Algid (#TronnorAU)

Chapter 27: Mikey's family

Alexa's eyes weren't trying to find Connor's, but he still averted hers instinctively. Something about this felt too strong, too affective. Too seductive.

-"... You ask a lot of questions, Green."

Connor didn't said anything. And that silence lasted an eternity. However, Alexa backed off with a smirk and a giggle, leaving the bed and tying her hair in a horsetail.

It took Connor a minute to compose himself after that. Because he remembered well the ground rules the two of them had set, and for a second, it seemed like Alexa was about to kiss him.

-"... W-What was that?"—Connor asked eventually.

-"That"—Alexa explained—"is what you have to do when you want to make someone kiss you. It doesn't matter if either of you is thinking about it, or if they are even trying. Nobody can resist being left hanging like that."

It sounded a lot like bull, but Connor had already learned not to question Red. Instead he shook his head and asked one more time.

-"So you did tell her about the center? You knew Troye went there...?"

-"Yes, of course."—she said nonchalantly—"Word flies fast around there after all."

-"Around there? So... so you do go there."

-"Duh."

Alexa picked up the flask of red pills that she kept on her nightstand table, and shook them in front of Connor.

-"Where do you think these came from?"—she asked sarcastically—"The hospital? The shrinks there stink, they're nothing in comparison to the doctors there..."

Connor's suspicions had proven to be true after all. However, some of it still didn't make much sense. Alexa took out one of her pills, placed it in her mouth and swallowed it with a glass of water she had left inside her bathroom.

-"... Troye said nobody knew about him being there, yet he goes every Sunday."—he asked—"How come you know about him but he doesn't know about you...?"

-"That's simple; I keep my mouth shut. I don't go on Sundays, if that's what you're thinking, either."

Alexa was brushing her teeth as Connor kept pondering what was the truth behind everything. Troye went on Sundays, Alexa didn't. So that could only mean somebody had told her.

-"... The little birdie."—Connor whispered, as Alexa spat on the sink—"That... that person told you about Troye, didn't they?"

Alexa gave out a sigh, and then turned to the boy who was still sitting on her bed dumbfounded.

-"Does it matter how I know, bad boy?"—she asked—"The thing is that now you two know a little bit more about each other. Isn't that good enough?"

-"... Yeah, I guess, but..."—Connor stammered—"Next time it'd be nice to be given a heads up, you know..."

-"Ok, ok, I'll keep that in mind..."

That much seemed like enough compromise for Connor to feel calmer. Though there was still one more thing.

-"... But, if you didn't know about the nightmares, how did Lisbug know?"

-"Oh, please, Green, I thought you were smarter than that."—Red mocked, shaking her hips—"Think. Who on earth could know that you aren't sleeping? What person gives two shits to let your therapist know about something they know for sure you don't want to tell them?"

The way Red put it, simply, bluntly, made it appear really obvious to Connor. Because after all there was only one person who knew for sure that Connor wasn't sleeping.