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Noah and Heather's position in the school hierarchy was never a question, both were at the top of everything. Heather had been concerned about Noah at first, but he nipped that in the bud. He explained that he had no interest in taking her throne, nor in strong arming students into doing his bidding. Rather he simply wanted to be a force that no one would dare go against. He wasn't going to be bullied.
Noah was student body president, and that came with a lot of perks. Perks he could use to Heather's advantage. Not only that, but he was extremely good at reading people. Finding weaknesses to exploit, but he was too lazy to really do anything with it. He didn't really care to get his hands dirty. Which was where Heather came in.
The queen bee had no problems with getting her hands dirty. In fact, one could even say she took great pleasure in it. Using the information Noah gave her Heather was able to tighten her grip on the school. It didn't matter that people hated her. They were too scared to fight back.
Noah's connection to Heather wasn't really a secret of any kind. They hung around each other frequently. One would think this would prevent Noah from winning student body president but it didn't. In fact it was their third year of high school and Noah had been student body president three years running.
The reason was simple. Noah knows how teenagers are. They don't really care about school politics. Most of them want to stay out of politics as much as possible. All they care about is that everything is taken care of for them. They don't need change, especially if that change will involve them directly. That was what Noah's platform was built on. Keeping things out of sight and mind.
It worked every time. Mostly because the only person who stood against him was Courtney. Courtney, who always talked about all the changes she wanted to do in boring detail. Not to mention constantly saying that though this might seem impossible if they pulled together they could do it. Most students don't want to put forth that much effort.
All this to say that Heather and Noah's place in the school hierarchy was secure, and that between the two of them they had control over it. They were content in the knowledge that it would remain so.
Until he showed up. Alejandro Burromuerto. The guy was smooth as butter, charming, charismatic, strong, talented, and intelligent. He arrived about a third of the way into the school year, so naturally he was the center of attention. Though to be fair he'd likely have been the talk of the school even if he'd arrived at the beginning. Girls were crushing on him, guys thought he was cool, and those who didn't were usually jealous.
All of this was enough to set a fire under Heather. She wanted to take the guy down as soon as she could. She was planning to confront him. Noah on the other hand was a bit more cautious. They didn't know anything about him after all. They needed to figure him out before attempting to take him down. Heather agreed to hold off until he got something on him.
Noah began to observe Alejandro in an attempt to discern his weaknesses. Everyone else was easy to figure out. It didn't take long for Noah to read them. Alejandro would be the same Noah was sure.
Yet time went on and Noah was struggling to figure him out. It wasn't that he couldn't read Alejandro. It was that Noah could tell his reading of him wasn't deep enough. Seeing through Alejandro's charming facade was simple enough, but the true nature underneath seemed like it was another layer. Another mask, hiding all weaknesses behind malice.
Noah was frustrated, especially with Heather breathing down his neck. She was desperate to act. The longer they waited, the harder it would be to put Alejandro in his place. Noah's aware of this. Alejandro's popularity grew every day they remained idle.
More than that though, Noah was pushed by a desire to see what Alejandro was really like. He wasn't used to people so wrapped in enigma that he couldn't see who they were at their core. It was maddening. It was obnoxious. It was insufferable. It was...completely and utterly enthralling.
Noah started watching Alejandro more and more. At the beginning it was simply observing him when they shared a class with each other, or when he happened to spot him in the halls. Not so now. At this point Noah was following Alejandro every second he wasn't in a class. He couldn't very well let his grades slip, lest his student council position be taken from him.
The entire time he was at school Alejandro always wore his masks, both the charming gentleman, and the malice beneath. It was rare that he ever slipped. Noah did notice one thing that always provoked a reaction. One thing that always cracked his masks just a little. Enough for Noah to briefly see a glimpse of the man beneath.
If anyone called Alejandro Al, he’d have a visceral reaction to it. His eye would twitch, or he’d shudder, sometimes he’d even look enraged for a split second. Obviously none of this was a conscious decision on Alejandro’s part. Which Noah found fascinating.
Most people had those kind of tells all the time. It was part of the reason Noah could read them so well. Alejandro on the other hand rarely did. At least not obvious ones. For someone with so much control over his body and emotions to have such a reaction meant that whatever the connection this nickname had to Alejandro ran deep. This was far more than simply a nickname he didn’t like, and Noah was determined to find out what it was.
The day Noah finally saw what it was he’d had to forgo his usual stalking for a moment. He’d had a council meeting he had to go to. His mind had been elsewhere during it. On a certain Spaniard and what he was up to. That had been happening a lot recently. It was like he couldn’t stop thinking about Alejandro and what he was doing at that moment. It’d even been leaking into his thoughts while he was reading.
Not that it mattered at the moment because when he exited the school to drive home Alejandro was still here. He supposed it wasn’t much of a surprise. Alejandro was involved in several after school clubs. More surprising was the man with him.
He looked much like Alejandro himself. The same caramel colored skin, the same soul patch. Even similar clothing, with the only differences being his overshirt was blue and his undershirt a dark gray. There were other differences too. His hair style was ridiculously high, the hair itself was a pale ashen brown rather than the rich dark brown of Alejandro’s, his chin was far more prominent, and his eyes were gray.
The biggest difference wasn’t anything physical though. No, it was personality. This man was what everyone might think Alejandro to be. Arrogant, fake, and cruel. Unlike Alejandro though this appeared to be his true personality. There was no sign of anything underneath that, and Noah thought that was far less interesting.
He snuck closer, crouching behind a nearby car so he could overhear whatever the two were talking about.
“What are you doing here jose?” Alejandro glared.
“Now Al, is that any way to talk to your brother? I’m taking time out of my precious studying to visit you. I’d think you’d be grateful.” jose said.
Alejandro scowled. “Perhaps that was the wrong question. What do you want?”
A predatory grin took the elder Burromuerto’s face. “What any brother visiting for a bit wants. To catch up with my little brother. I’m quite interested in how you’ve been doing since I saw you two weeks ago. I heard you’re only second in the school rankings.”
Alejandro grit his teeth. “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”
“Oh Al,” jose began, a cloyingly sweet tone in his voice. Like a sweet smelling poison. “Of course it’s my business. I have to make sure you’re living up to the family name after all.”
“I assure you jose. I am.” The younger hissed.
“That remains to be seen.” The elder Burromuerto said. “Shall we go home?”
“You’ll have to go by yourself. I drove here today.”
“I see… Well I’ll see you soon Al.”
Noah watched as jose stepped into his car and drove off. Noah didn’t care about him. He cared about Alejandro’s reaction. Unlike usual, Alejandro was off his game. He could see so much in his face. Anger, spite, resignation, and above all inferiority.
Noah found himself staring breathlessly. Alejandro was a good looking man, or that there was no doubt, but Noah had never seen him look so beautiful. So captivating. He looked so vulnerable. Like the smallest bit of extra pressure placed upon him would break him.
It reminded him of a shallow puddle that’s been frozen overnight, one that is already cracking. Noah always wanted to break them. It was an strong urge to simply finish what was already started. And like those puddles Noah felt that urge. He wants to break the smallest bit of self control that keeping Alejandro from breaking down.
Eventually Noah managed to tear his eyes from the sight and walk to his car. He can’t wait to tell Heather about his discovery.
///
Heather was getting very impatient. Strike that, she was impatient a week ago. At this point she was done. If Noah didn’t give her something soon she was going to enact a plan against Alejandro whether he liked it or not.
So when she approached him that morning, she was not expecting him to be humming. It was barely audible, and the only reason Heather could hear it was because she was close and paying attention. Still it was there. Noah was humming. Noah didn’t hum. Ever.
“Well you’re in an obnoxiously good mood.” She scoffed. “Can I expect it means you’ve finally cracked Alejandro?”
Noah turned to her with a strange grin on his face. Heather didn’t know what it was, but there was something off about it. Something almost manic. “Not yet, but I will, or well we will.” ‘
Ugh. She hates it when Noah gets all cryptic. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Simply this. Alejandro has an older brother, and they have quite the rivalry.” Noah explained.
“And this helps us how?” She asked.
“This is no normal sibling rivalry. Alejandro’s brother makes him feel inferior. Its something that eats away at him. To the point where someone merely calling him by the same nickname causes him to shudder. From what I heard, he’s currently holding the fact that he’s only second in the school ranking over his head.” Noah said.
Heather smirked. “And I assume you’re in first?”
“As always.” The cynic replied. “So I was thinking, what if we work to lower that ranking a bit?”
“Through sabotage?” She suggested. “I can do that. I know some people who will steal assignments for the right price.”
“And I’ll light a fire under the person in third place.” Noah smirked.
“Who is in third?” She asked curiously.
“Courtney. All It’ll take is a little taunting on my part. She’s already miffed to have lost student body president again.” He explained.
“Well then. I suppose we’ll have to get started.” Heather smirked.
Convincing Duncan to steal some of Alejandro’s assignments wasn’t hard. All she had to do was wave a few bills in his face. She also got Scott to mess with some of them. Mostly math assignments, since it was easy to change a few numbers here or there.
The change in Alejandro’s demeanor was quickly apparent. He was extremely irritable and very clearly suspicious of everyone. His charming facade melted away far more often and obviously than before.
It was so satisfying, Heather found herself observing him constantly. She wasn’t the only one either. Despite having already discovered a large weakness to take advantage of, Noah was still following him as well.
It was actually starting to become a joint passtime of theirs. Watching Alejandro whenever they could. Seeing what he was doing, how he was feeling. It was so interesting to watch him break character. It made her wonder how far she could push it. How long it would take him to break completely.
It was about a month later that Noah showed her the school rankings. Alejandro was in third. Their ploy had succeeded.
Per usual she and Noah watched Alejandro that day. He seemed less angry and more worried. She wasn’t sure why, but she’d definitely find out. Or rather she and Noah would. The closer it got to school being out the more and more nervous he got.
It was when they followed him out the parking lot that they discovered why. A man that looked very similar to Alejandro was talking to him. This must be the older brother Noah had told her about. They crept closer to hide near enough they could hear the conversation.
“Jose, I thought you were busy with college work.” Alejandro said.
Jose had a smile on his face. A smile Heather was completely familiar with. She had sported it on numerous occasions. The smile was malicious and yet seemed friendly enough. In other words, he was about to eat Alejandro alive and spit him out.
“I am, but I heard from mother and father you’ve dropped down to third in the school rankings. Such a drop in grades is extremely concerning.” The elder Burromuerto said.
Alejandro was frozen in place as his brother placed a hand on either of his shoulders. “Al, what’s going on? Is something wrong? You know as your brother you can tell me anything? Hmm? Do you need help? I was valedictorian of my graduating class after all. I’m sure I can point out where you went wrong.”
Oh he was disgustingly good at this. Every word that came out of his mouth seemed helpful, brotherly, like he wanted to help. And yet there was a tone to it all. A sickly sweet viscous tone that belied the truth. He was mocking Alejandro. Asking him if he was going to come crawling to him for help in the most socially acceptable way possible. Those last two things in particular struck her as such. Pointing out he was valedictorian, something Alejandro had no chance of being if he didn’t bring his grades up, and that he could point out where Alejandro went wrong.
It was clearly working. Alejandro’s eyes shone with resentment, fury, and shame. “I assure you I’m fine.”
“So you say Al. just know that if you ever need any help, you can always come to me. After all it would be a shame if our parents couldn’t take pride in you.” The elder Burromuerto said.
Heather wasn’t paying attention as he drove off. She was more focused on Alejandro. He was so beautiful right now. His eyes glazed over with the beginning of tears. His lower lip trembled. He was so vulnerable right now. Barely keeping it together. So close. So very close.
He managed to take a deep breath and close his eyes. When he opened them a minute later he’d regained his control. Heather couldn’t help but feel disappointed in that. She looked at Noah and found his face matched hers.
“We’re so close Heather. So close to seeing him completely undone.” The cynic whispered.
“I want to crush his spirit under my heel.” She replied. “ and then I want…”
“To hold him? To hug him and kiss his tears away. To whisper reassurances in his ear. Letting him know that you’re here for him. That you're the one who he can place his trust in. You’re the only one who can care for him in this way. The only person he should ever pay attention to, because you’re the only one who could ever be for him?” Noah whispered.
Heather slowly nodded. “Yeah. Exactly that. I want him to be mine. I want to be his world.”
“I want him to relish every little bit of affection I give him. Like my golden lab.” He said.
“I want to see him come undone for me.” She admitted.
“I want him to care for me so much the very idea of me leaving him fills him with dread.” Noah agreed. He turned to her. “We’re so close Heather. So close to breaking through his defenses to leaving him completely vulnerable. I think we have to do it together.”
Heather felt like electricity was running through her very veins. Like if someone merely brushed against her they’d fall to the ground in agony. It was empowering. What they’d just seen? That beautiful vulnerability meant for them and only them? They’d done that. They’d taken the seemingly infallible Alejandro and rendered him nearly broken. Together.
She swallowed, wetting her lips absentmindedly. Noah swallowed as well, his Adam's apple bouncing in response. She feels all pent up, like a hamster on a wheel, running and running but getting nowhere. She just wants to release that energy into something. Or someone.
She wasn’t sure what prompted her, why she did what she did, but the next thing she knew her lips were on Noah’s. The cynic didn’t respond at first, clearly in shock, but soon enough he kissed back.
Heather drew him closer, pressing him as close to her body as she could. It wasn’t close enough. If only they could fuse together. It seemed Noah shared the sentiment as he pressed in on her, his hands into her hair idly braiding it. Heather slid her tongue into his mouth.
Heather didn’t know how long they made out for. She was too enraptured by the feelings of it. The rightness of it. It felt like Noah was meant to be here. Meant to be at her side always.
The moment they pulled apart Heather felt almost empty. Like part of her was missing. She wondered when this had started. Was there even a starting point? Or had it just happened bit by bit?
Noah caught his breath eventually. “So what do you say Heather? We can make him ours. I know it.”
Heather smirked. “You know I hate sharing, but if it's with you I guess I don’t mind.”
///
Alejandro is at his wits end. He’d been to many schools and had never had such a struggle with things. Bad enough he’d been in second with the school’s rankings, but now he was in third. Moreover he had not fallen there naturally. Assignments had gone missing, answers were changed after the fact. On numerous occasions he got the feeling that someone was watching him and the paranoia it caused was making him unable to concentrate or sleep.
It wasn’t like that was unusual. People stared at him all the time. It came with the territory of being a gorgeous specimen of the human race. This was different though, usually he could tell who was staring at him. Not only that but he could easily figure out why. In this case though the person, people?, who were doing so had thus far avoided his sight. Their motives were unclear.
, Alejandro had decided he was going to find out who was following him. His plan was simple, he was going to put a small piece of mirror in his wallet and use it to see behind him.
It wasn’t long before he got the chance to see. It was a pair of teenagers, queen bee Heather, and student body president Noah. So they were the ones following him. It made sense. Heather ruled the school with an iron first. Of course she would want to take him down. Someone who had come out of nowhere to climb the social ladder. And Noah? He was at the top of the rankings. Perhaps he was worried Alejandro would overtake him?
And yet, it felt like there was something more. Something deeper. He decided to continue observing them through his secret mirror. Every moment they weren’t in class they were following him. Their eyes never seemed to leave him.
Then and there Alejandro decided to confront the two of them. Of course he was more than aware they wouldn’t show themselves.They didn’t need to. He turned around, barely catching the two of them ducking around the corner.
“I know you’re there. Let me give you some advice, back off.” He warned.
He continued on with his day, frowning as he realized they hadn’t listen to him. No, they were still following him. More than that, they almost seemed to be more obvious about it now. Almost like they were challenging him.
Alejandro wasn’t about to take this lying down. They wanted his attention? Well they were getting it.
Over the next month Alejandro began to put his all into making things as difficult for the two of them as possible. He spread rumors about Heather, he sabotaged Noah’s grades where he could, and most of all he studied. He was determined to show them who they were messing with. He was going to utterly ruin Heather’s reputation and show Noah that he couldn’t keep him down in the rankings. I
He put everything he could into this. So when his ranking remained third it was devastating. Not only because it meant he’d failed to show Noah what he was capable of, but because he knew his brother was going to confront him about it.
So he wasn’t surprised to find his brother out in the parking lot after school. As usual he had that smug smirk on his face. “So Al, I heard you’re still rank three. It's been quite some time has it not? In fact, mother and father were just telling me how disappointed they are in you. I’m really starting to get quite worried about you. Please, let me help?”
The sugary tone of voice made Alejandro feel ill. He knew the implications. His parents were not the kind to take disappointment lightly. Jose was offering him an out. A chance to regain what he’d lost. Sure he’d still be in third, but the mere fact that jose was helping him study would keep them off his back for a while. Long enough to bring his grades back up even.
But he knew what would happen if he agreed. Jose would never let him live it down. It would be something he could hold over him indefinitely, and even if he did manage to get his grades back up his parents would attribute that to Jose's influence. Only making the difference in how their parents view them more pronounced.
He was about to reply, though with what he didn’t know, when a familiar voice interrupted him. “Oh there you are Alejandro.”
He turned to see Noah was standing there Heather at his side as she usually seemed to be. Alejandro wasn’t sure what Noah was up to so he simply replied. “Yes, I was just heading to my car.”
“To pick up your textbook right? After all, the three of us have a study session.” The cynic smirked.
“Oh really? And who are you to help him study?” jose challenged.
“I’m ranked first. Alejandro’s been struggling lately so I thought I’d assist him.” Noah explained.
“Is this true Al?” his brother asked.
He had a decision to make. He could say no, and have to face jose, or he could agree, hope it got jose off his back, and have to deal with Noah and Heather. It felt like there was no good answer to this.
In the end though, he didn’t really think about it. “Yes, and we were just going.” He walked to Noah and Heather, the two teens making a space between them. “I’ll see you another time jose.”
The look on his brother’s face almost made his decision worth it. He recovered quickly enough. “Very well then, just know my offer is always open.”
A wave of relief ran through him as he watched jose leave, it was short lived however. He was here, alone in the parking lot with the people who had been sabotaging and stalking him. What did they even want with him? Why would they save him from jose?
“What do you want?” He asked, his voice coming out weaker than he wanted it to.
“Oh, just being a good classmate. What else could we want?” Heather said, a wide uncanny smirk on her face.
“I know you want something. You’ve been sabotaging me, stalking me. Why would you do that if not because you want something?” He said. They looked surprised. “Please, missing assignments, answers being changed, you’ve constantly been following me. You’re not even subtle about it.”
The smiles on their faces became if anything even more manic. “Oh so you have noticed.” Heather said.
“Aren’t you something?” Noah chuckled. “Well then, perhaps you have earned a hint as to our motives.”
The two of them surrounded him, essentially boxing him in between them. Obviously he could get away if he needed to. They weren’t nearly as strong as he was. Yet somehow that fact provided very little comfort.
“You see Alejandro, what we want is to drive you to the brink.” Heather whispered, trailing a hand down his cheek.
“And then we want to pick up the pieces.” Noah continued, placing a hand on his shoulder.
Alejandro wasn’t quite sure what they meant by that. Drive him to the brink? Pick up the pieces? What? He swallowed. These two were clearly not as sane as he’d previously thought. “You’re talking in riddles. Tell me what you want.”
Noah smirked. “We did.”
With that the two of them walked away leaving Alejandro confused and horrified. He spent the entire night thinking about the interaction. What did they mean? They wanted to drive him to the brink? Like what? Drive him mad? Why? And what was with the next part? Pick up the pieces? So they wanted to drive him mad and then help him put the pieces back together? How did that make any sense?
Things only got worse over the next two weeks. Alejandro knew they were still following him, but it didn’t stop there. He found notes in his locker. Each one had Something about him on it. How his eye twitched when someone called him Al. How he was secretly extremely vulnerable. How he had an inferiority complex. Things that one would only know if they saw through him. He knew the notes had to be from Heather or Noah.
Not only that but when he finished P.E. one day he found that his overshirt was missing and he had to spend the rest of the day wearing his workout shirt. It didn’t take him long to find out where the overshirt got to. The next time he saw the two of them were watching him he spotted it around Noah’s waist.
All of this was nerve wracking. So much so that he was struggling to keep his attention on his studies, and he needed to. If he didn’t he grades up his parents would have words with him. And all along he can’t stop wondering why. Why do they want to do this? What is the point of it? He can’t seem to figure it out and it's maddening.
And yet, there was something about it that he loved. Something about someone paying so much attention to him that made him feel special in a way no one else did. Over time he was starting to almost crave seeing them watching him.
It was a Friday he broke. The note he’d gotten that morning was about how they knew he felt unloved. That was something Alejandro never told anyone. Not his parents or jose. It was a secret thought. Something personal that only he knew. Or it was. He should be scared of that and he is. Yet somehow he also finds it oddly comforting.
As soon as the day was over he walked to an empty corner of the parking lot and turned to them. “ How do you know so much about me? Why are you following me? Why are you even bothering with me anymore? I’m no threat to either of you at this point.” He could feel tears in his eyes, but he doesn’t care. “And you wanna know the strangest part? I think I enjoy it. Sure I’m scared, terrified even. Yet there’s something about the two of you putting so much effort into this. So much effort into me. I-” He choked.
Noah and Heather shared a glance, and then they both wrapped their arms around him. Heather on his left, Noah on his right. The queen bee leaned in close, that wide uncanny smile on her face. “Go on, let it all out.” she whispered.
The last shreds of his self control splintered at those words. He began to sob into Noah’s shoulder. He can feel the cynic’s small hand in his hair stroking him. “That’s right, we’re here for you.”
“We’ll always be here for you.” Heather said.
“Think about that Alejandro. Two people who will stay by your side forever.” Noah smirked.
“Who will give you all the attention you could ever want.” The queen bee continued.
“Who will hold you close and never, ever let go.” The cynic said.
He knows this is a bad idea. These two have basically ruined his life. They’ve sabotaged his grades, they’ve stalked him, they’ve made him paranoid. They’re the reason he’s in this state. The reason he’s coming completely undone at this moment. They did this to him.
And yet, somehow, it’s nice. His parents don’t pay much attention to him unless he does something wrong. Jose makes his life a living hell, and the people at school? The teachers and students? They don’t know the real him. They only know the facade he puts on. Even people who can see through his gentlemanly charm only see the maleficent mastermind underneath. That's all he ever lets people see.
So to have someone know him? All the little intricacies of his personality, all the pain and hurt underneath it all? It’s amazing. To have someone take such an interest in him. To be so invested in him, not the act he puts on but the real him? It’s an intoxicating thought. Something he can't bring himself to refuse. In fact, at this point the thought of them losing interest genuinely hurts him.
When he finishes crying he sighs. “You’ll stay with me no matter what?”
The two nodded. “No matter what.”
Alejandro smiled bitterly. “Then I guess you’ve got me. I can’t refuse that.”
Noah runs his fingers through his hair as Heather intwines hers with his. He has a feeling there’s no escape now. He’s agreed to their terms. They have him, and they’ll never let him go. And honestly? Despite how toxic this is, despite knowing they’ve used his past trauma to make him this dependent on their attention. Alejandro’s not even sure he wants them to.