Chapter Text
Willie is the laid-back one...
Willie is the go-with-the-flow one...
Willie is... panicking something mighty right now. Willie hasn't seen his boyfriend Alex since Thursday at school before he went skateboarding in the rain. He hasn't talked to Alex since Friday at about 2:30 before Alex left school. No matter how many times Willie calls or texts, Alex doesn't answer. Willie asked their other friends if they have seen or heard from the blonde, they haven't. If it were up to Willie, Luke, and Reggie, they would have gone to the police Saturday morning, but Julie, ever the level-headed one, convinced them to wait until after school on Monday just in case.
So here Willie is, at the school Monday morning at 6 in the fucking morning waiting for his lov- boyfriend. Waiting for his boyfriend. The doors to school don't open for the students until 7:30 but Willie is too anxious to not have gotten there early. He doesn't want to miss Alex. Willie paces in front of the doors.
Students start arriving around 7:20. They ignore Willie, too tired to care or notice.
Reggie is the next to arrive at 7:25. One look at Willie and Reggie can tell that Alex is still MIA.
Luke is next at 7:30. Luke moves Willie away from the front doors so the other students can go inside. Reggie moves with them. The worry and nervous energy make the three boys restless. The girls arrive at 7:45, the boys look at them hopefully, hoping they have heard from their blonde. The girls shake their heads no.
"I'm sure he's fine, Classes don't start until 8. There is still time for him to get here," Julie is the first to speak.
The five continue to wait outside.
By 7:55 the girls have convinced the boys that at the very least, should wait inside, knowing that convincing the boys to attend class would be useless.
Lenaya doesn't arrive at school until 10, having promised Alex that she will talk to his friends and inform the principle what has happened. With all of the proper paperwork for Alex's guardianship change, doctor's note, and police report, she heads straight to the front office.
"Excuse me? I need to speak with Principal Lessa,"
The front office worker looked up at Lenaya's voice.
"Reason?"
"None of your business, you aren't Principal Lessa"
"Without a reason, you can't meet with the principal," the office worker said with narrowing eyes. Narrowing her eyes right back Lenaya snarls.
"I don't give a flying rats ass about you or your shit. I need to speak with Principal Lessa about something important and sensitive and none of your business," Lenaya's voice starts getting loud at the end. Loud enough for Principal Lessa to come out of her office.
"What is going on?" Principal Lessa demands.
"I need to speak with you," Lenaya replies before the office worker can, "it's important and only for certain ears," Lenaya finishes with a glare at the office worker.
With a heaving sigh, Principal Lessa gestures for Lenaya to follow her into her office.
It's almost 11 and the boys were forced to go to class after getting caught by a teacher after the last warning bell for the first period. None of them were paying attention, The girls tried but they are too worried, and the boys didn't even try.
"Can Willie Convington, Luke Patterson, Reggie Peters, Julie Molina, and Flynn Ryder please come to my office," the intercom sounds with Principal Lessa's voice. The group, each in their own classes, jump up, gather their things, and head out, barely waiting for their teachers to give them their hall passes. All arriving at the front office out of breath from running from their classes, they all but run into the Principals office. They see a girl sitting there, recognizing her as a senior, and a grim look on Principal Lessa's face.
"What-" Luke starts but is too anxious to finish. They know, in their guts, this is about Alex.
"I'm sorry you five, there has been an accident. Your friend Alex is currently in the hospital-" Julie and Flynn choke out sobs while Willie drops to the floor. Reggie stands frozen while silently crying. Luke is shaking. The principal continues, "Alex will be okay but has to stay at the hospital for a few more days. I understand this is upsetting and that you five are very close with Alex," The principal gestures to Lenaya, "This is Lenaya, she is a senior here and was the one to find Alex after his accident. I normally wouldn't do this but I think it would be best for you to go see him. Lenaya agreed to take you five and I'm giving you all excused absences for the rest of the day, I'll inform your teachers," Principal Lessa finishes.
Lenaya leads the five to her grandpa's van she borrowed. They all get in without a word, Lenaya behind the wheel, Willie in the passenger seat, Julie and Flynn in the middle row of seats, and Luke and Reggie in the back.
Starting the van Lenaya finally talks.
"Alex is okay, Hurt but okay," She pulls out of the parking spot.
"What- What happened?" Willie finally finds his voice.
"On Friday evening Alex was sitting at the end of the pier near the bike shop. When he tried to stand up he ended up falling off the pier and into the surf. Someone on the pier screamed alerting me. I was surfing at the time and was the closest. When I got to him I recognized him and got him to shore. I started CPR. Paramedics got there fast. Turns out he had a head injury. At the time we didn't know how he got the injury but the doctors at the hospital were able to tell that it wasn't from the fall. The police were able to figure out his last name and the doctors called his parents... they-" Lenaya chokes out a sob "they told the doctor to let him die. That he was no son of theirs. After that, the doctors called social services. I called my grandpa, he's a certified foster parent. Alex woke up on Sunday and was able to tell the police what happened. My grandpa and I were in the room with him. Turns out his parents found out he was gay and his dad hit him and caused him to bash his head on the kitchen counter before kicking him out. He somehow made it to the pier and when he noticed the sun going down he tried to stand up but got dizzy and fell in, falling unconscious on the way down. Alex asked me to talk to you guys to let you know what happened but I had to talk to Principal Lessa first, to let her know what happened and to give her the information for Alex's new guardianship. I didn't expect her to call you all to her office or let us all leave before the end of school," Lenaya glances at her passengers. All of them were crying, Luke looked ready to murder, Reggie, Julie, and Flynn were crying so hard they were shaking and Willie, Willie was just as, if not more murderous looking than Luke. Lenaya pulls into the hospital parking lot, "I know you are all upset but Alex needs you first, he needs you to be calm, not angry. The police are already working on getting a warrant for his parent's arrest. And remember this is a hospital, you need to be quiet and be gentle when you see Alex," Lenaya turns and looks each of the five in their eyes. "Okay?" Getting various okays and nods in reply, Lenaya gets out of the now parked car.
"Let's go see your boy"