I sent Laura a text, after avoiding her again all week. It just didn't sit right that we went straight back to normal as if I wasn't spending all my time elsewhere, I couldn't even bring myself to walk past the house. I was an awful brother. I had even procrastinated on ringing Reyna back and she had called three times in the last five hours.

She responded by ringing me, and acting on my guilt, I declined it. 'Sorry Laura, can't call now, but did I get any more mail?' I muttered aloud before sending the message. The response was fast, as expected.

With a sigh, I walked down the street, keeping my head down. My music was blasting in my ears and I kept pace with the beat. The sky was blue, a nice temperature to walk home. Home? No, back to the manor. Nodding my head to the beat, I sidled over to the mailbox, it wasn't empty.

Pulling my phone out my back pocket, I checked the time. Three thirty, Laura wouldn't be home yet at this time, her class went until five. There were five envelopes, four all had her name on them. The other one, thin, tightly sealed and with an obnoxiously large stamp for the penitentiary on the front just above the printed address.

I slipped it into my jacket with a sigh, putting the other mail back in the letter box hastily. If anyone was watching, they would probably think that I was stealing mail. Again. Shaking my head, I walked on, continuing to the beat of the song. The only question was, which way should I walk to the manor? The bus was appealing, my boots were comfortable but they definitely weren't for hiking, and I could get off at the Highschool and surprise Yan. Though, would she be happy to see me?

Running to get to the bus stop, I made it just as the usual bus pulled up. Giving the bus drier a nod, I scanned my card settling down at the front in a seat by myself. It wasn't too crowded today, about four old ladies, a couple kids who had skipped school. I continued humming along quietly to my music, scrolling through the randomly suggested news articles. They all blended together, there wasn't anything interesting.

I watched the streets blur past, checking the time occasionally, hoping that the bus wouldn't be late. Fidgeting with my card, I almost forgot to press the button for my stop. The bus jolted forward and I mumbled apologies as one of the old ladies seemed to tutt at me angrily, shaking her head. I couldn't hear what she was saying, my music was too loud and I intended to keep it that way.

Scrambling off the bus, I headed to the school gates where a couple parents were already loitering outside. I kept an eye out for Yan, pulling my headphones out of my ears. She was walking along, head down, hands clutching her school bag. Two boys looked like they were going to head over to her, but when they saw me standing there, for some reason they went their separate ways.

I waved, trying to get Yan's attention. She didn't see. Another random classmate tapped her on the shoulder and she looked up in surprise before seeing me. Her expression went from a frown to a bright smile. She walked a lot more quickly towards me.

'Evan! Dad and Papa didn't say you were coming!' She cried out in greeting as she walked quickly out of the gate. Some of the loitering parents looked strangely at the two of us, but I tried to ignore them, looking down at the smiling girl in front of me.

'Hey Yan! Come on, let's walk,' I chuckled, 'and, picking you up was more of an impromptu thing...'

'Impromptu?' She asked and I nodded.

'Yeah, unplanned, a surprise.'

'You thought about surprising me?'

'Yeah!' I laughed as we walked down the street. 'How was your day?'

'Could have been better, could have been worse. I did really well on my English presentation though! It was on the book we're studying, Pride and Prejudice.'

'Oh I've read that. I never studied it for school but it's good, what was your favourite bit?'

'Well, that's what my presentation was about, the fact that even though Elizabeth's perception of Mr Darcy is so horrible, it all turns out that those were just lies perpetuated by other people. And the way that they end up together is so sweet. I'd love to find my Mr Darcy...' She sighed wistfully.

I nodded before mumbling, 'Me too'.

She looked over at me in surprise for a split second, 'What?'

'Huh?'

'Oh nothing... Do you think Senpai would be my Mr Darcy?'

'Maybe.'

We continued walking down the block, Yan talking happily about school work and saying some stories about Dark and Wilford. I listened contently, my mind wandering constantly to the letter in my pocket. I went to check it was still there, only to be met with an empty pocket. Yan stopped me in mid step, bending over to pick something up from the ground. An envelope, my letter!

'Thanks Yan!' I cried, taking it from her.

'Who's that letter from?'

'Oh, one of Dark's friends. I'm helping him get sorted in living in the manor.' I explained, feeling my stomach sink. Is that all Yancy was? Just one of Darks "friends", I guess he was, what else would he be?

'Hmm okay.' Was all she said.

We walked in relative silence all the way back to the manor. I chuckled as she sent the goose running with a simple stare. Together we trudged up to the unwelcoming front door and Yan knocked twice.

'You don't have keys either?'

'I don't need them,' she looked at me confused, 'Someone's always home.' I shrugged, it was true enough, someone always did seem to be home. To my surprise, the door rattled a little and we were met with the stone cold face of Google.

'Welcome Yan, and... Evan.' He scanned each of us. Though I was slowly getting used to the android, he was still wildly unsettling. 'Dark has given me a memo to pass on, They are in their office and do not wish to be disturbed, Chef has left cookies on the counter as an after school snack. They hope that you will do all of your homework successfully yet encourage you to seek out myself if assistance is needed. Wilford also added that it is the family activity night, please do not forget.' He said pleasantly to Yan before stepping out of the doorway. I nodded at him with a smile, trying to mask how unsettled he made me, before walking into the kitchen.

I was itching to read the letter.

I couldn't open it at the kitchen bench, because Yan was sitting next to me stuffing her face with cookies. I slipped it onto the bench anyway, because of the fear that it would fall onto the floor and draw more attention than I wanted.

We both looked up as someone entered the kitchen. To my surprise it was the Host, shuffling over to the coffee machine with a coffee mug. I glanced at Yan in confusion, who just shrugged and kept shoveling cookies into her mouth.

How does he use a coffee machine? I mouthed to her, which she ignored. Though I had been here for ages, sneak peeks into their usual routines were odd to me. The price of avoiding everyone.

'The host sees Evan mouth the question to Yan and turns to look at him. "Yes, I am able to use a coffee machine, it is simple." The Host says calmly, resuming his coffee making. He then offers Evan a cup to which he-'

'Uh, thank you?' I mumbled.

'- reluctantly agrees...' He kept narrating whilst making the cup. How did he know how I liked my coffee? I frowned as I fiddled with the envelope. I needed to open it. I couldn't understand where the feeling of urgency was coming from, why was I so eager to open something from a person who hated me?

Yan polished off the cookies, leaving one of the plate, pushing it towards me before bolting up the stairs with her bag.

I tapped my fingers on the counter, taking a hesitant bite of the cookie. It was still a little warm and the chocolate oozed into my mouth. Chef certainly bragged about his cooking for a reason, even if he was overly confident. I smiled at the happiness that always comes when you eat chocolate chip cookies, still tapping my fingers against the bench.

The Host slid the cup of coffee over the counter, almost spilling it on the envelope. Holding a breath, I slid the letter out of harms way, using my jacket sleeve to mop up the spilt coffee.

'The Host apologises for almost spilling the coffee on Evan's letter from Yancy-' He narrated while I blinked in surprise.

'How did, how did you know it was from Yancy?' I asked quietly.

'- The Host admits that he has on occasion narrated parts of their conversations, as it would make a good story. He does not, however, write it down.'

I took a hesitant sip of the coffee, hissing as it burnt my tongue. What if he had told the others? He narrated feelings pretty accurately, what implications did that bring? I shook my head, taking another sip. It tasted like nothing, but my tongue throbbed.

'The Host also advises that though Evan might be invited to join in tonight, he is welcome to use the Host's study to write a reply, as the Host will not be needing it this evening...'

I nodded, mumbling a thankyou before picking up the letter and the coffee, truding upstairs to find his office. It was the room that had a recording sign above it - currently off. Warily, I opened the door, almost expecting something to jump out at me by now, but instead was pleasantly surprised by the dim but cozy interior.

The desk was terribly cluttered, one of the walls was covered by a bookshelf, the other was blank. There was a comfortable chair with a side table next to it, covered in half drunk cups of coffee. The room stunk of coffee and a little dust.

Closing the door behind me, I carefully sat down in the desk chair, trying not to move anything out of place. There was enough space for the letter. Holding a breath, I ripped open the envelope, disregarding the printed check list and unfolding Yancy's distinctive chicken scratch. It was longer than I expected, and I started reading it quietly aloud.

'...I hates that youse makes so many deals... I's hates that youse assumes everything about me. I hates that I put so much efforts in to please youse...' I frowned but continued reading, 'But, I don't hates youse.' I was confused. He hated so much about me, but didn't hate me?

'...I needs youse to explain more about this deal of youses. At least writing period has some uses now? There is too much to talk abouts, so, I would like youse to visit me.' He did have a point. 'But for nows, tell me about these friends of youses. I'll tell youse about mine.'

He wrote about his Prison Family, their names, some of the things that they had done together. It sounded like an interesting bunch, to read about. I'd never want to meet some of them, especially the one that knows how to make hooch wine. Can't say it interested me too much.

I looked about the desk, trying not to disturb too much of the Host's belongings. On top of a pile of notebooks, there was a blank envelope and piece of paper. Guiltily, I took them down, finding a spare pen and began to write.

I started off about the house, describing the details that he would care about. Then I moved on to its inhabitants. I described how sweet Yan was, how chaotic Wilford could be and some of the parts of Dark's various personality. I wrote about my own family, about Laura and how we were pretty close and got up to some mild things as teenagers. I was on the final line, 'Alright. I'll come visit then,' when there was a knock at the study door. 'Yes?' I called out.

The door opened a crack, revealing Yan. She gave a sweet smile, stepping into the room.

'Google said you were in here, what are you doing?'

'Just writing a letter back to Dark's friend.' I offered, signing my name at the bottom and slipping it into the envelope. Yan just smiled, like she knew something I didn't.

'Yeah, did you want to come downstairs? We're about to start Uno! Like google said that Wilford said, it's family night! This time it means uno! Want to join?' She asked eagerly.

'Uh... I'm not really family am I?' I asked, awkwardly. She looked down a little, before lighting back up again.

'Well, Dad and Papa said to school that you were my cousin, so that's enough for me!' I shrugged, unable to disagree and disappoint her. 'Let's go!' I pocketed both letters, before following her reluctantly downstairs.