"My name is Alex, Alex Emmons."
Y/n tilted his head forward "Emmons?" The blond boy nodded "Do you need something?"
Alex gave him a nervous smile and rubbed his neck "Can I...talk to you for a minute? privately?" he looked around the classroom warily. Y/n scratched his face at Alex's clear demeanor of caution "...We can talk after school, That would give us some privacy?" Y/n suggested.
The blond gave him a grateful look "Sure! Uh, We could meet at the front of the school around three pm, does that sound good?" Alex began fidgeting with his fingers. It was clear he was anxious about something.
Y/n observed Alex's skittish behavior, there was something underneath his tone and front of timidness. Desperation.
"Um...um. . ." the h/c haired boy bit the inside of his cheek. 'Ten past three. That means I'll have sixty to fifty minutes to meet up with Clark and Kiara depending on how long our conversation will be.'
Y/n glanced at Alex and exhaled through his mouth "Yes that works out." Alex's face lit up and he gave Y/n a lively smile and nearly fell into the boy's embrace as he shot forward to grab Y/n's forearms "Thank you! See you later!" Alex walked away with seemingly a skip in his pace.
Y/n sighed and began making his way to his next class
Y/n was sitting in his next lesson listening to his teacher when a sudden subject popped up that caught his attention
"Hydrogen peroxide also H2O2 is a chemical compound that is used as an oxidizer bleaching agent and antiseptic. It's therefore used as a disinfection to prevent wounds from getting infected and also used as a type of oxidative hair dye due to the chemical reaction it often creates new hair color because of it. So if you take H2o2 and-"
"isn't it also used for cleaning stains stuck in fabric?" a girl asked. The teacher glanced at the interrupting student before replying "Yes, hydrogen peroxide reacts with certain chemicals, weakening the ties to fabric and making it easier to wash out, that goes for all other substances containing protein, and most of all oxygen."
The teacher cleared her throat "Well if that's all, let's continue our lesson so as I was saying H2O2 can-"
Y/n didn't listen after that he was too immersed in his thoughts 'Hydrogen peroxide can clean out stains?' the boy narrowed his eyes as his mind strayed back to Ezra's car 'What could they have spilled that required an entire deep cleaning? That whole car reeked of cleaning product.' The boy tried to think of any type of substance that would require the car to be so rigorously cleaned but couldn't come to a solid conclusion.
the lesson ended soon after.
the class after that went by quicker than Y/n had anticipated and he was now making his way to the cafeteria. He stepped into the cafeteria and went to grab a tray of food as he stood in line his eyes drifted toward Clark and Kiara, they where both sitting at their signature table.
But the pair were not saying a word to each other. Kiara was on her phone and Clark was uninterestedly poking at his food with his utensils. Y/n had a clear idea of what the cause was to the duo's behavior.
He made his way to them and set his tray down "Hey guys." Clark glanced at him but didn't respond. Kiara didn't even bother looking up from her cellular device. The h/c haired straightened his lips 'I guess I shouldn't have had high expectations, there is a big elephant in the room and it can't even be discussed.'
Y/n rested his cheek in his palm and gazed around the cafeteria when it was clear that the trio would not communicate with each other. his eyes locked onto the group across the cafeteria, the quartet seemed to be more lively than the first time he saw them.
it now appeared to not only be Nova who was making conversation and joking around but also Ezra and Roy. Elio was the only one sitting silently, which was not strange considering his personality. 'How the tables turned'
The h/c haired male reversed his face back to his tray and noticed Clark was glaring at him, or rather glaring past him.
"What's wrong Clark?" He questioned meeting with no answer from the brunette. Y/n huffed and crossed his arms "Look I'm sorry that I dragged you guys into my mess-" the h/c haired male shut his mouth when he felt someone put a hand on his shoulder "Hello, You wouldn't mind if we borrow Y/n, right?" a soft voice regarded Clark and Kiara.
Y/n looked at the hand that was placed on his shoulder blade and noticed the black polished nails, giving a fairly accurate guess as to who was behind him. Kiara stared in shock at the ash blond. Ezra tilted his head and smiled gently.
"Thank you, sorry for disturbing you, you seem to be busy." Ezra slid his hand down from Y/n's shoulder down his bicep, his elbow, and finally his wrist, Y/n shivered at the prolonged touch feeling slight warmness being left behind by Ezra's palm and fingers tingling his skin.
The ash blond wrapped his fingers around Y/n's wrist, pulled him up from his sitting position and began pulling him away from his table.
Y/n tried to rip away his arm but Ezra had an iron grip on his limb making the h/c haired question his initial impression of Ezra's strength.
The boy was dragged toward the table where the other males sat and was pushed down on a seat next to Elio and Roy. Ezra's hands stayed on his upper arms for a brief second, tightening his hold, advising the h/c haired to stay seated before the ash blond let go and took a seat in his previous place next to Nova.
"Um..." Y/n opened his mouth furrowing his brow at Ezra to signify his disapproval of his action. Ezra swiftly cut him off "Really sorry Y/n, but we couldn't help but notice the..." The ash blond waved his hand around looking for the right words "The tension between you three? it looks like you're having some issues you need to resolve."
"What Ezra is trying to say is we wanted to help you get out of that setting. Pretty much everyone in this cafeteria noticed the tension around you guys." Roy admitted
Y/n gave the redhead a skeptical expression "I guess there was tension." Y/n shrugged
Nova propped up his head by his hand "So...What was it about?" He teasingly inquired earning a glare from Elio.
"What? I just wanna know."
Elio rolled his eyes "Of course you wanna know, you gossip-consuming glob."
Nova waved his hand to Elio and leaned closer to Y/n "So did you guys have a fight?" This time Nova earned a jab from his brother "Nova." he scorned
"I'm just asking"
Roy buted in "You kinda are being insensitive dude." Nova shot the redhead an incredulous look "I think you can't judge me on my insensitiveness when you have a list of boys and girls you've led on and left heartbroken"
Roy scoffed "Says the one getting in fights almost daily, Didn't you get in an argument with that one guy today? I heard he had to go home because he broke his shoulder blade" Nova puffed out his chest, crossing his arms " That d**khead totally deserved it."
The scarlet haired boy let out a laugh in disablief "According to you everyone you beat up 'deserved it' N."
"No- not everyone that I...." Nova trailed off "Oh Nevermind you're right!"
Roy arched a brow "You..." He didn't finish the sentence and instead looked toward Y/n "Don't mind him." Y/n snickered " Sure, I won't," he said light heartily
Nova grinned "So what's the matter with you, Field and Keller?"
Everyone at the table gave the ash blond a blank stare. Y/n persuaded his lips and searched his mind "We just had a disagreement about something, Kiara and Clark are..." Y/n stopped.
"Are what?"
Y/n bit his lower lip "They need some time alone. I don't wanna push my problems on them more than I already have."
Ezra spoke up "Problems? Why would you tell them your personal dilemmas when you hardly know them?"
Y/n creased his brows at Ezra's statement and thought back to the night before as well as the actions they had planned later that day. 'Why did I tell them? I could have very well told Ezra or the others...but.' The h/c haired peered back at Clark 'I feel...I feel like Clark might be right, the more I hang around Elio, Ezra Roy, and Nova, I notice...a change. I can't put my finger on it.'
The male turned toward his friends and glanced out warily.
You knew there was something that had changed, something within them. Everything they did, everything everyone said so far about them pointed to it. It could go unnoticed by everyone. Everyone but you. You knew them, you used to and still know them better than they realize whether they like it or not.
It was suffocating.
Y/n put his palms on his knees to stop himself from standing up and walking away from the group.
Ezra noticed his tense posture and shifted the conversation away "So how are you finding it back in Runswick so far?"
The h/c haired boy moved his gaze to Ezra "It's..." His mind strayed to the events of the last three days "It's been good." He lied.
"How's your dad? Didn't he come back as well?"
The boy's breath hitched in his throat "No. No, he didn't."
"Why?" Ezra questioned making Y/n grit his teeth "He simply didn't want to." Ezra hummed at the male's answer. The school bell went off propping the students to return to their classes. The h/c haired nearly jumped out of his seat "Bye guys." he muttered and strode away without another word.
The group of males stared at the h/c haired male as he walked away.
There was one thing you forgot. Yes, you did know them better than anyone, better than they knew themselves.
But they too knew you, better than anyone. better than you did. They hadn't forgotten you for a single moment. and now that you were back.
You were going to regret ever leaving them.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
School ended and Y/n started packing up his bag to meet up with Alex. It was currently ten to three. Y/n didn't want to keep the blond waiting so he sped out of the classroom into the busy hallway. The boy felt his phone buzz and he reached into his pocket.
Kiara: Don't forget four pm, bring the box. We're waiting at the town's sign.
Y/n exhaled 'as if I could just 'forget' that damned box.' The boy put his phone away and went to his destination.
And just as promised, Alex was standing by the school gate, when his green eyes landed on Y/n he sent him a wave and smile "Hey Y/n, How were your classes?" Alex asked as Y/n approached him.
"My classes were good thanks for asking, yours?"
"My classes were also fine" the blond answered. Alex coughed into his hand and gripped his bag " I'm gonna get straight to the point. I need to ask you a favor." Y/n nodded "And what may that favor be?"
Alex became more nervous and stayed quiet for a while and grabbed something out of his bag "I want to ask if you could ask your mother if she can investigate my sister's disappearance?" Alex handed the h/c boy a missing poster similar to the one hanging just outside the gate.
Y/n raised a brow in confusion as he glanced at the poster "I'm...No offense but...hasn't her case already been investigated by Detective Grey?" Y/n implored
Alex's shoulders slumped in pessimism and his mouth changed to a bitter smile "Well...I don't wanna speak ill of the dead but...When Detective Grey was active and working on the Runswick killer, he discarded all other cases." The blond male put his hands together "Me and my parents tried going to him to ask him to take on the case to find her."
Alex shifted his eyes to the ground "He refused to investigate her disappearance. My parents said there wasn't anything more we could do, but I went to Detective Grey a second time to beg him to at least look into it, Avery would've done the same for me. But he refused once more and said And I quote " i don't have time to investigate some teen girl who probably just ran away from home"...i tried to reason that Avery was not that type of person but he shooed me away not bothering to hear me out further."
Alex looked up at the h/c haired with tears welling up in his green eyes "I know something happened, she wouldn't just run away. My parents and I printed out missing posters and put them all around town, but when nothing came out of it after three months, mother and father stopped and said that..that she mostly likely is..." Alex let out a pained sob trying to hold in tears.
Y/n reached out toward Alex "Can I hug you?" he softly questioned to which the blond nodded lightly and the h/c haired wrapped his hands around Alex and pulled him into an embrace as Alex still fought his emotions from pulling out.
"It doesn't make sense, if she was dead wouldn't they have found her body like all other victims? Then we would've been able to let her rest, but now...I don't know what happened to my sister, Y/n. But something happened and I suspect that she might still be alive...somewhere." Alex said between light sobs. Alex grabbed Y/n's hand in a tight grip.
"Please Y/n. Can you ask your mother to at least look into it?" Alex pleaded. Y/n looked at the blond-haired male, sympathy tugging at his heart "I...Yes, I will." Y/n whispered
Alex hugged Y/n tighter "Thank you Y/n, you don't understand how much this means to me."
.
.
.
.
.
After Y/n's meet up with Alex the school bus arrived a few minutes later.
Y/n was sitting near a window looking out at the passing scenery 'Alex seemed desperate...by the look of what I saw it seems that Alex isn't coming to terms with that Avery might not ever come home as Ezra said he was.' Y/n felt a headache rising and took out his headphones and phone from his bag
it was a quarter past three. The boy plugged in his headphones and put them on.
(Play video at 0:41)
I can't see me lovin' nobody but you.
For all my life.
Y/n leaned his temple against the windows and glanced out the window
Me and you, and you and me.
No matter how they toss the dice, it had to be.
The only one for me is you, and you for me.
So happy together.
The h/c haired boy jolted upright as his phone began ringing. he glimpsed at his screen annoyed. it was an unknown number, Y/n grimaced but answered the call.
"I'll kick your ass myself if you forget our meeting." a snappy voice sounded from the other line making Y/n roll his eyes "Hello to you to, Clark, and yes i won't forget." The brunette let out a scoff "You better don't, this was your idea and I'm risking my life to help you." He hissed.
"If you don't wanna come along then why don't you just leave it to me and Kiara?" Y/n asked
it was silent
"Oh... Do you care about us Clark?" The h/c haired male teased
"...Shut up." With that, the brunette hung up.
Y/n chuckled teasingly and saved Clark's number into his phone then put his phone back into his pocket.
.
.
.
.
.
Y/n arrived at his home and immediately went into the shed to grab the box with the deceased Bella inside. He didn't dare open the lid until they needed to bury the cat. He closed the shack and began walking to the place where the trio had agreed to meet the day before.
The boy arrived at the sign around ten to four, Clark and Kiara were already standing by the sign. Kiara had a bouquet of red flowers in her hand and Clark held two shovels and six pairs of yellow plastic gloves
"Good, we're all here." Clark said "Let's go, no time for chit-chat, we need to get this over and done with. Unless we wanna risk our chances of appearing in tomorrow morning's newspaper because we got slaughtered." The brunette began descending into the forest. Kiara and Y/n shared a look before hurriedly following the male.
the trio was walking through the woods trampling on leaves and sticks. Clark smacked away branches that blocked his face while Y/n was swapping away flies that seemed to increase with numbers the longer he walked around, he grunted out in frustration.
"The flies are attracted to the corpse." Kiara said glancing at the box "So you will have to deal with the flies until we bury the cat." Y/n nodded understandingly.
They walked a good hour into the woods, and eventually, they reached a spot that had an open area with two oak trees standing opposite each other making a good space between them to bury the feline.
Clark leaned the shovels against one of the trees and threw Kiara and Y/n a pair of gloves "Put them on, or don't, it prevents you from getting too messy." Clark remarked putting on his own gloves and grabbing a shovel. Y/n and Kiara once more shared a look before the male put on his gloves, and put down the box near the tree, and grabbed the remaining shovel.
"The hole needs to be at least three feet deep, too shallow, and other animals will come and dig her up." the haired boy analyzed, digging the shovel into the dirt put his heel against the step of the shovel to shove the tool deeper into the ground.
Y/n tightened his grip on the shovel and followed Clark's movement. There was an uncanny feeling forming in the air but no one chose to acknowledge.
'It feels like we are gonna get ambushed any moment.' The h/c haired boy continued robotically scooping out the dirt. He didn't know how long he was digging but soon enough the hole became deeper and deeper until Clark stopped sticking his shovel into the dirt close to him with Y/n following suit.
"Where did you learn how deep to dig?" Y/n questioned wiping his gloved palm against his forehead to wipe away some of the sweat that built up. Clark blinked at Y/n and dusted off his palms "My grandparents own the local mortuary. They do pet funerals aside from normal funerals. In the last years, pet funerals have been postponed, more people have died than animals recently so they prioritize the deceased folk rather than pets" he answered.
"I see.." Y/n muttered, The brunette put his hands on his hips and stared at the male in frustration "What are you waiting for? a gold sticker? grab the cat." Clark ordered.
Y/n moved to the box and shakily opened the lid the first thing that came out was the horrendous stench making the boy angle his head away to avoid the smell. he reached into the box and carefully tilted the feline out of the box.
Kiara made a choking sound when her eyes landed on the headless pet and swiftly turned her head away, tightening her grip on the flowers she was holding.
Y/n approached the hole again with the cat in a stern grip. he bent down and gently put the dead cat into the hole. he stood up to dust off his pants from the dirt and swallowed down the sickening feeling coming up his throat. "Okay let's finish this," Y/n murmured.
Clark nodded in agreement and grabbed the shaft of the shovel. Y/n walked up to his own shovel grabbed the handle and began covering the hole with the dirt they had previously dug up.
After a few minutes, Y/n and Clark had filled up the grave and Y/n let out a sigh as he leaned against the shovel. The brunette took off his gloves and put them in his jacket as he turned to the black-haired girl who was staring expressionless at nothing. "Kia, the flowers?" he indicated making a gesture.
Kiara snapped out of her daze and glanced at the flowers blankly before stumbling to the grave and letting the flowers fall on top. the female closed her eyes and muttered some words.
"Rest in peace." she softly said
Clark and Kiara both turned around to begin walking back to the town. Y/n stayed in his spot for a few seconds staring at the flowers. "OI! Y/n get moving!" Clark called out. Y/n grabbed his shovel and hurried after the pair.
The walk back was quiet. They all wanted to return to civilization as soon as possible. after another hour of walking, they saw the sign of the town. They stopped under a lampost, it was dusk, and the light was already on.
The h/c haired male handed the shovel to Clark and took off his gloves.
"Can you make your way to your house on your own, Y/n?" Kiara asked. The boy nodded in response "Okay see you after tomorrow, school is canceled tomorrow due to a schedule change." Kiara explained. "okay bye Kiara, bye Clark." he waved and the girl waved back. for a second Y/n thought he saw Clark raise his hand in a parting gesture, but he couldn't say for sure, and went on his way.
Y/n walked into his neighborhood and felt a weight being let off his shoulder as he saw his house. Y/n threw away the cardboard box in the recycling bin and reached into his pocket to grab his keys.
Instead of his keys, he felt the vibration of his phone and a ping signifying a notification had come through. The boy took out his phone and saw he had a message unlocking his phone to see what it said. his eyes widened.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Unknown: Did you have fun burying the body? :)
Thanks for reading! I'm really a sucker for cliffhangers recently so expect those! comment for motivation it really helps <3 - Nereza