Something About Alice Murphy: BOOK 2

P A R T - T W E N T Y - N I N E

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Yet.
The Finale.
_______________________________
Friday, 28th June

The final bell for the day and for the semester rang and Summerland high erupted into cheers, the sound of them pouring out into the hallways as doors to class rooms opened and students hurried out in pairs or groups, wanting to already get started on their Summer plans. "My father is taking me off to the Bahamas for a week to celebrate, an all inclusive resort and a private villa." one girl said smugly as Alice passed them... She heard the others coo with fake excitement and smiled to herself as she hugged her books to her chest and made her way back to her locker.

It was quieter without the seniors here, there was just that little bit less noise in the halls with the sea of students hurriedly collecting their things from lockers to escape the clutches of school before it was too late. You could almost hear the clock ticking, since in three months they would be back here... Starting school again, but a grade higher and that little bit older.

Alice emptied her locker, stuffing as many things as she could into her bag like she had been doing over the course of the week and evaluating how much stuff she could carry when suddenly she felt a presence next to her... She turned her head slightly, seeing who she expected stood next to her quietly. "I brought that thing you wanted." Noah said, his voice quiet and a little wary. He pushed his glasses up his nose and looked away from her for a second before looking back. He seemed nervous.

"I thought I said to meet outside, by the bike sheds." Alice replied calmly, and Noah shifted and murmured something almost incoherent about feeling awkward. "Can you hold these?" She then asked and he nodded, taking the text books from her arms since her muscles had started to ache. She continued to empty her locker, making note of things to throw away before grabbing a stray pencil and pen and shoving it in her bag before closing it and placing the key in the lock like she had been instructed by her last teacher. "Let's do this quickly, before Magnus gets here."

"You haven't told him still?" Noah asked quietly as Alice turned and walked away, and he followed quickly.

"Why would I tell him?" Alice asked as if the response she'd get would be obvious.

"I just thought, because you guys are together, you would-" Noah began as they turned a corner into an emptying hallway, and Alice stopped and turned to face him.

"Do not do that with me." She snapped in a low voice, staring into his eyes. "None of that subtle mind game bullshit, okay? I see through it. You are in no position to try and toy with my head, Noah. I am doing this for your benefit. Do you get that?"

"Yeah- Yes." He replied quietly and quickly, feeling his heart jump.

"If you don't understand why I haven't told him then we can wait and talk to him together when he gets here." Alice continued in a gentle voice and he stayed quiet, reaching up to push his glasses up his nose again. "You did some fucked up shit, and I get why you did it and I understand you, but other people won't, especially Magnus. You know that. So please work with me, don't make this weird." She then said, realising Noah's reality was a little distorted. He was almost smug that Alice was hiding his secret from Magnus, as if he didn't understand what would happen to him if he found out... she found that interesting but didn't drag the topic on.

"Yeah. Okay." Noah breathed in agreement, still holding her books. They stared at each other for a moment in silence as a couple of other students walked past too caught up in excited conversation to notice them.