy's arm and pulled him way from the door, they went down the side of the hall, away from sight. Magnus stood wiping at his eyes, he tried to smile but it looked like a grimace. He noticed Alec was wearing a tuxedo and boy, did he look good.

"Izzy said you weren't coming." Magnus snivelled. "But you're here."

"I wasn't but then I saw something and knew you'd need me." Alec replied. "What's wrong?" Magnus looked at Alec, this boy who had ignored him for eight months, this boy who may like him romantically, this boy, that Magnus realised now, was utterly captivating, this boy who cared about him. This boy who was talking again, "Look, I'm sorry I haven't talked to you in so long – it was the biggest mistake I've ever made, believe me on that, I will explain but right now I want to know why you're crying."

Magnus wiped another tear from his cheek and found himself saying, "Camille."

Alec's caring gaze turned to anger and then sadness and worry. "What has she done?"

Magnus gulped, he was breathing all wrong and his sentence came out broken, "She…. She che-cheated… on me…"

Alec didn't say anything but pulled Magnus to him. Magnus was surprised at first but then he relaxed, Alec's body was warm against his, his strong arms were comforting as they were wrapped around his back. Magnus buried his head in the crook of Alec's neck and let himself cry, he squeezed his arms around Alec like a child would hug a teddy bear. Alec murmured soothing things and rocked them gently back on forth, his hand rubbed Magnus' back rhythmically. Magnus wondered how many times Alec had done this for Izzy, how many times she had had to settle for her brother's comfort instead of her father's or her mother's, he felt a brief flash of anger at Alec's parent for leaving him to look after his siblings, for making him be the parent instead of them. But the anger was soon washed away by his own feelings of melancholy.

He didn't know how long they stood like that but eventually he pulled away from Alec. He was no longer crying but he still didn't feel like smiling, he wanted to go home. As if he read his mind Alec said, "Izzy dropped me off," he looked at his watch, "forty minutes ago, I bet she's sleeping. We could hot wire Jace's car but he'd be stuck then. Are you okay walking?"

"Yeah." Magnus agreed. They started walking in silence, both in lost in their thoughts but after a good ten minutes Magnus asked the question he had been dying to say for months, "Why did you stop talking to me?"

Alec look over at Magnus, his blue eyes wide. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah, it's been bugging me since you ignored me the first time. I missed you so much but I didn't tell anyone because how did I explain it? I didn't even know what I'd done in the first place. So yes, I want to know."

"Promise me you won't interrupt and you'll let me finish. And promise me you won't freak out or be disgusted or walk away or…"

"Alec, you're blabbing." Magnus stated, "But I promise I won't do any of those things."

"Okay." Alec pressed his lips together. "I stopped talking to you because it hurt too much to talk to you."

"What…"

"What happened to not interrupting?" Alec asked, Magnus narrowed his eyes slightly but kept his mouth shut. "It hurt too much because I heard your conversation with Camille, I heard how you'd made up and she was going to change – I hated it because you belong with me, not her. I didn't believe it for a second by the way, her sudden change, but anyway, you agreed and were so close so suddenly and it was excruciating – you'd been complaining about her and call her a fiend just a few days before, for the Angel's sake! I felt a million time worse because I like you Magnus. I have done for a long time and I still do but, you being with Camille almost killed me.

"I didn't and still don't trust Camille, I knew she would hurt you again but I couldn't bring myself to be your friend and go through all that pain. And, I'm pretty sure she knew I liked you, she rubbed it in my face almost constantly by kissing you when I walked passed, making you smile and laugh when she knew I could hear, acting like the best girlfriend ever when I knew she wasn't. But I didn't do anything and I let you slip further and further away and I'm sorry for that."

"What do you mean by 'like' me?" Magnus asked, he stopped walking and so did Alec. They stood face to face under a street light, Alec's face was going bright red.

"I mean I'm gay and I like, like you. More than platonically." Alec said, he kept Magnus' eye contact throughout his confession. He seemed calm but inside he was freaking out, his heart beat fast and he was too hot, he was on the verge of a panic attack.

"You do?"

"Yes." He answered quieter. Magnus saw the apprehension on his face, he knew Alec was probably wishing he could die right about then, he also knew whatever he said next could dramatically change their relationship. He took the moment to really look at Alec.

He looked older and a little stressed, there was a slight tremble to his hands, he bit his bottom lip in a way Magnus found very endearing, the darker marks under his eyes and they different shade of blue that swirled together in his eyes, his hair was slightly longer than normal and needed cutting, he held himself stiffly and there was tension surrounding him and not only from this conversations, he remember how the boy's muscles look slightly damp from the shower and Magnus could only think the boy before him was so utterly stunning.

And it wasn't, just his looks Magnus realised, he liked Alec's caring but shy demeanour, his slightly skewed sense of humour, how easily he got embarrassed, the emotions he felt so strongly and the walls he built up around himself as a form of protection because that's all he'd known from his upbringing. He liked Alec's laugh, his blush and his smile, he liked being friends with Alec. He realised he liked Alec.

"Well, I like you too." Magnus said, Alec looked up at him, his blue eyes wide and a surprised. "But, what Camille did…. I don't think I get into a relationship right now, I need a bit of time." Magnus started walking quickly, trying to hide the smile threatening to go on his face, "Play your cards right and the time could be a lot shorter."

"Wait, you like me like that?" Alec asked after a stunned second as he hurried to catch up to Magnus.

"I think I do."

Alec was dumbfounded to silence again. He recovered quickly, "Why?"

Magnus let out a small laugh, "Why do I like you? Why do you like me?"

"I like you because, you're smart and you make me laugh, you're beautiful and amazing, you just make me so happy. I just can't help but not like you." Alec admitted, Magnus mentally 'awwed' at that.

"Well, I think you're cute." Magnus replied.

"Cute?" Alec wrinkled his nose.

"You have a problem with that?" Magnus raised an eyebrow.

"No! It's just puppies are cute, kittens are cute, Logan Lerman is cute, giant isopods are cute." Alec protested.

"Logan Lerman is cute isn't he?" Magnus exclaimed.

"Yes but not the point." Alec blushed.

"You're adorable Alec, you and your little blush!" Magnus smiled at him. They were nearing their houses, Magnus felt a lot better.

"Are you going to be okay?" Alec asked.

Magnus pressed his lips together, he felt his eyes water. "I will be."

"If you need me just throw something at the window." Alec said.

"I will." Magnus assured him. They stopped in between their houses. "Thank you, Alec, you've made me feel a lot better."

Alec blushed, "It's okay. I'm glad we talked."

"Me too." Magnus gave him a small smile, he stepped forward and pulled Alec into a hug, Alec responded immediately and hugged Magnus back. Magnus whispered into his ear before pulling back, "And for the record I think your blush is damn sexy."

Alec stood stuttering and blushing as Magnus walked away, a grin spreading on his face, he let himself into his house and watched from the darkened window as Alec did a little dance then ran to his house. Magnus laughed and pulled out his phone. The smile on his face drained when he saw all the missed calls from Camille. The phone began vibrating, the caller id showing it was Camille, he rejected the call and turned off his phone, he went up to his room to sleep.

He'd deal with her tomorrow.

W/M: Sorry for taking a while, I've been emotionally absent due to James Dashner - I read 'The Maze Runner' series, it's the most heartbreaking thing I've ever read, I had three favorites and now I have one left that's alive. And, I ship Minho and Newt sooooooo badly! They're my second favorite ship out of my fifty-six ship armada. So, yeah. That's my excuse.

And, when I said this was the last chapter I lied. The next one is. And yes, there will be some romance, I've held it back long enough.

I also have this idea for a sequel, where they go to university/college/whatever it is next – again I don't know the American education system, help would be awesome. I might add Will and Jem and Tessa into that one too and it could be a cross-over type thingy.

But anyway. Thank you for reviewing and favouriting and following. What do you think? Would you like a sequel? Are there any really awesome Newt x Minho fanfics?