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❝What's a day without a little night?❞

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___

"I FLUNKED THIS quiz. They should've told us we were going to have one today," Jeromy complains with a huff as he throws his books into the small compact space before shutting his locker closed.

"They did."

"When?"

"Friday." I roll my eyes as he furrows his eyebrows, probably trying to recall when it happened.

"Huh. They should've sent an email again over the weekend," he shrugged, his anger seeming to dissipate. "Speaking of the weekend, how'd the sleepover go?"

The drama-filled weekend tumbles back into my mind, and I grimace. Jeromy laughs. "Was it that bad?"

"Yes. And to be completely honest, I don't think your girlfriend and her sister will be hanging out with us any time soon."

He exhales. "What did Phoebe do?"

"She indirectly started a fight with them, turned them against each other, and managed to embarrass them in a nice way."

"I'm so sick and tired of her shit. Can't she just try to be nice for once. Or at least pretend to be? They were looking forward to this weekend."

"I know. I'm sorry, Jeromy." He finally gets someone that's genuine and doesn't like him for only his looks, and the girls manage to scare her away.

Including me, a mocking voice echoes in my head, and I'm hit with a pang of guilt.

"I'm going to go talk to Phoebe." His jaw clenches and his dark blonde eyebrows furrow.

I follow him as he fastens his pace and walks into the lunch hall. The lunch hall is crowded and loud as usual, and we spot out table easily. Everyone surrounds it as Ruby tells a story animatedly. Suddenly, the whole table erupts in laughter. Phoebe sits next to Ruby, forking a piece of crisphead into her fuchsia painted mouth.

"Can I talk with you alone?" Jeromy turns to Phoebe and crosses his arms, causing his biceps to bulge.

She hides her smile, probably knowing what's about to come. "Of course. I'll be back, Tony."

Only then do I notice who's sitting next to her. My eyes almost fall out of their sockets in surprise. Tony Knight; the robotics club's president and school's renowned geek. Although his face is really pale, and the glasses he has on are two inches thick, I can see that he's not so bad-looking. In fact, if he tried a little, he can have any girl he wants. His face is sculptured with hazel eyes and copper brown hair.

"I'll wait for you here," I tell Jeromy and he nods. Phoebe walks behind him and out of the cafeteria as our table erupts into laughter again.

Tony takes a bite out of his sandwich as his eyes dart left and right around the table nervously. A couple of people steal glances at him but try not to show it. Of course. Now that Phoebe finds him the slightest bit important — or so it seems — no one can do anything to him.

I take this as my chance and slide into the seat that Phoebe once occupied next to Tony. His shoulders tense beside me and his chewing slows down.

I smile. "Hi, Tony."

He raises his eyebrows in surprise. "You know my name?"

His voice is shockingly deep. I don't know why I expected him to have a more high-pitched, blocked-nose kind of voice.

"Honey, you're sitting with Phoebe Reed. I'd be surprised if anyone didn't."

He nods before going back to his sandwich.

"So, uhh, why are you sitting with her?"

"She wanted. . . some stuff." He stuffs his face with more of his sandwich.

"Some stuff?" I ask with a raised eyebrow, not able to contain my laughter. "What kind of stuff?"

"I can't tell you. Sorry, India."

"Wrong answer. Let's try again, shall we?" I lower my voice and being my self closer to him so now our shoulders were touching. As if possible, his shoulders tense up even more next to me.

"Uhh." His voice wavers so he clears his throat as I bring my hand on his leg.

"Are you sure?" My patience is thinning. This is a lot harder than I expected it to be. I can't believe he still didn't crack.

I purse my lips. "How about this, you tell me what's going on here," my hand ever so slightly ruffles his hair, "and I'll get you a date with Heidi Forbes. And a sleepover." I bite my lips to keep from laughing at my suggestive tone. The sandwich slips from his hand.

His wide eyes dart to Heidi across the table. It takes him a long time to answer, and I think that maybe he didn't hear me. But then-

"Deal."

I hum. "So what is it, pretty boy?"

"No. I get the date first, and then you'll know."

"Tut-tut. That's not how I play."

He closes his eyes and exhales. His hand fishes into his pocket and pulls out a USB disk. I smirk as he drops it into my hand. Then, in less than a second, I get out of my seat and step away from him. Phoebe and Jeromy walk in to the cafeteria, and she doesn't look very happy.

"Tomorrow night, 8 o'clock, you stop by at her house. She'll text you the address today." I whisper into his ear.

"What?" he asks in utter shock. "It's that easy?"

"Honey, you have no idea who you're dealing with."

---

As expected, Heidi agreed easily enough. I think it had something to with her having a lesbian lover that she'd do anything to keep secret.

Later on that day, I came home to school to find out my parents went on a last-minute trip to Japan to finish some work there. A note was all that they left me and six words were written on it:

Gone to Japan. Back by tomorrow.

It's sad yet comical, really. They couldn't even give me a call.

I pull out the peach yogurt out of the refrigerator and shut the door closed. Dad-

"You know, you shouldn't keep your door unlocked like that."

My hand jumps to my chest in shock as I drop the yogurt on the floor. I spin around, my heart beating in an unsteady manner.

"Jesus. Fucking. Christ! A stroke?! Is that what you're trying to get me? A congratulations card would've been just swell!" I touch my forehead as I close my eyes, trying to calm my exhilarating heart beat.

He hops onto the seat by the counter as his laughter echoes through the empty, high-ceiling house. . "Those are overrated. What is a piece of paper going to give you? I have something better."

"Uh-huh? What, a death sentence?" I grab a wet towel by the sink and bend down to clean the mess of spilled yogurt on the floor. 

"As much as I like staring at your ass, I need you to face me for this."

I narrow my eyes in annoyance as I straighten back up    and throw the dirty towel at his face, ignoring the heat that's risen to my chest and face. "What is it? Why are you in such an uncharacteristically good mood today?"

He scrunches his face in disgust as he pulls the wet towel away from his face. "It's about Phoebe."

"I thought you were in love with her and that, I quote, 'this is all stupid'."

"Do you want this or not?" He clenches his jaw. I smell a disagreement between the two of them that sparked a fight.

"Aaand the old Hunter is back." I cross my arms with a smirk, making him roll his eyes.

"Her dad just got into prison for gang theft, and the police think she has something to do with it."

My eyes widen as I suck in a sharp breath. 

"Happy birthday, Nina."

---

(A/N) Whaaat?! I'm alive? *chuckles nervously*

I'm sorry, for not updating all summer long, but wifi in Egypt sucks. I promise to update the next chapter in a couple of days, but if I'm completely honest, school stars tomorrow so I'm not really sure about my updating schedule. 

And I know this chapter isn't really good, but my writing's a little rusty 😂.  I'll try to make it better in the next chapter.

Don't forget to vote and comment because these are really what keep me going.

(P.S. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 6.5K READS. Y'ALL ARE THE BEST!)

Much love,
MD ❤️