Chapter six: To think you could trust someone
***
TODAY was the day. It terrified Magnus to his very core yet he knew it was right. He had spend an extra day in the hospital for observation, and then an excused week out of school for not only being stabbed, but also having an emergency appendectomy afterwards which he supposedly narrowly survived. Magnus thought he had to have clung onto life for something, not just because he's a fighter. No, there had to be something more than just being a fighter. Rudie was the one to visit a bedridden Magnus for once for the first few days, which he got an obvious kick out of. Then there was home physical therapy where it hurt to even breathe, his core hurt so bad.
//
Magnus took a breath and gripped onto the rails attached to the hallway in his house, shaking in pain. His core hurt so bad it was almost impossible to walk without buckling over. Veronica placed both hands on his torso- light enough so it wouldn't hurt, but just enough to be supportive- looking at him sympathetically.
"I can't do it. This hurts so bad, Ronnie." Magnus huffs, hanging his head forward.
"You're doing great." She encourages. "Mag, you're really strong. And lucky. I just wish I knew who did this."
The boy nodded, taking in the words and looked at Veronica who had the most caring and sincere look.
"I'll be okay." Magnus says with a nod.
"What if he comes back? What if..." Veronica trails off. "I don't want to lose you."
The McCary boy hugs his girlfriend and kisses her forehead as he wishes he could tell her. He wanted to tell Veronica everything, but he knew it would destroy her if he ever did tell her the whole truth. But for now, he just stood there in an embrace, glad for that moment.
//
It doesn't hurt as bad after having a week to rest and work the pain off. The average recovery time-off is one to three weeks, but Magnus would fight through whatever pain if it meant he were to get out of the house away from his parents. His stitches were taken out just the night before and he took half of of a painkiller before leaving for school to numb the pain but not make him drowsy.
There was nothing on the Rascal radar and he was thankful and scared for that. Thankful he didn't have to deal with him at the moment, scared he will have to eventually. He didn't know who could be his next victim, all he knew was that he wouldn't work for Rascal in a million years. There has to be another way out, he thought time after time, but nothing came to mind.
Back at school, he had many people tell him that they were glad he was getting better, that the guy that hurt him would get caught, and overall a great message to him. Would they liked them if he told them his true self? The McCary boy's plans was to tell the people he knew at school he was indeed a Southside Serpent and bit by bit, as time went on he would be more honest.
"Magnus, you look exceptionally well." Cheryl says when the boy was gathering his books at his locker.
"Thanks, Cher." He thanks with a small grin.
Magnus did understand why most didn't like Cheryl because of her cold hearted attitude, but the boy didn't see her in that way. Any friend of Jason's was a friend of hers, and Magnus had to have been one of Jason's closest friends. She had a soft spot for Magnus, but was only a tad nicer to him compared to others. He'd take that more than nothing.
The two had a pleasant conversation of small talk as they went to the class they had together and he honestly enjoyed it. Halfway there, Magnus' phone chimed, as did everyone else's in the school, so with a peaked curiosity he checked his phone. It was a post by the football coach's son, Chuck's Instagram of picture of him and Veronica in his car and she had a sticky maple mark edited on her face. Magnus gripped his phone to where his knuckles were white and he could feel his jaw clenching from pure anger.
"Mag, what's..." Cheryl trailed off once seeing his phone. She looked at him with apologetic eyes "Magnus, I'm sorry to remind you as if you've forgotten, but she's a Lodge, and if you have been keeping up with the latest tabloids-"
"Enough." He interrupts before walking out.
It's amazing how fast the teenage mind will change, one thing to the complete opposite. At first Magnus was being encouraged for being at school, now people were looking at him with pity saying 'sorry'. The teenage boy stormed out of the school his breathing heavy, trying to keep hold of what was left to him. He liked Veronica- no- he loved her. Magnus McCary had fallen for Veronica Lodge just to have his beating heart torn out of his chest and kicked like a football to a great distance. That football, that everyone thought was durable, was not, and it shattered like porcelain on a concrete ground. His heart was broken for the first time.
How could she do this? Was this all payback from all the terrible things he had done just a year before? Why did all come back so fast when it all happened such a long time ago. The boy stormed behind the school and felt himself letting go, tears running down his face when he punched one of the dumpsters, yelling out. Just a scream of anguish. Magnus slid down a wallb sitting down, leaning his head back to face the overcast sky while clutching his bleeding fist.
"God dammit!" Magnus yelled. He cried into his kness.
He had never been on this side of the ropes before; to be the one getting his heart broken. For Magnus it had always been hit and quit, not caring how badly he hurt them, and now he's feeling perhaps everything he did to those girls in his past, ninety percent of which he didn't remember their names. The McCary boy looked up and felt the crisp autumn wind strike his cold and wet cheeks, stinging his eyes now teary and red.
Football practice was just ending, and he didn't want to be seen and be known as the boy who cried over some girl. Magnus didn't want to show Chuck that what he did affect him, even though the two never spoke more than fifty words to each other. Magnus wanted to put on his masculine, uncaring attitude back on, yet couldn't, so for the rest of the day, he ditched school only to return at the end of the day.
He sat on top of the brick and cement Riverdale High School sign, motorcycle helmet in hand, as everyone poured out of the building, freshmen to seniors all at once. Knowing that he stuck out from everyone by looks, he knew he'd be easy to spot by anyone. Surely, as his theory became true, Veronica walked towards him, making him jump off the sign and walk away, not wanting to look at her.
"Magnus, where have you been?" She asks. "I thought today was your first day back?"
Magnus stopped in his tracks and scoffed, shaking his head and turning around. Seeing the beautiful girl he gained feelings for hurt him to the very core, yet to protect his reputation, he kept a caustic look. The old Magnus was back.
"You're really going to act as if I didn't see Chuck's post that signified of a consensual conquest. Ronnie, how could you do this?" Magnus asked, his voice clearly had both anger and sadness.
"Mag, please, you have to hear me out. What happened... didn't. Chuck and I didn't do the ghastly thing he says we did." Veronica defended in pure disgust saying the football player's name.
"Oh yeah, that's convincing." He scoffs "You know what, I was just starting to trust people, and this crap happens, so guess what? The old Magnus is back." The boy says, talking with his arms for emphasis on the answer.
"The old what? What are you talking about?" Veronica asks confused, slightly fearing the answer.
"Lemme tell you." Magnus chuckled. "I was a psychopath. I lied, have felonies on my record for things you wouldn't wish to know, and slept around with whoever I wanted, whenever I wanted." The raven haired boy explained. "That was before I met you. I thought... Maybe, just maybe I could find someone to make me different- a better person- and they could rub off on me. Apparently not seeing as this crap happened."
"Oh what so you're just going to believe whatever Chuck posts?" The girl asked, having a bit more anger in her tone.
Magnus put his hands up "I don't know what to believe. Take it or leave it, this guy, the cynical narcissistic asshole."
Veronica shook her head, "You're serious? That guy isn't you. Magnus I like you a lot." She placed a hand on his cheek.
He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath before removing her hand and placing it gently back to her side.
"I know, but I love you. That's what hurts." Magnus says with a croaking voice, tears threatening his eyes. "But I can't stop seeing you with him."
He kissed her forehead, his lips begging to stay as he pulled away and started to walk off to his bike in which he drove to nowhere.
***
"So are you going to call me?" The girl with sandy colored hair asks.
Magnus leans over the side of the bed to tie his shoes and get ready to leave the house he'd never been in, with the girl he'd never met before today.
"Yes Leah." He replies.
The boy gets up and grabs his coat off the floor where it had been thrown just about an hour ago. He puts on the jacket and heads for the door, to be interrupted.
"Linda." The girl replies.
"Whatever." Magnus mumbles as he walks right out of the house.
It was now the middle of the night and the moon lit up the dark street with the street lamps that gave a weak orange tinge to the black asphalt road that led on for miles with its twists and turns. The entire neighborhood, maybe the entire town, was dead silent, the only phenomenon to break the silence was the crickets and cicadas chirping. The crisp air nipped at Magnus' skin as he shoved his fists into his jacket pockets, turning onto another street in which he ran into a familiar face.
"Magnus?" They asked, checking if it was indeed him.
Magnus furrowed his eyebrows, "Ginger bread? What are you doing out here?"
"Could ask you the same." Archie says, gesturing towards him. "You know, you kinda stormed out on Veronica and she's really upset."
"I'm aware." Magnus replies, going to walk away.
Archie grabs hold of Magnus' arm and the boy whips his head around to face his red headed friend. Archie was holding his guitar case in his other hand, and he looked both annoyed and confused towards the raven haired boy.
"What is wrong with you? One day you're fine and healing from a near death experience, and now you're a jackass? I don't see how that adds up." Archie mentions.
"Ronnie and I are over, okay? Let go Arch-"
As soon as Magnus pulled his arm away, Archie interrupted him.
"Look, dude you're hurt, I get that, but you can't just go around and be... this." Archie couldn't find the words. "It isn't you."
Magnus scoffed and then laughed, "Isn't me? You people know nothing about me."
"Oh really? You have a love for leather jackets and tattoos, you like vanilla milkshakes but hate cherries, and you care more about your little brother than yourself." Archie spits out.
In a caustic tone the McCary boy had replies, "Oh yes, Arch, you have me all figured out. Go home."
Archie watched as Magnus walked away, hands shoved into the leather jacket's pockets and head directed towards the sidewalk in which he walked on. He couldn't just leave Magnus like that. The Andrews boy felt the strange need to help drag Magnus out of whatever darkness he seemed to be facing.
"You know I won't stop." Archie yelled towards Magnus, making him halt in place. "I'm going to help you. I'll help you see who you really are. The good guy. Maybe you'll get back together with Ronnie."
The boy didn't even bother to turn around, he just kept walking after his friend had finished, Archie going his separate way. Archie felt as if he had to help. He didn't know why, but he knew Magnus was someone who really didn't want to act like this.
I hope you enjoy disappointment, Andrews, Magnus wished to say.
A/N:
SO... stuff happened.
I feel like everyone's falling apart, which fits with Riverdale as every character goes through a mental breakdown at some point but... WHY DO I HURT MY SMOL CHILD???
But #Marchie is starting out!! Sorry if you thought Veronica was going to be the main love interest, but she isn't.
Also I find it funny how I wrote Archie in the final snippet because he sounds like a parent talking to their 'rebellious' emo kid: "It's just a phase darling, this isn't you."no
Ever since this fic has gotten so much love and attention I have so much inspiration and I'm so excited! I'm glad you guys love it (even though my writing is a tad problematic at first, it'll work out eventually).
qotc: What do you guys ship: Marchie (Magnus+Archie), Meronica (Magnus+Veronica), or Maghead (Magnus+Jughead)?
My answer: Marchie all the way, despite Meronica having its shining moments (whipped Magnus is too cute)
Do not forget to vote and comment!
Love you all like Magnus loves leather jackets!
xxCadence