Making Friends

It had been a long day for Brian. Shawn had kept him up all night last night, and the bags under his eyes were once again getting well visible. The lack of sleep was even expecting his memory; he blacked out shortly before going to school, losing about ten minutes of time. This dreadful appearance combined with his reputation made for another day of being avoided by all the other students; until last period that was. Brian had a free period, which he was spending studying in the library. Shawn, of course was making studying very difficult, but to both of their surprise, a fellow classmate approached Brian. The two of them had a brief conversation; he was even friendly to Brian, which caught both off guard. Brian was ecstatic, which of course frustrated Shawn. As soon as the boy left, Shawn decided to vent said frustration.
"You don't deserve this friend. I won't let you have him. You have me. And that's all you need, and all you'll get." That's how it started, and much how it continued for the next forty-five minutes.
Brian tried to ignore Shawn. He normally could tolerate it. But Shawn was unrelenting. Brian tried to write, but Shawn positioned his hallucination over the notebook so he couldn't; Brian tried to sleep, but Shawn forced his eyes open; finally Brian felt he had no choice but to leave the library, walk away. He left the library, trying to escape a tormentor in his own head. School was over, the halls were empty and Brian hadn't even noticed the final bell because of how far down his throat Shawn was. He began running, clasping his hands over his years, letting out frustrated, miserable sounds, unable to escape Shawn's hissing, scathing words.
"You know why I won't let you get close to anyone else, hm? I'll tell you. I'll tell you! Because last one you got close to, last one you were left alone with was ME. And you KILLED me, remember? Killer. KILLER!"
"Please, please, just STOP!" Brian begged, his voice reverberating through the halls as his power walk slowed to a crawl, and he leaned against a locker, paralyzed by everything.

The bell rang signalling the end of the class period and the end of the school day.  Students rushed from their classrooms to grab their stuff and head home, or to make it to their extracurricular activities.  Byron strolled to his locker, leaving the classroom after most of his peers.  He was in no rush today as he was off from work.  He grabbed what he needed from his locker and headed for one of the exits.  As he rounded a corner, Byron heard a boys voice farther down the hall.  Up ahead he saw a lone boy leaning up against the lockers, clearly in distress.  It sounded like he told someone to stop, however there was no one else there, so Byron was unsure who the boy was talking to.  Concerned, Byron jogged over.  Once he got within a few feet he stopped.  "Hey, you okay there buddy?"  Byron made no move to get closer, but just watched him, trying to figure out if he needed to take him to the infirmary before the nurse left.

Brian tensed up, making no sound apart from the sharp inhale of surprise when he heard a new voice. Slowly, he looked up to face the speaker, his eyes red from crying, tears staining his face. "Tell him yes. Tell him you're fine." Shawn ordered. "You don't need him. You don't GET him. I won't allow it. Do you understand? If you say ANYTHING, ANYTHING other than 'Yes, I'm fine', I will DESTROY you." He stepped between Brian and Byron, turning his head to look at this newcomer. "Both of you. Understand?"
Byron wouldn't see Shawn, so he would likely chalk Brian's eyes shifting from Shawn to Byron to something along the lines of being unable to focus. After another moment of silence, Brian finally opened his mouth. "Help..." He finally said weakly; he couldn't think. He could barely function. What he needed was help, from someone, something, somewhere; he couldn't keep Shawn a secret anymore. He needed help.

The boy, Brian, was clearly in distress.  His eyes were bloodshot and flickering back and forth in some sort of paranoia.  After a few tense moments the boy finally spoke in a voice not much more than a whimper, eyes pleading almost more than his simple word.  Byron slowly stretched out his arm towards Brian, attempting to steady him at the shoulder.  "It'll be okay.  I'll get you to the nurses office, okay?  We'll get you some help."  Byron did not immediately identify the boy as the supposed murderer.  He felt a vague recognition, but was too mentally occupied at the moment with the stress of the situation to make the realization.

Brian slowly nodded, shaking. He pushed himself off the wall, trembling so much that Byron almost definitely would need to grip him harder on the shoulder to keep him from falling over. Yeah, the nurse's office, that would be good, a good place to start. They helped people with mental health things before, and the nurse here was at least somewhat familiar with power-based ailments. He would explain the situation to her, and she could help. It would mean people would know he killed Shawn, but screw it, Shawn didn't really seem to be that hindered by having his head split open and buried, so--
Shawn sighed. "Brian, Brian, Brian. I warned you. I did, I really did. Now I'm going to ruin you. I'm gonna fucking destroy you. But if I'm gonna do that, I need to hop into the pilot's seat. SCOOT."
Suddenly, Brian would go rigid, standing up straight and gasping loudly, his eyes squeezing shut and body tensing as though he had just received some sort of electric shock. For a moment, he stopped breathing, but it came back just as quickly as it left him. He opened his eyes again, but this time Shawn was in control. God, it feels good to FEEL again. To move. To have my own body. I could get used to this... Granted, this wasn't the first time today Shawn had taken control of his host...
Byron would immediately notice something was significantly different about Brian after he recovered from his shock. "Y'know... It's surprising how often people fall for the same trick..." Shawn said; the voice wasn't his, but Brian's. It was unnerving, but at least his words could be heard again. No, stop thinking about that. Focus on now. Focus on the lie. Focus on punishing Brian. A cold grin crept across Brian's face as his hand slipped into the front pocket of his backpack. After a brief moment of pause to compose himself, Brian whipped out a steak knife he had smuggled into school; Shawn had stashed it there this morning when he took control of Brian the first time, just in case... Well, something like this happened. Without giving Byron much time to react, Brian grabbed Byron with his other hand and shoved him against the lockers, holding the knife blade an inch from his face, grinning. "It's almost like people don't want to learn." His eyes narrowed, predatory grin widening until he finally let Byron go, stepping back and breaking into hysterical laughter. "You should see your face right now! HAHA! C'mon, do you really think I'd kill you at school? No. No. I'm not that stupid." The grin faded, his face turning to grim seriousness and he stepped back towards Byron, pointing at him threateningly with the blade. "But... But maybe you'll learn. Leave me alone. And don't fall for every teary-eyed doe-face you see. Use your brain. Think about who you're looking at. Not everyone can be saved. And not everyone should be." At this point, he was again only about a foot away from Byron, still brandishing the knife, pointing it at him aggressively.

Byron gripped Brians shoulder.  He was shaking but Byron tried his best to steady him.  He began to lightly pull on Brian, attempting to lead him to the nurses office when he suddenly tensed up.  There was a loud gasp and he was no longer shaking.  For a moment, the life seemed to disappear from him.  "Hey-"  Suddenly his body became relaxed.  Unsettlingly so given how violently he was shaking not moments ago.  "Y'know... It's surprising how often people fall for the same trick..."  The cowering boy was gone and in his place was someone completely new.  His voice was cold and plainly malicious.  Byron was frozen in momentary shock until a knife appeared from within Brian's backpack.  He immediately let go of Brian's shoulder, but Brian caught his wrist and shoved him back against the locker before directing the knife at his face.  Byron eyed the knife, a sweat drop falling from his forehead.  Things had happened abnormally fast and hadn't allowed Byron time to think.  "It's almost like people don't want to learn."  He let go of Byron and took a step back, falling into a fit of maniacal laughter.  "You should see your face right now! HAHA! C'mon, do you really think I'd kill you at school? No. No. I'm not that stupid."  Byron grit his teeth, regaining a bit of his composure.  Immediately the sweat drop on his chin froze as it fell and clinked on the floor.  Brian would feel the temperature near Byron drop strangely low.  "But... But maybe you'll learn. Leave me alone. And don't fall for every teary-eyed doe-face you see. Use your brain. Think about who you're looking at. Not everyone can be saved. And not everyone should be."  
"Bastard."  Byron's eyes cleared and fists clenched.  "What do you think you're doing bringing something like that to school?"  He raised his fists in front of his face.  "You're that kid aren't you?  The one everyone says murdered someone.  I didn't believe it, thinking if you did there was no way they'd let you back in school.  But you... did you actually kill that guy?"  Byron's eyes were as cold as his skin.  He was ready to defend against an attack should Brian come at him, but there was little he could do while backed against a wall with a knife to his face.

As Byron spoke, Brian's face began twitching; Shawn could feel himself slipping back. It was exhausting exerting himself like this, he couldn't keep this up for much longer. Before Byron finished speaking, Brian's head sagged a bit and the knife almost slipped from his fingers. All at once though, he caught himself and tightened his hand; Brian was back, and could feel himself dropping something. What, he wasn't sure. His eyes fluttered open as he reaffirmed his grip, and saw the knife in his hand. Wha... How? When did I get this?! He thought to himself, expecting Shawn to answer... But Shawn said nothing. He was... gone. And Brian was alone.
"But you... did you actually kill that guy?" The boy's voice asked. Brian looked up, and saw he was pointing the knife at the very boy who was helping him not a moment ago.
He was alone... Truly, completely alone. What the hell happened?
Brian was shaking, terrified at what was happening. What just happened? What had he done? Why couldn't he remember? It was a long moment of silence, his mouth hanging dumbly open. "I-I... I... N-No! No, I didn't kill Shawn!" Brian finally stammered out, feeling oddly exposed and unsure of what to say without Shawn there to demand him to respond in a certain way. "I didn't... I didn't! I DIDN'T!" He exclaimed, getting louder and more beligerent, actually taking an aggressive step towards Byron, brandishing the knife again. Only then did he realize his own actions, and his eyes went wide and he stepped back. "I-I'm sorry... I... I didn't... No, I..." He continued stammering, his voice getting softer and softer. Finally, the knife slipped from his grasp, landing next to his foot.

As suddenly as the boy went from a whimpering child to a cold villain, his demeanor changed once again.  The sinister eyes were gone, replaced by growing confusion and panic.  He stuttered as he spoke, claiming his innocence.  His voice was the same, but his intonation was different.  If Byron wasn't there the whole time, he would have sworn it was two completely separate people.  When Brian dropped the knife, Byron kicked it across the hall, well out of either of their reaches.  Byron carefully moved away from the lockers, getting the hallway behind him so he had space.  He kept his arms up defensively and never let his eyes leave Brian.  He suddenly shouted, "Hey! Someone! Get a teacher!"  Byron waited, watching Brian, ready to react if he made a move.

Brian jolted when Byron came close enough to kick away the knife right next to him, stumbling back at the sudden movement, and let out a small sound as he heard Byron call for a teacher. "N-no... No, you don't understand! I-I... I..." He stammered, trying to think, but he was too tired, too emotionally unstable, too confused and afraid to make a coherent sentence.
So he ran.
It was the only thing he could think to do. He had to run. He had to flee, to escape, to get away from this place. He ran, stumbling and crying, wondering what was happening to him. What had he done? Where was Shawn? What the hell was happening to him?

Brian was frantic.  He turned to run but Byron ran after him, quickly catching up.  He reached out, grabbing the boy by the arm and cold began seeping into Brian.  It would be enough to make him feel numb, but not enough to cause frostbite.  Once he had a firm grasp on one arm he made a grab for Brian's other arm, and proceeded to try to tackle him to the ground.  
From down the hall Byron could hear quickened footsteps.  After a few moments, a rather tall man with messy brown hair and a five o'clock shadow appeared next to the two, a frightened girl, likely the student who got him, behind him.  "Kelvin! What's going on?"
Byron tried to look the man in the eye while maintaining a firm grip on Brian.  "Mr. Nox, this guy pulled a knife on me!  I kicked it away back there," He gestured with his head, "And then he ran."
"Alright, that's enough.  Let him go for now."  Reluctantly, Byron loosed his grip as Mr. Nox approached Brian.  "Is what he said true?"

Brian struggled against Byron's grasp. Instinctively, he stomped down hard on Byron's foot, trying to force him to let go.
"There you go, Brian." Shawn said; his voice was softer than normal, but he was back. "Push him away. You get only me."
Brian froze, not sure whether to be relieved or horrified at Shawn's return. When Mr. Nox spoke, he opened his mouth, only letting out a choked sound. "I-I... I don't remember. I... I just... I don't know..."
"What do you mean you don't know?! You had him pressed against the locker with a knife to his throat!" Shawn interjected, laughing.
"I SAID I DON'T KNOW!" Brian screamed suddenly, more to Shawn than Byron or Mr. Nox. "I don't remember anything! I don't know, I can't think! I can't... I can't... I just FUCKING CAN'T!"

Byron grit his teeth to Brian's stomping on his foot, but not more, as his lowered body temperature numbed his nerves to the pain.  
Byron took a step back from Brian's outburst, but Mr. Nox quickly stepped forward, waving a hand in front of his face as signs of dust occasionally glinting from the light fell towards Brian.  Brian would quickly begin to feel drowsy and weak.  Eventually his limbs would start to fail him and he would find it nigh impossible to maintain consciousness.  Mr. Nox was ready to catch him when he inevitably fell.

With Brian's already exhausted state, he almost immediately fell to his knees. Shawn stood behind Mr. Nox, grinning cruelly. "I think I'll let you get some sleep... This one time, at least. But you remember that I'm being nice to you."
Brian nodded in response to this, or tried to at least, before completely slipping under.

Mr. Nox caught Brain's limp body and laid it gingerly on the floor.  "Kelvin, wait here for a moment."  He stood up and walked down the hall.  The girl that was with him still looking rather concerned, but waited near Byron.  He grabbed the discarded knife carefully with both hands before going to place it in the office for safe keeping.  Upon his return, he would find the girl leaning against a nearby wall and Byron sitting beside the unconscious Brian with a curious look on his face.  Byron didn't understand him.  The way he was acting was much too erratic.  He had seemed genuine, but his sudden aggression threw everything up in the air.  He was unsure of what to think.  
Mr. Nox put his arms beneath Brian and picked him up.  "Alright, Kelvin, you can go for now.  But I'll be speaking with you tomorrow, alright?"  Byron looked up, strangely quiet, and nodded.  Byron rose and went to leave the school along with the girl while Mr. Nox carried Brian off to the Nurses Office.