Chapter Text
“Now now Alastor, be a good boy for me, okay? Charlie’s mother Lilith is a very dear friend of mine, don’t make me look bad in her eyes.”
Alastor nodded while trying his best to not roll his eyes. He was fine in Louisiana. He was even better in his Erasmus year in France. Why the fuck did he have to change his collage to babysit a girl in New York in his last year of collage where he was supposed to be graduating with his own friends. Actually that was a lie, Alastor didn’t believe in friends but still, spending time in his hometown and graduating from a place he’s gotten used to was better than wasting his time at a new place.
“Yes Rosie, I’ll behave and won’t let the baby do drugs.” He said. He liked Rosie, he really did. Apparently she was the godmother he never knew and his mother never mentioned. After his dad left and his mother died, when he was around fifteen, Rosie came with the documents and two social workers and took him from Virginia and they both left for Louisiana, her parents hometown.
“No drugs, no parties with alcohol, no letting her get involved with bad people…”
“What am I, her knight in shining armor? Isn’t she eighteen? Can’t she think of these things on her own?”
“Well… She’s a bit naive for her own good. I just want you to look after her like a good old big brother, okay?”
“Fine, can I have my keys now?”
Rosie gave him the keys to his car and stopped him to kiss his cheek before he could leave. He wiped the kiss quickly. “Ew! I’m twenty two now, don’t do that anymore!”
“I can’t stop now, my sweetie.”
Alastor rolled his eyes and left. He hated this. This was his senior year, their deal was that Alastor would stay with Rosie until he graduated and live by her rules -so she could be sure that he grew up to be a true gentleman like his mom would’ve wanted- and then he’d be free to move out and live by himself like however he wanted. He could’ve been free! He could’ve been free to go back to Virginia, where he spent most of his childhood because his parents had to elope and run away from Louisiana. He could’ve gone back to his old house that he knew Rosie didn’t sell, he could’ve rode around the neighborhood, looking for certain people.
He went to the college with a frown on his face but fixed himself quickly as soon as he parked his car and stepped outside. He remembered Charlie very vaguely. Her mother and Lilith would sometimes spend the holiday together and if Alatsor wasn’t on a road trip with school or Charlie wasn’t with her dad that holiday, they would see each other. They used to play silly games too. Charlie liked pretending to be a princess and Alastor would kill anyone who dares to go against her. Then she would apologize to all her toys for making Alastor kill them and explain that it was just a game.
He took his phone out and texted Charlie, he didn’t like making phone calls. They were awkward. Unfortunately for him, Charlie read his text and called him right away. “Alastor! Oh my God hi! It’s been so long! How are you?”
“I’m fine… Where are you?”
“I’m at class with my best friend. See you at lunch?”
“Yeah but I have no idea where the cafeteria is.”
“Oh we’ll pick you up from your class then, where are you headed to?”
“Nah, I’ll find you in the cafeteria.” Alastor said. He didn’t want to spend any more time with her and her friends any more than he needed to.
“Okay then. See you there at 12?”
“Sure thing.”
He ended the call with a huff and walked towards the building but just when he took a step, a car stopped right before it could hit him. Alastor turned around in a sudden fear and saw a new model of those two door red sport car. The man who was behind the wheel yelled at him. “What the Hell? Look where you’re going, idiot!”
The woman next to him laughed. The man snickered as well. Alastor frowned. “You’re not allowed to speed on campus.”
They laughed again. “Oh, did you hear that Vee? I’m not allowed to speed!” He made a sudden move towards Alastor with his car and made the young man startle. They were snickering. “Don’t bullshit me pretty boy, get out of my way before I run you over.”
Alastor rolled his eyes and went on his way but he had carved that man and woman’s faces to his face. He was going to make them pay one way or another.
***
“And this is where me and Vaggi like to sit and read, and this is where Anthony kicked a bully’s ass that one time last year, and this is where Husk created that new card game for us and this is the-”
“Cafeteria?” Alastor suggested, desperately trying to make her shut up. She’s been talking his ear off since they all came to pick him up from class. Apparently Charlie asked Rosie his schedule and decided to surprise him. They’ve been walking for ten minutes but Alastor was ready to find those two and make them run their car over him again.
“Yes! We’re going to have so much fun Alastor! Just like the old times.”
“Hmm.” Alastor looked around as they got into the line. The food was mediocre at best. He had gotten used to French cuisine over the last year so everything he ate in the States sucked. As they were sitting at one big table and eating, Antony started to talk like Alastor cared. He was talking about the clics and the student clubs.
“Oh and those are the Vees. Two of them at least.” Alastor raised his head and saw those rude two friends taking a selfie and laughing. He snarled. Anthony looked upset too. “Velvette is just a freshman but Valentino is a sophomore. We used to date ya know? He was so sweet and kind… That was until I learned he cheated on me with one of those rich preppy kids. Like that uptight asshole would know how to please him like I do.”
“Too much information.” Husk grunted. Alastor nodded. “Yes, too much.” He said. “But I must agree. He almost ran me over this morning. He seems like an ass.”
“He is!” Anthony agreed. “But believe me, his new boyfriend is just worse. He’s one of those pricks who just attends all the clubs and acts like he owns the place. No one cares if you’re in the debate team and chess club and also star in the school musical too! So you’re a bit talented, big deal.”
“Hey, I happened to meet him in the debate team and yes he might come out as ruthless but he was actually very nice when we were on the same team. He gave me the best tips.” Charlie said. “If he wasn’t an asshole who flirts with people who have partners, I’d befriend him.”
“I bet he’s late again because he was in rehearsal.” Anthony rolled his eyes. “Fucking rich asshole. He doesn’t even have emotions! I have never once saw his smile reach his fucking eyes. Everything he does is for the fucking show. How can Valentino be with someone so soulless?”
“Shouldn’t your hate be towards this Valentino person?” Alastor asked. “He’s the one who cheated on you.”
“Oh I hate him alright!” He said. “I just happen to not like his new man either. I just wish that Valentino would feel what I felt when I learned that he cheated on me okay? I want both of them to be hurt.”
Alastor shrugged and with the little movement he caught with the corner of his eye, he turned his head to the table where Vees sat. Someone came and grabbed Valentino’s neck and tipped his head back before giving him a brief kiss. Valentino giggled and blushed as the young man sat next to him and started to talk right away. Both of those rude people were listening to him with such interest and care in their features.
“Here he is, fucking Whittman.”
Alastor whipped his head to Anthony. “What did you just say?”
“Whittman? His name?”
“Vincent? Vincent Whittman?”
“Yeah? Why, do you know him?”
Alastor looked at the table again and examined the young man intensely. His hair got darker and somehow there were a few white hairs that gave him a mystical look. His mismatched eyes were still hidden behind a big glass and his teeth were still a bit crooked. He wasn’t wearing a Star Wars shirt, that was a change. He got muscular, he certainly wasn’t that scrawny looking little boy anymore. As Valentino leaned in to kiss him again, Alastor -God knows why because even Alastor wasn’t sure why he did that- pushed his fork to the ground and it hit with a loud noise.
Some people turned to look at where the noise came from as a reflex and the Vees weren’t so different. Velvette laughed and made a comment and Valentino nodded as he whispered something but Alastor didn’t care. His eyes were fixed on his childhood best friend, the one he had to leave behind when he left Virginia to live with Rosie, the one he just talked less and less for years and eventually grew apart. The one who looked at him like he was the only thing worth looking at in this cafeteria.
Alastor waved a little to him. He must know that it’s me. I didn't change that much. Sure I’ve gotten taller but that’s it. Vincent smiled. He smiled and raised his hand to probably wave back but quickly pulled himself together. He looked disappointed first and frustrated after. He grabbed his backpack and got off the chair without looking behind. Valentino ran after him as Alastor followed Vincent with his eyes.
“Holy shit… Smiles how the fuck did you- how the actual fuck did you manage to make Vincent fucking Whittman blush like that?” Anthony shook him. Alastor turned to him and gave him an unimpressed look. “Touch me again and I beat the crap out of you you fucking creep.” He said and shrugged, going back to normal as Anthony took his hands off of him. “I knew him back in my childhood. He was my neighbor… and had a crush on me.”
“What?” All of the table gasped. Anthony looked like he wanted to shake Alastor again but kept his hands to himself. “Oh, my, God. He had a crush on you? He looked upset. What did you do? Rejected him? Humiliated him in front of everyone? Stood him up for prom? What is it?”
“Nothing, he never acted on it. And after my mom died, I moved. We couldn’t carry our friendship, he never answered my calls or texts after that.” Alastor said.
“Oh… that sucks Smiles… I bet you were upset about your friend not being there for you when you were all alone in a new place huh?” Anthony said. “What a fucking jerk. You should make him pay.”
Alastor turned to him. “I bet you have a suggestion…”
“I kind of do… You see… We’re both done wrong by Vincent and Valentino. How about… we break them up?”
“You just want this so you and Valentino can get back together.” Husk said and Anthony blushed. “Nuh-uh! I want this because I want Valentino to learn that being cheated on is not nice.”
“What do you suggest?”
“I suggest that you should make Vincent cheat on Val… with you. I mean he had a crush on you already… and I bet he still has feelings for you, I mean look at how he smiled and blushed and then just ran away! I bet you have a chance.”
Yes, maybe I do have a chance to make him pay for leaving me all alone and take my best friend back eventually. That’s what I was planning to do after graduating already. “You know what? I’m in.”