Ryan felt her phone buzzing, opening her eyes. She was still between the two, blinking as she reached under herself to grasp it. They both stayed asleep, cuddled in while Trevor was close to falling off the bed.

king_cobra: do you really think they would still want to be your friend if they knew who you were?

Ryan exhaled, rubbing her tired eyes.

king_cobra: do something for me or they'll all know. I never break a promise, Maryan.

ryan.daughtler: what do you want me to do?

king_cobra: follow this location and make sure you see the bag get buried. Video the entire thing.

Ryan started at the park location that was dropped right after the next. Ryan sat up slowly, gently slipping Brandon's arm off her and Trevor, draping it over him again. Ryan leaned down, kissing Trevor's forehead before doing the same to Brandon's cheek. She was silent and easy as she got out of the bed, finding her shoes near the door.

Ryan crouched behind the bush as she videoed Elisia burying the bag. She grabbed her phone, looking at the screen before she opened the bag. Ryan squinted her eyes to see a gun in her hand, shoving it back in the bag and burying it. Ryan send the video, standing up as she headed to her car.

ryan.daughtler: do we have a deal?

king_cobra: a deal?

ryan.daughtler: you won't tell?

king_cobra: i didn't know, Maryan. Will I? Or will you continue to help me to keep your secret safe?

Ryan felt panic build up in her chest, inhaling as she shook her head. Leaning down, she sat on the curb, panicking and waiting until the sun started to rise to head back to the boys.

"Look, now we actually get past more then two rounds without Ryan." Trevor spoke up, him and Brandon playing video games after Ryan said she didn't want to. She's been off in a daze the entire morning, in and out of reality. She thought about what all could go wrong if her secret got out. If Brandon and Trevor knew she was the same girl they once hated, they'd surely hate her again.

That wasn't something Ryan could risk now, not with how close they'd gotten. Not with them being the most important people in her life.

Brandon and Trevor shared a look when Ryan didn't answer, picking at her finger nails. "Ugh, oh. The finger nail pick is back."

"Something must be wrong then." Trevor hummed as she gave them a look of disbelief. "Tell us, woman."

Brandon patted the space between them as Ryan stood up, walking over to crawl in the middle. Trevor scooted in closer so they were crowded together, again. Brandon tapped the top of her head. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Ryan lied, her head dropped on his shoulder.

"You don't even want a reason to kick our asses at video games." Trevor confirmed, leaning in and rubbing his forehead on her arm, almost like he was trying to burrow into her skin.

"How could you say no to all that cuteness?" Brandon asked as Ryan grinned, pulling Trevor in to lay on her some while she she did the same on Brandon. "Spill your truth or get struck dead by god."

The front door opened, the trio all jumping away from each other. That's what was comical about the three of them. They did things that they never considered suspicious or more then a friend would, yet when anyone else would interfere, they'd jump away as if they had committed a crime. They knew, all three of them, deep down that something was going on, something that others would view as odd or questionable. But, they refused to ever say that one out loud.

"What is he doing here?" Rowan snapped as she looked at Brandon.

Trevor threw his head back on the couch with a grin. "Chill, sis."

"Is she must birthday present? Trev, I told you not to get me anything." Brandon joked with a grin his way.

"I'm leaving." Rowan announced.

"No, stay!" Trevor called to her, jumping over the couch. "Stay, please. Look, I knew you wouldn't come if I told you he was gonna be here."

Ryan stood up, helping Brandon off the couch with a dramatic groan. He grabbed Fishy from the couch, a demotic accent coming through as he held it up. "Stay with us, Rowan."

Trevor looked back in disbelief as Ryan rose her eyebrows. Rowan glared as Brandon tossed it to her. "You were in my room?"

"No, I was in your room." Ryan spoke up with a point, circling the couch. "I left you half my burrito."

"Oh, you left me half your burrito? Is that your way of apologizing for being suck a jerk?" Rowan asked with a cross of her arms.

Ryan squinted. "Sorta."

Rowand rolled her eyes, looking to Trevor. "You made it sound like something was wrong in your text."

"There is." he spoke quickly, rubbing the spot she punched. "Look, having my best friends and my pseudo siblings fight is the worst."

"That's why I tried to give you a burrito." Ryan pointed out. An embarrassed smile fell onto her lips. "Well, half a burrito."

"You guys are trying to figure out the same thing, so help each other." Trevor shrugged as he motioned between the three.

"Yeah, not interested." Rowan threw Fishy at Brandon as he stumbled.

"Damn, girl! You have an arm on you." Ryan whistled in shock. "Maybe you should join the baseball team and actually give them a good player for once."

"Ouch." Brandon held his heart as he looked as her.

"Brandon know how to find KingCobra." Trevor cut in before Rowan could walk off.

Rowan looked his way as Brandon exhaled. "Trevor told me Zoe's dead."

"Really? You have anything to do with that?" Rowan walked forward with risen eyebrows.

"He's a dickhead, not a murderous dickhead." Ryan gave a knowing look, nodding toward Brandon.

"And a liar, but not a murderer." Brandon agreed with an exhale.

Rowan looked between the three, hesitating. "We've been getting messages from KC since then. Hasn't stopped."

Ryan knew she needed to tell them, but she couldn't. She wouldn't.

"I know Zoe's boyfriend's name." Brandon confirmed as he stared at Rowan. "Well, his first name."

"What is it?" she cut in.

"Oh, I thought we weren't working together." Brandon teased, turning to give Ryan and Trevor a comical grin.

Rowan rose her eyebrows. "Does it start with an L?"

"Oh, well, she's good at guessing." Ryan exhaled with a shake of her head. "It's probably an R name thing."

"Since when have you guessed anything right?" Trevor gave her a dumb look.

"I guessed that you were gonna cut your hair." she said back with an
eyebrow raise.

"Only because you said it looked like a baby rat and it's mama was living on my head." Trevor defended himself. "Anyone would cut their hair if someone said that to them."

"I still-" she started.

"Oh my god, are the two of you serious right now?" Rowan looked between the two in disbelief.

Brandon exhaled. "They are."

"So it does start with an L?" she asked again, getting a nod as a grin went across her lips. "Then I know his last name."

Brandon lowered his eyes. "Lance."

"Broadly." Rowan said back.

Trevor grinned, holding his hands up. "And voila."

•

kylie speaks

rowan and ryan <3